Project Belbin

[handlem9z]

You can help Tanith with her citizenship.

At the recent USFS Governing Council, there was a quick presentation regarding Tanith Belbin (Project Belbin) and her citizenship. Members were asked to write their Senators/Representatives in support of granting TB her citizenship.

I'v been in contact with an attendee of the USFS Governing Council Meetings regarding this project. I told her that I was a member of the Michelle Kwan Forum and that there are many members who are in support of Tanith gaining her citizenship. I also told her that I would post the information regarding Project Tanith on the forum so other members could get involved.

The Following is the information that she sent me to share with everyone:

Dear John:

Thanks for touching base.

Please ask your contact list to send a message to their member of Congress supporting Tanith's citizenship application. In their message they should state the following (in their own words):

Their relationship to figure skating (i.e. USFS member, long-time fan, skating parent, etc.) and any comments they want to make about Tanith (US/World medalist, tsunami fundraising efforts, etc)

Please support the efforts of this young athlete and her American partner to realize their Olympic dreams

Thank congressman for his/her support

Ask congressman for a reply.

Please let me know if you have any questions!

Many thanks,
Leslie Gianelli

[iceskaterdawn]

I will put this on my to-do list for this weekend. Thanks for the info!

[Silvia006]

Ok, I will support it as soon as the hundred of immigrants that are waiting for their citizenship since 10 years ago get theirs.

[GMAN]

Keep in mind that I think it was the congresses fault for not getting Tanith's citizenship ready yet. I agree that there are so many people out there who are immigrants that deserve to get their citizenship as well, but Tanith deserves it too.

I think it would be incredible if Tanith & Ben were able to go to the Olympics!! That would be just incredible.

[GoldenMichelle]

While I'm all for Tanith getting her citizenship, why is it that the USFS is only concentrating on her? There are other US Team members that I am sure would love to have thier citizenship for the Olympics. It just seems unfair that the USFS is playing favorites

[AZSkateFan]

I think that the USFSA is favoring Tanith because she has a legitmate chance at winning an Olympic medal in ice dance. Actually, she has a great chance considering she is the reigning National Champion and has medals from every competition she has entered this season, including the most recent World Championships.

Also, without Tanith, three American ice dancing teams would not be given the chance to compete in the Olympics. Only one U.S. ice dancing team had one team sent in 1994.

With other the other figure skaters who are still trying to become citizens, there is a huge question mark as to whether or not the athlete would make the team.

And there is an even bigger question mark if the athlete would be in the top 15. A medal would be practically impossible for any of the noncitizen athletes except for Tanith.

Why spend the immense amount of time getting citizenship for an athlete who honestly has a small chance at making the Olympic team in the first place and an even smaller chance at medaling? The noncitizen skaters can still compete at every other competition.

I am going to get on that letter! :)

[boggartlaura]

While I'm all for Tanith getting her citizenship, why is it that the USFS is only concentrating on her? There are other US Team members that I am sure would love to have thier citizenship for the Olympics. It just seems unfair that the USFS is playing favoritesThe USFS is not playing favorites; it's treating all it's world medalists with citizenship issues the same.

[Silvia006]

It seems that none of you understand what playing with the law means. Believe me, if that really happens there will be a great disorder in the immigration environment. I know that September 11 delayed her process, but she is not the only one who has been affected. Also, this not about what is fair for her(only), but what is fair for every person who is in the same process. I hope you understand what we are working on, and that delays happen all the time. And even people who have more right than others in getting a citizenship faster(even immediately), are denied and must wait a long time to get it. Thank for your patience.

[graciesfriend]

handle, thanks for bringing this to our attention again! There was similar info on another board (FSU maybe) a couple of weeks ago and at that time I sent an e-mail to my Senators and Congressman in support of Tanith's citizenship. I hope it goes through (for all the reasons Jamie Blanchard mentions) in time for Tanith and Ben to compete in Torino!

The bureaucratic snafu that has delayed Tanith's US citizenship shouldn't keep her from competing in the Olympics.

