Deseret News | Man without a country

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Man without a country

Grandma to manyfrom Indiana | 7:36 a.m. Nov. 12, 2007

My heart goes out to this young man what would most of
us do without the love and support of our family??
Keep your life clean, turn to our Lord and seek a good mate and take care of your health. I am praying for you AND you can have a good rest of your life!!

Dave | 8:15 a.m. Nov. 12, 2007

Another sob story that just didn't work. I have a hard time feeling sorry for law breakers. Stories of how ex-criminals are trying to change their lives--so what.

If you tell me about a person who's struggling while down on his luck, you'll get sympathy.

But when someone makes very bad choices (like a string of burglaries) and has a hard life, my response is "serves you right."

Jay | 8:37 a.m. Nov. 12, 2007

I have to agree with Dave. It's hard to feel sorry for someone whose problems stem in large part from his own criminal activity (burglaries).

Comments continue below

Slade | 8:46 a.m. Nov. 12, 2007

I find it funny how they try to gain our sympathy by saying he's a reformed felon, yet later on state he's currently facing a domestic violence charge which hurts his situation. If he wants my sympathy, why doesn't he start by repaying from those he stole from. He's already paid his time to society. Citizenship must be earned, by being a good citizen.

Camille | 8:57 a.m. Nov. 12, 2007

I'm sorry for him, but that's about it. A person can make choices but he can't choose the consequences. A felony conviction is very hard for anybody to ignore and it stays with a person.

sorry | 8:58 a.m. Nov. 12, 2007

I also feel sorry for this man who is suffering the consequences of his actions. My wish for him is put your life together, make right choices and forget about the short cuts. It may take longer but it's the safest path to your dreams.

Good luck | 9:02 a.m. Nov. 12, 2007

If he paid his debt to society and is trying to get straight with the law, shouldn't we give him the benefit of the doubt? He needs to keep his life clean from here on out, or he may find himself back in a world of trouble worse than he has heretofore experienced.

This is a situation which I believe warrants US citizenship, since it cannot be proven where he was born and his parentage. In this case, I would presume legal status until otherwise proven, but the US government frequently is at odds with my viewpoint.

Lynn | 9:26 a.m. Nov. 12, 2007

This particular case would be a precedent setting case with others here in our country, BUT with him being a convicted felon, he would not have the right to vote because of his conviction. Should he have a Social Security number? Yes, but he should be willing to walk the straight and narrow and realize what a priviledge it is to be an American citizen. Citizenship is a priviledge, not a right.

Circumstances... | 10:00 a.m. Nov. 12, 2007

This guy has had no love, support, encouragement, direction, guidance, whatsoever. Many good people would make bad choices in these circumstances.

I say, give him a chance, and from there on out, his life is what it is.

Compassion, mercy and help is all this man needs to live right.

Boo to you who condemn! Our immigration system stinks to high heaven from top to bottom. Our government doesn't care if any of us live or die anyway, so why should we trust their judgement on anything?

l | 10:09 a.m. Nov. 12, 2007

The key word in this article, I believe, is "felony".

Janet | 11:43 a.m. Nov. 12, 2007

How many of us have ever been stuck between a rock and a hard place -- for all of our life? Those who criticize this man should for a moment ponder: how would I survive if I were he? I say, someone in government should reach out to help this "man without a country" who has a great desire to turn around his life and whose circumstances of birth and childhood were not his fault. And, let's forgive his mistakes as we hope we are forgiven for our own. We are all imperfect. I am astounded and ashamed of the self-righteousness voiced above.

WVG | 12:12 p.m. Nov. 12, 2007

Does the D News actually want people to feel sorry for Garmon?
ï¿½...working under the tableï¿½ (not paying taxes). ï¿½felony conviction at age 18 for a string of burglaries.ï¿½, ï¿½...facing a misdemeanor domestic violence chargeï¿½. ï¿½...living with a married couple, who asked not to be identified because his felony record prevents them from adding him to the lease.ï¿½ (a crook living with crooks). ï¿½risked breaking federal law by marrying a U.S. citizen friend to see if he could gain legal status that wayï¿½ (didnï¿½t love the gal, just thought it would result in citizenship). ï¿½...he has no license, insurance or registration. (continues breaking laws on a daily basis). ï¿½Driftedï¿½ from ï¿½Oklahoma to Utahï¿½. Utah needs enact laws like Oklahomaï¿½not be the place where they go after Oklahoma. ï¿½Garman has tried various avenues...Changing his birth location...ï¿½ (is he admitting this is just a ploy?
Short term solutionï¿½ï¿½Circumstancesï¿½ can post his SSN here for Garmon to use until we ï¿½see what he's going to be when he gets that (birth registration)."
Long term solutionï¿½Joe and Chris Cannon could commit to providing all the financial, legal, medical, transportation, and room & board needs of Garmon until he can quit his criminal ways.

