“Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practise to deceive” ~ Sir Walter Scott.

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Puris omnia pura

espite numerous assertions to the contrary, my identity as a citizen concerned that I'd been used as a tool for immigration benefit was questioned by many active on the immigration message board. I'll admit that many participants there were, themselves, aliens seeking information on protocol and procedure to become legal permanent residents and few were US citizens. I suppose it was natural for the majority to question my identity ~ I was certainly in the minority. Add to that the fact that the anonymous nature of posting under a moniker does permit anyone to assume any identity he or she chooses. What means would there be for a member to confirm the veracity of statements posted? I was new to the virtual environment, having neither chatted nor participated in online discussions before and the situation I was facing was real and the details shared accurate.

Within a matter of weeks, I became familiar with the monikers of a small group of 'regulars' there that seemed to be active on threads devoted to topics I'd queried. The doubt expressed by quite a few was frustrating, but I continued to participate. The forum provided valuable information from a variety of sources, but it also provided opportunity for me to communicate with other people. I was, after all, completely alone, recipient of yet a second petition for divorce from DF and addressing the requirement to answer the petition in a timely manner. I secured an attorney. The process of presenting the facts to my counsel, accompanied by bits and pieces of evidence I had collected over the course of the prior year, was the equivalent of assembling a complex puzzle. When the last piece was dropped into place it became evident to both of us, that the sequence of events had been carefully and methodically orchestrated. I'd entered a relationship and later married DF for all the right reasons so to see our relationship end in divorce was naturally a great disappointment, but acknowledging and accepting that this had all been conspired brought with it a range of other emotions.

Still reeling with the knowledge that DF had put me through so much mental torture in the reconciliation to affect his plan, but determined to be armed with as much information that I could, I continued to ask questions. Some resulted in debates on procedures that are not well-defined in immigration process that I can see now would be sufficient to cause people to get somewhat annoyed. But at that time in my life, I was in shock. The criticisms continued to include comments about reasons behind the moniker I'd selected. "Swissnut" was the ID that DF had used on eBay and the email address we'd both used, before he opened another to conceal his communications with KMC. I'd simply used Swissnut in registering for ILW. Why was it that no one believed me? How could anyone think that I'd made up the entire story? I could accept that in other circles, unfamiliar with immigration requirements, that the chronicle of events could appear a little far-fetched, but here amongst peers that knew acquisition of permanent residency was only "conditional" for some marriage-based petitions, I was still questioned.

ILW was my only outlet for communication and support and failing to convince members that I was genuine, one day in early January 2004, I decided to leave. I posted that I couldn't continue to visit a place where I was under attack, I felt I'd reached the end of my rope. Then one of the regulars posted that she'd established a chat room and invited a number of us. Thinking that I could better represent my sincerity in the chat room, I decided to create a Yahoo ID and join the conversation. It was only a matter of minutes before I would receive an instant message from "irritated" asking for instructions on how to enter the chat room....

Puris omnia pura
To the pure all things are pure

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