Thumbs Down in themail
Dear Voters and Non-Voters:
On Monday, a three-judge panel of the US District Court issued its opinions on the
Adams v. Clinton and the Alexander v. Daley voting rights cases. The decisions are
available at the Court's web site in Adobe PDF and WordPerfect formats at
http://www.dcd.uscourts.gov/district-court.html. Read them and interpret them for
yourselves. Don't take anybody else's word — especially mine — for what they
say. If you feel like telling us, let us know what you think of the decisions, and of what
the next steps should be.
Gary Imhoff
themail@dcwatch.com
###############
Are the Courts to Be No Friend at All in Correcting Such an
Obvious Injustice?
Randy Wells, Wells@ShawDC.com
I believe there are two fundamental flaws in the ruling against voting rights for
District residents.
1. The ruling declares that the Constitution limits voting representation to residents
of the states. The District, however, unlike any other non-represented entity (such as
Puerto Rico or Guam) derives entirely from the “states” — that is, its
residents either moved here from another state, or inherit an affiliation with the state
from which DC was created, Maryland. To argue otherwise is to say that the very creation
of the District, disenfranchised the citizens of Maryland and Virginia who happened to
live within the boundaries of the District. Similarly, the act of moving from a state to
the District also disenfranchised those citizens.
2. The ruling declares sympathy with the injustice of non-representation, but declares
that the contradiction derives from the Constitution itself and legal precedent.
Thus, the court is powerless to correct it. Even if the court found itself unable to
dictate a solution, could it not have had the legal authority to declare the status quo
untenable? To have done so would have rendered less hollow their suggestion to District
residents that they turn to the “political process” to correct this injustice.
Are the courts to be no friend at all in correcting such an obvious injustice?
###############
Voting Rights Lawsuits
Ralph Blessing, rblessin@usia.gov
Almost as infuriating as the judges' decision in the DC voting rights cases was the
reaction of some in the media to the whole affair. When I called Fox 5 News to complain
about their failure to even mention the issue during their hour-long evening newscast, I
was told that it wasn't important enough (“just a step along the way”) and had
to be bumped because of time constraints — although they found time during the same
newscast to report on Madonna getting pregnant and some Oscar statuettes being stolen.
Channel Four, I'm told, had the voting rights decision as one of its lead stories at 6:00
PM, but Fox 5 seems indifferent to matters affecting DC residents. If that's their
attitude, they just lost another viewer.
###############
The Federal Court has decided that we do not deserve the right to vote, but we
certainly have the obligation to pay taxes. However, I was more angry with the Washington
Post for putting its article on the subject in the Metro Section. If the largest
newspaper in this city doesn't think franchise in a democracy merits the A Section, how
can we expect the rest of the country to care?
###############
Loss of DC Voting Rights Case Paves Way to OAS Decision
Timothy Cooper, worldright@aol.com
Today's unanimous decision by a District Court three-judge panel on the two D.C. voting
rights cases, which reaffirmed the constitutional claim by the US government that the
residents of the District of Columbia are not entitled to Congressional voting
representation because they are situated in the federal enclave and not in a state,
supports the legal arguments made by the Statehood Solidarity Committee before the
Organization of American States' Inter-American Commission on Human Rights that all
domestic legal remedies have, in fact, been exhausted. Statehood Solidarity's petition,
which has been pending before the Commission since 1993, must now be granted its
long-awaited admissibility decision, leaving only the merits of the case to be decided.
In 1993, twenty-three D.C. residents filed a human rights petition with the OAS
charging the US government with continuing human rights violations under the OAS Charter
by denying them full voting rights. A year and a half ago — just prior to the
Commission making its admissibility decision in the case — the Commission decided to
postpone it pending the outcome of these two domestic legal cases. “In light of the
three-judge panel's unanimous decision to deny Congressional voting rights to D.C.
residents under the US Constitution, it is self-evident that all domestic legal remedies
have been utterly and thoroughly exhausted,” stated Timothy Cooper, executive
director of the Statehood Solidarity Committee. “The unambiguous disposition these
two cases by the US courts supports in every conceivable way our long-standing contention
before the Commission that all legal channels available to DC residents to remedy this
gross inequity have been blocked. Therefore, the Commission can no longer stand in the way
of granting our petition its rightful admissibility decision. It must then proceed to
decide the merits of the case under tenets of international law.