[GoldenMichelle]

well to me the point isn't whether or not a skater has a legitimate chance at a medal, or even a chance to make the team. My point is that the USFS should have the same consideration for everyone. If there is another team that would like to have thier citizenship in casse they make the Oly team then I think that the USFS should work just as hard to make it happen as they are for B/A. Its nothing personal against Tanith or Ben at all. I just think that the procedures need to be fair.

[AZSkateFan]

How are the procedures unfair? The only reason anyone even knows of this citizenship issue is because it is right before the 2006 Olympics, when Tanith was supposed to already have her citizenship process completed.

Another point to make is that it is already established that Tanith Belbin will remain in the sport for an extended amount of time, unless a horrible tragedy prevents her from remaining active in skating. She is not one of the ice dancers who changes her partner as often as she changes the CD she is playing in her car.

The United States Figure Skating Association should not support athletes who are rather uncertain in the sport, as the skater could attempt to gain citizenship and then leave the sport after the citizenship is obtained. It would be foolish for the association to risk their credibility to earn something for the athlete without knowing that the athlete will actually stay in the sport once citizenship is obtained.

I understand that you want to be fair to everyone. But, at least in my opinion, the United States Figure Skating Association is being fair by helping Tanith rather than other skaters. Tanith becoming a U.S. citizen benefits the entire ice dancing community--unless you are the Russians. :)

And her citizenship is rather vital to her success in the sport in the country. How can you make boys want to be ice dancers if the ice dancing program "stinks" while the men's program is really one of the better ones in the world?

The success of other skaters you mention (although the skaters may not even exist) is not dependent on citizenship. The skater would need to be at a high level of skating before citizenship would even be a question mark. You can't make the Olympic team on good thoughts alone.

Also, while the skater is working hard in the sport, it is more than likely that the citizenship would naturally pass through without the problems that have hindered the process for Tanith.

If Sasha was a citizen of the Ukraine, Johnny was a citizen of Russia, or John Baldwin was a citizen of England, I would say that the USFSA should help those established skaters, too. Sasha is wonderfully accomplished. Johnny is wonderfully talented. And John Baldwin is not my cup of tea but he is one of the best pairs skaters in the country.

But, lets say that Angela Lien (who was either 15th or 16th in senior ladies this year) was a citizen of Germany. Why should the USFSA put the pressure on to get her citizenship when it is not vital to her personal success or the success of the association?

[holysalchow]

How do I find out what address to write to? Is there a way I can just email them?

[handlem9z]

Hopefully these links will help regarding email and contact info:

www.conservativeusa.org/mega-cong.htm (http://www.conservativeusa.org/mega-cong.htm)

www.congress.org/congress...nd=congdir (http://www.congress.org/congressorg/dbq/officials/directory/directory.dbq?command=congdir)

[graciesfriend]

I think this link will also help you find your representative in the House: www.house.gov/writerep/ (http://www.house.gov/writerep/)

And this one should also help you find your Senator: www.senate.gov/ (http://www.senate.gov/)

IIRC, once you find your representatives on these sites, you will be able to send them an e-mail in support of Tanith's citizenship.

Hope the links work; I'm not too good at this stuff. ;)

[GoldenMichelle]

JamieB

I understand your points, but I still have to disagree. If the USFSA wants to put limits on who it helps then I don't have a problem with it as long as its consistent, and written in the rules so that there is no fudging (like the age rule with the ISU). My problem is that there is no rule or standard procedure for this kind of thing, and I'm sure that there are other couples that would like to get the same beneift that Tanith is. Unless the USFS wants to set a specific rule for this then I think they should be campaigning equally on behalf of other US pairs/dance teams as well. I actually think their time would be better spent campainging the IOC to change the rules for pairs/dance....but that's another topic.

[patinage]

She should have to wait like everyone else! :rolleyes

[Mighty K]

I'm glad I did something positive to help Tanith receive the citizenship she should have already had. In Tanith's case her citizenship is delayed by 911. She and Ben are the USA National ice dancing champions and the World silver medalists. They have worked so hard, have so much talent and are World elite skaters. Being in the Olympics can be the highlight of a skaters career. It is the words biggest competition for certain sports. Tanith and Ben represent the. If Tanith is not allowed to become a US citizen because of the ripple effect of 911, then the terrorist have won again.

