Today is the 148th anniversary of President Lincoln signing the Compensated Emancipation Act, For the release of certain persons held to service or labor in the District of Columbia, making DC residents the "First Freed" by the federal government.
Today is known as DC Emancipation Day here in Washington DC and it is the only official local holiday.
Did you know that Washington DC was not a part of the state? Or that the nearly 600,000 residents of the District of Columbia has no elected voting representation in Congress?
Instead we have a non-voting delegate, Eleanor Holmes Norton in the House of Representatives.
Congress still hold a lot of power over Washington DC. For example, our bills passed by DC City Council are still subject to Congressional review for 30 days that Congress is in session.
Where are the outrage from the tea party activists or the Congresspeople or others who advocate States' rights?
When Congress set up Washington DC as the capitol two hundred years ago. No one was really here. They envision people to move here and be public servants of their states. Back then, the only people who could vote was white male landowners anyways. This city was built by slaves. Part of this issue does involve entrenched racism of the last 200 years. Currently, 55.6% of DC residents are African Americans.
In 2009, George Will of Washington Post defended this position by writing, among other points, that DC votes for Democrats:
In the 12 elections since the District acquired, by constitutional amendment, the right to allocate presidential electoral votes, it has never cast less than 74.8 percent of its popular vote for the Democratic presidential candidate.
So since we happen to vote for Democrats all the time, we shouldn't have elected representation? Hmm George Will... What about Utah? Their electoral votes haven't gone to a Democratic Presidential Candidate since 1964 Oh yeah you bat for their team.
Overwhelmingly DC residents want elected representation and a majority of Americans are in favor of this:
A recent Washington Post poll finds broad support (83 percent) among District residents for legislation that would give the city a full voting member in the House. Support spans differences in race, sex, age and geography, dipping below 80 percent only among conservatives (71 percent) and those in the lowest income and education categories, according to the poll, conducted in January.
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Nationally, almost six in 10 respondents said they favor D.C. voting rights legislation in a 2009 Post-ABC poll.
Right now is a golden opportunity. There is a bill in Congress, S. 160, that would give Washington DC a voting representative and Utah another voting representative. Hopefully next week, the House will take up the bill.
Today resident Obama announced announced his support for the bill:
"Americans from all walks of life are gathering in Washington today to remind members of Congress that although DC residents pay federal taxes and serve honorably in our armed services, they do not have a vote in Congress or full autonomy over local issues. And so I urge Congress to finally pass legislation that provides DC residents with voting representation and to take steps to improve the Home Rule Charter."
Sadly this bill takes away our gun control laws. Again where are all the states' rights activists on this issue? Shouldn't DC decide its own laws? Oh yeah they only bring up states' rights when they hate health care reform (like today) or black people voting (back in the 1960s). They like the federal government when they get unemployment benefits or Medicare.
To be honest, I much rather have full Statehood and be a resident of New Columbia. But this bill is a step toward achieving this statehood.
There are many justifications given to keeping DC residents from having rights that are given to residents of the 50 states, but it is time to change 200 years of discrimination against the residents of Washington DC.
If you live outside DC, please call your elected US Representative and ask her or him to support S. 160. We, residents of DC, need your help!