You could also toss in the fact that immigration fraud is a federal crime, and that the LW may very likely end up in the pokey as a result.

Especially now with the department of homeland security in place, immigration is very tightly monitored and the feds are all well aware of marriage fraud. Its consdiered to be a part of organized crime. The LW and her hubby will be scrutinized up the yin-yang, and the whole process will take a very, very long time. She will be interviewed over and over, and will be expected to produce evidence of a real relationship-- letters, pictures, intimate knowledge of ech other's families, videos from the wedding, you name it. The folks in immigration are very savvy and will know what to look for, including suspiciously large amounts of money suddenly appearing in the LW's bank account.

This is a very, very, very stupid way to make money. Tell the LW to try prostitution instead. I am serious. At least that's only a misdemeanor if she gets caught. Immigration fraud is an entirely different matter.

I award you both a red star.

OK all you armchair psychologists, let the lynching begin!

Make lots of assumptions, and then tell the LW what an idiot, weasel, self-centered a-hole, horrible mother, etc. she is for whichever choice she makes, and what a fool she is to be in this position in the first place. Remember, it's all her fault and we *never* would have been so stupid to be in that position, right?

Don't forget to share your personal stories that are in no way comparable to this situation. After all, false analogies are good enough to make judgments by.

Be sure to argue among yourselves, and don't hesitate to recommend suicide to those you disagree with.

Oh yeah, and don't forget to mention how terrible and worthless Cary is (yet you still go on reading…just to critique?).

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Sorry for the above, but it amazes me that anyone would write for advice considering the vitriol that is spewed here. Can people give constructive input without name-calling, insults, judgments and assumptions? Doesn't seem like it recently.

Certainly, there are some people who give some great input, but there are a whole lot more who are just looking to be part of a lynch mob. As supposed progressives, it'd be nice to see people attempting to imagine what it would be like to walk a mile in someone else's shoes before casting blame and judgment.

But that's just because I don't believe that marriage as a legal institution is 'sacred,' i don't believe in the immmigration policies that are common across the globe, and i assume that she gets along well enough with this guy to make it worth her time.

Apparently, it's illegal to marry someone to gain a certain benefit (citizenship/residence) under the law. What reasons are sufficient? Since they are always giving tax breaks to encourage marriage, surely claiming that you married for those tax breaks, rather than love, is acceptable? Or is a marriage only valid if you love each other?

The absurdity of the legal practices surrounding marriage and immigration make this crazy situation possible. Of course, no one wants to go to jail, and should probably put some thought into avoiding it if possible. That's why it's best to only have sham marriages for insurance and tax reasons, and to buy all your drugs in middle-class white neighborhoods.

I can't believe it either. I've said as much several times already in this space. It's really hard for me to understand how so many of the posters here can be so cruel--as though it weren't a real person with real feelings whom you are addressing.

Maybe that's okay with people like this, though. After all, we all know from endless media messages that strangers in general are malicious idiots who could not care less about us and indeed, are only too happy to hurt us...so, let's all protect ourselves by launching PREEMPTIVE STRIKES!!! IN ALL DIRECTIONS!!!

(Of course, few people we know personally are anything at all similar to all the horrible alien strangers who cast their lazy, stupid, crazy, sick, evil little shadows over the rest of the world outside the all-but-closed doors of our little lives.)

(Of course, few people we know personally deserve to be PUNISHED!!! BY US!!! NOW!!!)

Shame * Shame * Shame

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Well, letter writer, the above is my opinion of some of the more neanderthal posters to what, in part, is a very fine, supportive letters forum.

The below is my opinion about your idea about raising startup money for your business by marrying a foreigner with money who'd like US citizenship...don't; there are too many ways for you to get screwed, either by the guy or by the US Government, or both.

It is extremely unlikely that not a single one of those ways to get screwed is going to find you, no matter the precautions you take. Good luck finding your capital some other way. Take care.

...before you start passing judgment on the writing. I run my eyes over all the posts, and if they're moronic or moronically venomous I skip them. Even so there's still plenty of thoughtful discussion posted as a result of Cary's columns. Mellow out and read.

I agree fully with the people who say 'no'. There are better ways to protest the institution of marriage than by doing this kind of thing. Most of us have thought of doing this (back when we were 25), but something sort of says "ummmmm...No." about it. The person could turn out to be an ill-tempered greed-monger. If that person gets into legal trouble while here, you're going to have a heck of a time keeping yourself clean, especially when it comes out why you're married.

I disagree with some of Cary's philosophy though:

"But to disobey a law simply to make some money is a selfish act of disregard that achieves no greater aim. We ought instead to act in accordance with the laws so that when we need their protection we are fully deserving of it." Surely there is SOME example in history where someone disobeyed the law "to make some money" whereby it was not a "selfish act of disregard"; moreover, we are not "fully deserving" of some laws only by not breaking others. This is just silly, and for more reasons than I care to count.

Anyway, really the practical reasons for not going through with this are so overwhelming there's almost no need for the others. Seems the letter writer thinks so too, or at least sees it as an obviously potential fiasco. Hence the query.