I think their achievements are phenomenal and they have already earned the right to compete at the Olympics.

[SusanaDalia]

I just sent my e-mail to my Senator. I hope they can help.

[handlem9z]

Just bumping for Tanith

[ScoobertDieu]

I really hope Tanith gets her citizenship. That would be so awesome to see her and Ben at the Olys next year. Thanks for the info; I will write a letter of support.

[TripleAxel]

I sent my letter!! It is rather concise, but I figured my senator couldn't possibly have THAT much time on her hands, so I quickly covered all the main points, jotted down a bit of desperate begging, proofread it twice, clicked the send button... it looks pretty convicing :rollin

[kwantasy]

Why should the USFSA put the pressure on to get her citizenship when it is not vital to her personal success or the success of the association?

In a business sense, the USFSA has no reason to pressure for other skaters' citizenships, other than those who have a shot to medal at the Olympics/will for sure stay in the sport/etc. However, in a sense of pure fairness, the USFSA should pressure for the citizenship of every skater in their organization who is looking to get it. The benefits of citizenship extend far beyond the ability to compete at the Olympics (for example, it can make travelling internationally easier, which incidentally can also benefit some of the lower ranked skaters). So I don't think it's fair that, solely because she's a medal contender, Belbin should get those benefits before others. I'm not saying that the USFSA shouldn't push for Belbin's citizenship, because maybe they should - after all, I think it'd be unfair for Belbin to lose the chance to compete. However, the USFSA should only do so if it is willing to push for their other skaters as well. That's my opinion anyway.

[missmarysgarden]

kwantasy, I agree with you...as much as I would love to see Tanith and Ben at the Olympics. Citizenship should not be an "award" for athletic performance. Or a passport to an Olympic Medal for the US. I think its a very difficult question, but I think Tanith and Ben were far more principled when Tanith stated some months ago "The only reason for accellerating the citizenship process is when its an emergency, and my being at the Olympics is not an emergency." - with Ben nodding agreement at her side. She also said "We are lucky we are so young, and hope to have other opportunities to compete at the Olympics." Now THAT's a principaled and admirable young woman, and they earned my respect. I think that USFSA will come under a lot of criticism for mounting this effort, it will be a big controversy at the Olympics, and USFSA will come out with a black eye - and they deserve it, IMO. This is a crass and thinly-veiled medal quest. I think its very "Ugly American", and we don't need that on the international sports scene, or anywhere else.

I would be very chagrined if I learned that Ben and Tanith's press conference and statements were part of a PR campaign.

[GardenKitty]

Thanks, I wrote. I selfishly hope they'll be there, because having a US team in contention should result in more coverage (by both print media and NBC) of the ice dance event.

[kwanluv]

Thanks handlem9z :)

[mrstbythesea]

Why shouldn't they make an effort to get her citizenship? After all, they did screw up, didn't they? I seem to remember that papers were lost or something. It's not like she just showed up 2 years ago and said "hey, forget about the 6 year deal, just get me in!"

And why "Ugly American?" What business is it of the other skating federations to concern themselves with how we handle our citizenship rules? Some of them don't have near the requirements we do anyway.

[Dragonlady]

It seems that none of you understand what playing with the law means. Believe me, if that really happens there will be a great disorder in the immigration environment. I know that September 11 delayed her process, but she is not the only one who has been affected. Also, this not about what is fair for her(only), but what is fair for every person who is in the same process. I hope you understand what we are working on, and that delays happen all the time. And even people who have more right than others in getting a citizenship faster(even immediately), are denied and must wait a long time to get it. Thank for your patience.

Most of the immigrants who are patiently waiting out the citizenship snafus are not being prevented from earning a living or doing their jobs while they wait. In fact, not being a citizen is not impacting on their lives in any significant way other than they can't vote. Tanith's lack of citizenship is preventing her from doing the very thing she moved to the US to do - skate in the 2006 Turin Olympics.

