Welshman denied entry by USA government - do Welsh Americans protest?

[Trefor Williams]

How wonderfull it is that Wales is the represented nation at the Smithsonian Institute this year. What a shame that the USA government refused entry to Arfon Gwilym, one of Wales' leading folk artists, because he took the bother to be involved in civil disobedience in the 1970s. BEcause of this, he is not an acceptable guest in the USA.
I was always under the impression that the USA understood civil disobedience - after all we sent the English packing. Maybe President Obama will respond more positvely to a letter sent to him by Arfon outlining his dissapoinment at the ruling. I am confident President Obama will understand that he would not be where he is today if it were not for civil disobedience.
Furthermore, Arfon was a represesentative of the Welsh government. Is it a wonder the USA has trouble with countries around the world. Cymru is a friendly country!
Isn't it ironic that the steps that Arfon took, as did many others, and as many continue to do today, means that Wales has a culture to celebrate which is vibrant and contemporary, and not just an illusion of the past - a dead culture. Arfon would have brought all this to the Smithsonian - what a loss.
What do you think fellow Welsh Americans?

[Ceri Shaw]

This decision is every bit as ridiculous as it is grotesque. I hope all Americymru members will find the time to protest this decision.

[gaabi]

Thanks for this - Arfon Gwilym is a writer, musician and Welsh language activist who was refused entry to the USA for the Smithsonian festival because he was involved in or arrested as part of protests on behalf of Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg, during campaigns for the Welsh language in Wales in the 1970s-

You can see a letter about this from Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg and more information here:

http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2009/06/432943.html

and get addresses to write the White House, the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security if you think this isn't right - and it isn't!

[Trefor Williams]

I guess Welsh Americans do not protest... hmm lost the fire have we?

[Ceri Shaw]

A couple of questions for you mate.

I read somewhere on the Facebook group that this decision had been reversed. Is that true?

Did Arfon apply for a visa waiver when he made his initial application and if so was it denied?

[Trefor Williams]

Here below is the report in Welsh from the BBC Cymru website - sorry I don't have the time to translale. Basically it says that the decision was reversed on appeal which was made on his behalf without his knowledge. It is a temporary visa which covers his proposed trip and he would not be allowed back in on a general visa. I believe he applied for a BI/2 visa which as I am sure you are aware is different from a tourist visa. He did the correct thing. He still sees the issue as degrading and will continue to battle for justice.

Ceri, with due respect to you I prefer not to be called "mate" which is as English as you can get. Brawd- brother, Cyfaill - friend is much preferable.

Fisa: Tro pedol yn rhy hwyr

Mae'n ymddangos bod llysgenhadaeth America ym Mhrydain wedi gwneud tro pedol yn achos canwr gwerin o Gaernarfon.

Yn wreiddiol roedd Arfon Gwilym, 58 oed, wedi methu a chael fisa i deithio i ŵyl fawr y Smithsonian am iddo dorri'r gyfraith fel ymgyrchydd gyda Chymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg dros 40 mlynedd yn ôl.

Ond nawr mae o'n dweud ei fod e wedi cael clywed bod y gwaharddiad wedi ei godi ar apêl.

Digwyddodd hynny'n rhyw hwyr i alluogi Mr Gwilym i deithio o Heathrow gyda'i wraig Sioned Webb ddydd Llun i berfformio yn yr ŵyl yn Washington.

Rheswm Llysgenhadaeth America am wrthod y cais yn y lle cynta oedd "gwarthusrwydd moesol".

Dywedodd Mr Gwilym mai rhywun oedd wedi apelio ar ei ran.

Roedd o wedi penderfynu peidio apelio ar sail egwyddor.

"Mae'r apêl yn rhoi hawl i un ymweliad yn unig.

"Mae hynny'n golygu na fyddwn i'n gallu mynd yna eto," meddai.

"Bydd yn rhaid mynd a'r peth ymhellach, mae yna anghyfiawnder yma.

"Dwi'n ystyried y cyhuddiad o "gwarthusrwydd moesol" yn rhyw fath o sen."

Dywedodd llefarydd ar ran Llysgenhadaeth America nad ydyn nhw'n gwened sylw ar achosion unigol.

[Ceri Shaw]

k....just wanted some clarification on the above points....diolch yn fawr:)

[Mark Powell]

I found this article on Agence Bretagne Presse, published on June 18th:
http://www.agencebretagnepresse.com/fetch.php?id=15455&title=Fo...

Basically, an appeal was made on Gwilym's behalf that resulted in the issuance of a "one-visit" visa. Had he accepted that visa, he would have been forbidden to come to the US ever again after that one visit. Can that be right?

[Trefor Williams]

This appears to be the case

[Evan Owen]

So in any case, the appeal came too late to enable Mr Gwilym to come to the US for the performance.

[David Owain Hughes]

....hasn't the US government been openly encouraging the Iranians to protest? Ridiculous that they would refuse entry to someone for political activism; don't we all have a constitutional right to protest in the USA?

[Jay G. Williams III]

This sounds like a very bad decision on the part of our government.

[Ian K Griffiths]

I cannot understand the logic here.... I can only recommend Arfon Gwilym change his name to Raul Sandoval and try again. My 2 cents is this. If you are Caucasian in America, get in line.... I mean the back of the line.... the guilt has surfaced and to placate the conscience of this country we must now flagellate the nations that gave us the freedom that is America.
If you don't believe me..... check out the Encyclopedia Britanica. The tiny principality of Wales provided more signatures to the US constitution than any other European nation. It's payback time..... Sorry Arfon, its not just you mate. If you have a green card in America and you are of Welsh, Scottish, English or Irish descent, you'll get kicked out of the country for a misdemeanor.

Ianto.