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Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Geographic Discrimination

Actress Maria Fernanda Romero Martinez, who has appeared in Spanish-language productions, and someone named Kent Ross were arrested in Los Angeles. Why? Well, authorities are discriminating against their marriage based on geography. Apparently, the couple didn't live together. Sam Quinones reported about the matter in this LATimes.com blog entry.

They were charged with marriage fraud for allegedly trying to gain legal residency and a work permit for her by marrying each other.

Ross and Romero were married in 2005, but federal authorities claim the couple never lived together as a couple. A month after the marriage, Romero began dating, then living with fashion photographer Markus Klinko.

As the story goes, Klinko turned them in.
When Klinko’s and Romero’s relationship ended, Klinko went to federal immigration authorities with evidence that Romero was in a sham marriage, according to the document.
Isn't it narrow-minded bigotry to deny marriage to people simply because they don't live together? Who is to say that this isn't marriage? Don't want a different-households marriage? Don't have one! You know, they used to deny interracial couples marriage, too. Also, Romero taking up with Klinko is a private matter – families came in all shapes and sizes, after all.

7 comments,:

  1. Hey, Playful. If they have a license, then it absolutely has to be a marriage, right?

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  2. Why yes, On Lawn. That's what we've learned. Who is anyone else to say otherwise?

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  3. I remember some time ago, a story from San Fransisco in which a husband and wife lived on the same street, but in differing houses.

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  4. Here is the article

    One for the price of two / Some couples find their marriages thrive when they share separate quarters

    I think it is sort of a double standard, you know all these white upper class people getting away with it. It's not a sham to them, just apart of the diverse meaning of marriage.

    "It's still a rare arrangement. The vast majority of couples share a house, a bedroom, a bed -- the unlucky even share a bathroom. Hess said, "The cultural belief is that you are supposed to get all your needs met by one person." She believes the Hollywood expectations of what married life is supposed to look like keep couples from considering other arrangements, even if their relationship starts to die the minute they move in together. "

    Oh yes, blame Hollywood, geesh at least it wasn't the hetero-normative religious beliefs.

    "Hess believes that living apart is one option that, if considered healthy and desirable, could spare some people the trauma of a breakup. Brody said of his and Grenzeback's arrangement, "You avoid a whole area of negotiation and compromise in pursuit of something neither of us want in the first place." For him marriage is "an a la carte menu. You can choose which parts work for you." "

    So much for sacrifice and obligations.

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