Tanith receiving citizenship is not going to disorder the immigration environment one little bit.

As for waiting "like everyone else", she has and she did. Denis Petrukov was skating for Russia in the year 2000, and he already has his citizenship and can compete in Turin. In 2000, Tanith was skating for the USA, yet you would deny her the opportunity that has already been given to Denis.

[Krista]

Well said Dragonlady :)

[graciesfriend]

Well said mrst!

[Sparks]

I think that USFSA will come under a lot of criticism for mounting this effort, it will be a big controversy at the Olympics, and USFSA will come out with a black eye - and they deserve it, IMO. This is a crass and thinly-veiled medal quest. I think its very "Ugly American", and we don't need that on the international sports scene, or anywhere else.
I would be very chagrined if I learned that Ben and Tanith's press conference and statements were part of a PR campaign.
I think this is a wee bit overstated. :rolleyes
The USFSA is trying to expidite Tanith's citizenship...
I don't believe that Tanith and Ben were lying to the media. They have never cried foul or stated that the immigration process was unfair. At first, I wanted Tanith to "wait her turn" like everyone else, until I heard that 9/11 had delayed the process....now that's what I call unfair. Tanith would be a citizen by now and allowed to do her job in Turin.

Dragonlady and mrstbythesea - ITA.

[missmarysgarden]

9/11 delayed everyone's process.

[GardenKitty]

I recall when Denis Petukhov got his citizenship he specifically thanked CT Senator Joe Lieberman, and a member of Lieberman's staff for their assistance. I think he also mentioned one of the Illinois senators as well. I don't think it's unusual for representatives to provide help with immigration and citizenship issues to their constituents.

[missmarysgarden]

Garden Kitty, I don't think its unusual either. And I'm not trying to convince anyone of my position - I just feel very strongly that the first introduction to citizenship in America should not be that if you are a name, or have money, someone in power will be willing to move you to the head of the line - for a favor or two later. (How soon do we forget the USOC Winter Olympic scandals in SLC?) We have certainly been willing to trash some other countries for their political manuevering. So if the shoe fits, I'm willing to wear it. I'm sure not going to wrap myself in the flag about this, and don't apologize for my position.

I love Tanith and Ben. I love Tanith! What I especially love about her is her attitude about fairness. I think its the USFSA that is willing to work behind the scenes to get what they want - not what they want for Tanith. That's disappointing to me. I would much rather wait for 4 years to see them at the Olympics, with the wonderful story that they were willing to wait for satisfaction rather than ask for or accept special consideration. It's just how I feel. I certainly wouldn't write my congressman to ask that he get involved; on the other hand, I wouldn't write to ask that he oppose special treatment. I just think its unfortunate.

By the way, I think Joe Lieberman should have respectfully declined.

[Anahi]

As for waiting "like everyone else", she has and she did. Denis Petrukov was skating for Russia in the year 2000, and he already has his citizenship and can compete in Turin. In 2000, Tanith was skating for the USA, yet you would deny her the opportunity that has already been given to Denis.

I think he got it earlier because of the fact that he is married to an American. As I know they got married in 2001, the process in this case should have lasted three years only. Good Luck

[nymkfan51]

They're not doing favors for her, or pushing her to the front of the line. As has already been mentioned, someone lost her paperwork ... she should have had her citizenship by now. So they are simply correcting a mistake, instead of penalizing Tanith for their incompetence.

[handlem9z]

Look at how much time day after day Tanith is giving to training. All the sacrifices she makes to represent the United States in International Competitions. I think she should be rewarded for this.

The paperwork got lost and delayed because of 9/11. I know others did also, but its not effecting their jobs. You can still work as a permanent resident alien. I just think its wrong to make her miss the Olympics when she wants to represent our country.

I got a thanks from Leslie (USFSA) for posting this project on MKF. She will pass along any develops regarding Tanith's status.

Thanks to those who have sent letters to help Tanith.

[GoldenMichelle]

kwantasy and MMG....that's exactly what I was trying to say...thanks for saying it better than me.