Driving Without? | 1:38 p.m. Nov. 12, 2007

I realize it's difficult to get by today without wheels; however, it is crazy & irresponsible to be on the road without a license and insurance! My 16 year old daughter was rear-ended by a man who made sure she was okay, but then left the scene because he didn't have a license or insurance! We had no recourse for damages because as a new driver, she didn't realize she should have gotten his license plate number.

I'm his ex-wife.. | 2:26 p.m. Nov. 12, 2007

Everyone shouldn't be so quick to judge by what you've read! I was married to John for several years. I lived through alot of these problems with him. He is NOT looking for sympathy. He is, however, trying to get a life. Yes, he had problems in his younger days. ASs for the domestic abuse charges, I also went through alot of that with him. They stayed with me for awhile and she used to go after him and even hit me one night when she was running around in the rain and saying she was going to kill herself. I grabbed the back of her jacket and she took a swing at me. So you should realize that there's always more to a story than what you read!!!

WHOA!! anjum azad fm:great beyon | 3:14 p.m. Nov. 12, 2007

This story has caused many a people to be turned instant lawyers. :) Some developed fast heart beat rate, some went into a spate of depression. The perhaps dormant goodness of many came out for the better. Some lost it. Some could not control the flash backs of one's own action but then...............ah! let that man cast the FIRST stone who has has not sinned. :)

Kristi | 4:30 p.m. Nov. 12, 2007

We know John, and he is definately not looking for a hand out. We live in California and he tried so many different avenues to get his social security number while he lived out here. My husband tried and tried to help him, but Diane Feinstein just wouldn't get the ball rolling. He is a very genuine guy and has had a hard life. Just imagine if you were left at a babysitters house and your parents just never came back to get you. Then the people that adopted you never filed the correct paperwork that was required to make you legal. Then your mom dies and your father is not good to you, so what are your other options. Then later on you father dies and there goes your hope of having any family. He doesn't have a mom to call or a father to call when he needs advice or someone to listen to him. Where do we all spend holidays? Usually with our family. Well he doesn't have one. How do we expect him to get a job legally, well he can't, he has to do it under the table whether we like it or not.

JOHN GARMAN | 5:37 p.m. Nov. 12, 2007

first thank you kristy ..all i want is to have a normal life .i did my time ..but in a why im still locked up ..i regret my past . hopefully my future is better

Bigreader | 5:39 p.m. Nov. 12, 2007

This story was published like, three months ago in Salt Lake City Weekly. Don't you think you ought to give another paper credit when you rip off one of their story ideas?

Conejo | 6:10 p.m. Nov. 12, 2007

WVG,
Nice seeing what you wanted to here.

1.) He is working under the table because he can't get a SS#. Not to avoid taxes.
2.) Where should he live when he can't sign a contract without ID?
3.) He has no license, insurance, and registration because he isn't recognized as a person.

Your solution is for him to break the law so he can get a job? That way you could feel justified when that hurt him further right? His burglaries were when he was 18. He is now 33. Hasn't been in Prison for 8 years. How long would be long enough to satisfy your hatred? I'm in law enforcement and know people should pay for what they do. Once they are done paying, LET IT GO!

Future Prosecutor | 9:50 p.m. Nov. 12, 2007

I'm all for punishing those guilty of crimes, but the punishment needs to stop after they pay their debt to society. The fact is, we all need a second chance now and then.

We would do well to give convicted felons a second chance, a chance to turn their lives around. And we need to stop assuming "once a felon, always a felon."

I believe that men and women can change for the better. That's something I cling to.

The law has built-in mechanisms that will punish the truly reticent. But that punishment comes only after the government proves BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT that a convicted felon has committed subsequent crimes. (I don't believe that's happened yet with Mr. Garman).

So those of you who have given up on Mr. Garman, you need to lighten up. If a law-and-order, future prosecutor like myself is willing to give someone a second chance, maybe you need to rethink your attitudes about those convicted of felonies.

Stop kicking people when they're down and start lifting them up!

So you know: I am a republican, tough-on-crime kind of guy, but I'm also a Christian who believes in repentance.

Mary | 10:36 p.m. Nov. 12, 2007

I have a simple question, as I don't live in SLC. Is there no bus system that gets people from their homes to their job sites? Why do people think it's okay to drive without a license, registration and insurance because they all have special and unique circumstances. The rest I'm fine with (the living and working things), but I am amazed that Conejo thinks that this one is excusable. Are there no busses?

SH | 8:39 a.m. March 7, 2008

There is no reason to feel sorry for him. His main issue is proving his US citizenship and all he had to do was go through Immigration to do that. Why didn't he petition INS for US citizenship when he was 18. US Citzenship is usually granted based on the fact you were adopted by US Citizens as a child and have lived in the US all of your life. And he does have documetation proving that. It seems he just drops the ball when he has to work with Immigration. Are we supposed to feel sorry for him because he doesn't want to supply what is needed to INS for petition for Citizenship? Now he is 34 years old and seemingly still trying to go through the back door to get verified citizenship. States and judges do not grant citizenship. Only Dept of Homeland Security does this.

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