Below is the flyer I FAXED to the US Moscow Embassy:
FATHER’s DAY -- the day Sasha
was to have arrived at LAX.
How appropriate that would
have been since Sasha assisted so many American men fulfill their dreams of
becoming fathers.
There were many adopted Russian children who were anxious to
meet the man who helped them become American citizens. But alas, the U.S. Consulate will not
allow Sasha to visit the children. The children are heartbroken and wondering
WHY has this been forbidden?
Sasha is not wealthy enough to meet the visitation criteria. Sasha does not own sufficient property
or have significant savings.
(Note: All of his expenses
while in this country were to be paid by the numerous hosting families).
Sasha’s “wealth” is in the unselfish assistance he provided
to American families. His “riches” are the fulfillment of people’s dreams. His
“treasures” are the dozens and dozens of Russian children he helped place into
loving homes versus having them continue to live in orphanages and government
facilities. Those assets can not
be shown on a bank statement.
Sasha has lived to create bridges between our two countries
and has served as an ambassador of goodwill. The U.S. Consulate should be honoring this man versus
rejecting him!
There
are readers in 8 countries who have been following Sasha's Journey to this
point. It is a shame that in just
a few moments, one man had the power to shut down this worthwhile program. He destroyed summer hosting and travel
plans of the 12 adopting families, meetings scheduled with educators and
researchers, visitation plans of dozens of other good citizens, interview plans
of media persons, and the joy which was being shared by readers
internationally.
Where
is the logic or value in such a decision?
Tina Shelton
I didn't get to write the letter to the embassy as I had planned (due to an urgent situation) but if Sasha or anyone else can get me the name of the cold-hearted person who refused his visa I'll write a strong letter directly to that inconsiderate imbecile.
ReplyDeleteHappy Father's Day anyway to Doc, Sasha, and the dads of all the kids Sasha helped, although today would have been THE perfect day for him to arrive.
It's a rude awakening to realize that we live in a country in which one person can exercise arbitrary power over others, and it's so unfortunate that such an individual happens to be an employee of the US Embassy in Moscow. His actions seem so mechanical, unable to respond to human concerns.
ReplyDeleteDD