[Terri]

As for waiting "like everyone else", she has and she did. Denis Petrukov was skating for Russia in the year 2000, and he already has his citizenship and can compete in Turin. In 2000, Tanith was skating for the USA, yet you would deny her the opportunity that has already been given to Denis.

Yes, and that's basically what it comes down to for me. Denis is already a citizen, yet while he was skating for Russia Tanith had already committed to living in, and skating for the US. Tanith's case is special in that her lack of citizenship is preventing her doing from her work. Maybe only a handful of people in the entire country are in the same position. (And it's through no fault of her own that she's in this position.)

[taf]

MissMaryGarden, I must respectfully disagree. Tanith would already be a citizen if some minor beaurecrat had not messed up her paperwork. She has fulfilled the time requirement to be a citizen & has as much right to be one as any other immigrant.

My husband is Canadian & I know what the resident alien & citizenship process is like. I have seen many people pushed ahead in line for no better reason than Tanith's.

And your comment about Ugly Americans is unfair. It's not like we have a long history of giving citizenship to ringers just so we can win more medals at the Olys (unlike many other countries).

[kwantasy]

Tanith's case is special in that her lack of citizenship is preventing her doing from her work. Maybe only a handful of people in the entire country are in the same position. (And it's through no fault of her own that she's in this position.)
It's not fair that Petukhov already has his citizenship (like MMG, I would probably have told Sen. Liebermann to decline to push him through in the first place). And having seen several friends go through the naturalization process, I know that many do get pushed up for no better reason than Belbin's. But that doesn't make pushing her case through fair, especially considering the fact that there are others waiting in line who also suffered from bureaucratic mistakes, who will not have a whole organization behind them. The whole two wrongs not making a right.

Now, one could say that Belbin should be pushed ahead of others because hers is a special case. But like even she has said, this is not an emergency. I disagree with the idea that her lack of citizenship is preventing her from doing her work. Given that her competing in an amateur sport can be classified as work in the first place, it's still "only" preventing her from going to one event, the Olympics. Not getting to go to the Olympics does suck. But so does having to get a visa to travel to many countries; not being eligible for certain types of college financial aid and scholarships (both smaller and larger, i.e. Rhodes, Marshall, etc.); not being able to vote (an ability IMO that is equally or more important than the ability to go to the Olympics); having to pay taxes (and for males being required to register for the military's Selective Service) while not yet having the right to vote, nor being able to take advantage of certain aspects of the Tax Code; and not being eligible for a whole host of government/public sector jobs, which may in fact be preventing a lot of people from actual work. And like going to the Olympics, most of these abilities have a temporal nature, too - for example, there may be those waiting for citizenship status to apply for certain scholarships, students who may miss those deadlines because the citizenship came through late.

So I don't think Belbin's case (among others' that also suffered from bureaucracy) is urgent enough to necessitate pushing it up, unless the USFSA lobbies for "everyone else" too.

[missmarysgarden]

Your statement that "only a handful" of people waiting for citizenship are prevented from doing their work is, well, absurd. I think that statements that Tanith deserves to go because "blah, blah, blah" make the point better than I possibly could. Thousands and thousands of people have their paper work lost, delayed, whatever; thousands of people are unable to "do their work" at the highest level because so many high level positions require citizenship. Hardworking people who have contributed in every area of work in the US have problems with their green cards, their student visa status, and a myriad of other problems, that delay their access to their dreams

What this comes down to is pure and simple: there is a Gold Medal possibility for the US at the Olympics, and USFSA is drooling over it and selling the idea in Congress. It will probably happen, with great fanfare, and we will see endless cheese about it, and ratings will go up. Before you say that "only a handful" of people have Tanith's special circumstances, why not educate yourself about the citizenship process. As far a "federal bureaucrats" messing up - it could have something to do with the drastic shift in funding away from the division of the INS that processes applications for citizenship. If you know someone who works in those federal offices, ask them about the pressures they are under with a reduced work force, pressure to do twice the work for the same salary, while at the same time they work under daily pressure to crank out paperwork "error free" under pressure of reduction in pay if they don't meet quotas.

I've said all I have to say on the subject. I suspect Tanith will get her citizenship in time, and I wish her well. She is a wonderful skater, and I would support her no matter what country she skated for.

[GardenKitty]

FYI, the citizenship functions of INS were transferred to US Citizenship and Immigration Services which is part of the Department of Homeland Security back in 2003. I don't believe INS exists anymore.

[missmarysgarden]

I do know that - my husband works for the federal government. I preferred not to bring up "Homeland Security". But since you brought it up, I will clarify that efficient processing of citizenship applications is not a priority of Homeland Security. A lot of the funds that used to designated for the old INS are now being spent elsewhere. Most "minor federal bureaucrats" are underpaid, overworked and under appreciated - and a convenient political scapegoat of the current administration. Of course now they have built a juggernaut of a Department with a HUGE budget, so what can I say.

[Anahi]

Appreciated information missmarysgarden. And to all of you, please stop fighting and getting mad for nothing. Just think in positive, of course she will get it. Even though it would be one year before time, the use of influences work all the time, so don't worry about it, there are people working on that. Don't put more pressure to the government, they know what they are doing, and they might be doing the correct thing. I am confident that things are going to end pretty good for everyone. No stress any more, OK.

Please Take Care,

[Terri]

Your statement that "only a handful" of people waiting for citizenship are prevented from doing their work is, well, absurd.

Well prove otherwise then. You must be able to easily back up your statment that it is so "absurd", right?

Before you say that "only a handful" of people have Tanith's special circumstances, why not educate yourself about the citizenship process.

How arrogant for you to assume that I don't know anything about the process. Just because someone disagrees with you it's not from lack of knowledge. Maybe your opinion on the matter just isn't the end all be all. Imagine that.

[missmarysgarden]

Gardenkitty and Terri, I apologize for my arrogance. I reread what I wrote, and I agree that my tone was arrogant, and I apologize.

However, I still say that there are tens of thousands of immigrants who are prevented from "doing their work" while their citizenship process bogs down. I have worked in various areas of support to medical research in the University and also inner-city hospital environment where I am now. 70% of our patients and recipients of our community outreach programs are immigrants. Many are highly educated, experienced, dedicated individuals; many are underprivileged, uneducated, and abjectly poor. All of them wait for the day that citizenship will allow them an entry into positions they are qualified for, trained for, and eager to fill. In the meantime, they struggle with issues of green card status, student status, etc. I was on the Board of Directors of the Hmong-American Health Committee in our metro area for 2 years, and have worked with other immigrant groups as a facilitator. They run into many difficulties that delay their citizenship process - usually the requirement for endless paperwork, witnesses, etc. that require them to hire legal counsel - when they have no money. On the other end of the spectrum, I have a personal friend who is a high level international sports official who has lived in this country for 11 years, and has been waiting for her citizenship for the last 6 - she may miss World Championships in her sport because the delay now means she will be in the "no passport" limbo during the Worlds timeframe. In case you don't know, you have to give up any foreign passports when you become a citizen, and you can't apply for a new one until that day. The accellerated passport process (which you pay extra for) typically takes 4-6 weeks now - not 10 days - due to security issues.

Again, I do apologize for the arrogance of my remark. I wish I had just explained that I have helped many "handfuls" of people make their way through the process with patience and fairness, while they are prevented from doing their work. And I know that I'm just one of thousands who interact daily with immigrant populations. I reacted emotionally because I am emotional about people getting special favors because of their celebrity, andbecause I wish that congress would not get involved in these issues. I think there are far more important things going on in our country and the world that should be the focus of our lawmakers.

I'm done with this issue. I mean it this time. And I do apologize for getting out of hand.

[GardenKitty]

Missmarysgarden, it sounds like you're involved in some very meaningful work, and I respect your concern for the people you work with who are struggling with important issues.

While I'd still like to see Tanith get her citizenship, I hope this doesn't have to be an "either/or" situation where help for her comes at the expense of others going through the process. Ideally, any media attention that publicizes her situation will also highlight the larger issues with the system and encourage Congress to provide sufficient resources to USCIS to enable them to help everyone struggling with the process, especially those who don't have the funds for private attorneys.

I hope your friend's problems with the passport situation is worked out and that she doesn't have to miss the World Championships.

[iloveskating]

Wow, missmary, thanks for sharing your perspective and experience.

[vanhs]

yeah she deserves it too just like everyone else but she shouldn't get special treatment. everyone else has to wait.

[Silvia006]

yeah she deserves it too just like everyone else but she shouldn't get special treatment. everyone else has to wait.

I hope you meant everyone including her.

[white25]

Yeah, I agree with missmarysgarden. I do hope that Tanith can get her citizenship fairly. It's not fair for her that her citizenship process got messed up, but hey, life's not fair. And it's one competition. She is in no danger of having less success/money/appreciation/whatever-you-wanna-call-it just from this. It's not really that serious. She can go Olympics in 4 years time, and who knows may have a better chance of winning gold. I respect her sense of fairness.

[Anahi]

ITA, just look at the top ice dancers, they are all around 30, and most of them are retiring after the Olympics. And now look at the the young ice dancers(not including Tanith and Ben), they are not even close to them in terms of quality(almost no one). They are in the low 20's. They are not only going to have great success at the Vancouver Olympics, but also in the next Olympics(2014). So, even if she doesn't go to Torino, her career as well as Ben's won't be less. I think they have a great future as the next ice dance generation.

Take Care,

[Rusty Hoot]

Thanks for the links!

[Dragonlady]

I find it odd that so many here have said "Everyone else has to wait, she should too". Instead, why not say "Yes, the process is completely pooched and maybe Tanith's situation will draw attention to the thousands of other people who have been waiting well beyond the time they should have been citizens". Instead of wanting to see Tanith not receive her citizenship, maybe what's required is for the process to be reviewed so that people can get their paperwork within the time frame set out in the rules, rather than years later.

As for "They can always go in 2010", that may not necessarily be true. There are no guarantees for athletes. When Emanuel Sandhu was refused the spot on the 1998 Olympic team because he didn't qualify under Canadian Olympic Team rules, everyone said he could go in 2002, but in 2002 he was injured and unable to compete. There are any number of obstacles that could prevent the team from going - illness, injury, Tanith and Ben could break up their partnership. They are at the top of the ice-dance world now and have a reasonable shot at making the podium. "Strike while the iron's hot" is a wise saying.

[nymkfan51]

I completely agree Dragonlady ... well said!

[handlem9z]

Bumping for Belbin :D

[handlem9z]

Bumping in Honor of Tanith and Ben winning the MK Reader's Choice Trophy.

[moskva]

well, i don't see why tanith simply doesn't plump for representing canada at the next olympics. canada's citizenship law is more lax and has a provision allowing outstanding individuals to get canadian nationality through an expedited process, so ben's paperwork will coast through the red tape faster than u can say ins. if this country clearly does not want tenith as a citizen, maybe canada will be more welcoming toward ben. so, even if lobbying for tanith gets bogged down on the hill, don't despair, tanith and ben, there will always be canada, so head due north

[Dragonlady]

Yes, if Tanith and Ben had decided to compete for Canada, they would have been eligible to go to the last Olympics. One of the conditions that Ben's parents set down when the partnership was formed was that Ben would NEVER compete for any country other than the US. Tanith agreed to that stipulation and bless her, she's sticking by her promises.

[tongueincheek]

Tanith Belbin is one classy young woman. Whatever happens, I wish her great success and happiness. I am happy and honored that she has chosen to represent the U. S.

[graciesfriend]

I received the following in a Yahoo alert. (Hope the link works.)

Good luck Tanith!

www.freep.com/sports/othe...050928.htm (http://www.freep.com/sports/othersports/olympics28e_20050928.htm)

[lillyfly]

I am suprised (well maybe not) that the anomaly wasn't taken care of at the time the law was written.

[berthesghost]

Now she's got Phil on her back. :rolleyes