“After seven years of litigation, the time has finally come for the Commission to
find the US government in violation of its international treaty obligations under the OAS
Charter. For two hundred years it has denied the residents of the District of Columbia
their fundamental human right to be fully represented in their own national legislature
— a basic human right guaranteed by international treaty to which the US government
is signatory,” concluded Cooper.
###############
Ms. Holmes and the Police — Wrong, Again
Ron Eberhardt, RGE1022@aol.com
Delegate to Congress Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) had some interesting and as usual
off-base comments on the police in The Southwester, April 2000 edition. She was posturing
about the highly regretful New York City Police shooting of Amadou Diallo and I expect
doing some campaigning for Hillary's Senate race against New York's Mayor Giuliani. That
aside, Ms. Norton made some curious remarks including, “. . . do not send poorly
trained police into our communities to protect us. They are a menace.” The Delegate
is on point with the remark because untrained police are worse then a menace. What is
curious is that per capita, DC has more menace police officers on the job then any
jurisdiction in the United States. Remember the Post's series on police killings? Remember
your last encounter with a DC cop? Then this Norton classic, “As crime has increased,
police have been given freer and freer rein. It is time to rein them in.” Can she be
serious? That very wrong-headed notion espoused for two decades in cities like Washington
and New York got us into the mess we are fighting to get out of now. Police became inept
because officials did not want them doing their jobs. Fortunately, neither DC's Mayor nor
police chief believe Ms. Norton's later philosophy. How offensive that any DC-related
government official could possibly criticize another state or city's leadership about law
enforcement; it is truly a sad joke. Finally, Norton is quoted as saying of the Diallo
jury verdict, “This is a classic case for Federal intervention, a horrendous police
response resulting in the death of an innocent resident.” Wrong again Ms. Norton.
Clearly, this is a “bad” shooting. The fair-minded jury, however, said there was
no criminal malice in the officer's actions, though I personally doubt if any of the
officers involved should remain in police work. Civil damages paid by NYC to the Diallo
family is appropriate. There is, however, NO criminal intention or violation of civil
rights in this case and this sorry case had nothing to do with race. It was about poor
judgment, evaluation, reaction and likely training. Justice has been served, and to have
Federal intervention would within itself be a crime, a misuse of the statute, and I
believe a violation of the double jeopardy clause of the Constitution. And, that is in
addition to sending entirely the wrong message to righteous cops of every race and
ethnicity who everyday try to do their jobs under highly dangerous and difficult
circumstances.
###############
A few weeks ago I traveled in the Metro system with a small suitcase during the middle
part of the day. Because I was lugging, I noticed something that I usually overlook,
escalators that are stopped. It wasn't a big deal, the suitcase was small, and I could
certainly lug it up a few steps. But I really had to ask myself, why should I? Why should
Metro employees (maintenance personnel, station managers, or whatever) allow multiple
escalators (two on my short trip) to be routinely at a stop? It reminded me of the DC
Government: you pay your money, but you don't get a full measure of service. And the
reason for the similarity was obvious: both Metro and the DC Government are staffed from
the same labor pool. People who would flounder in the private sector, where they would be
required to perform, flourish in the public sector where you apparently impinge on
someone's rights if you complain about their performance. (Just complain to Metro about an
employee if you doubt this fact.) Those who would claim that the problem is the same
everywhere speak from a lack of experience. I've lived throughout the US, and public
employees here are just not up to snuff.
###############
Revealing Statistics
Ed T. Barron, edtb@aol.com
On the back page of Monday's Washington Post the Post salutes the
“Washington Area's Outstanding Teachers.” How revealing to note that of the
twenty teachers recognized and saluted only one was from D.C. The other nineteen were
almost equally split between MD and VA. How can we have kids in our schools who can
perform if we don't have outstanding teachers?
###############
Reality Check in the City of Lights
Mark Richards, Dupont East, mark@bisconti.com
I was envious of Mayor Williams being in Paris for the first mayoral summit on the
future of large cities, hosted by Parisian mayor Tiberi, but pleased that he represented
D.C. I'm glad he attended (his name even has a nice ring to it in French) because the
contrast between the way other capital cities are treated, compared to how D.C. is
treated, should make lasting impressions. Despite the focus on the corrupt Mayor Tiberi
(he wife has to go to jail for taking government contracts that were fraudulent and his
family has been allowed to live in beautiful publicly owned buildings — just the tip
of the iceberg), French journalists took full advantage of the event to make Paris shine:
“Paris will be capital of the universe,” proclaimed Le Journal du Dimanche,
while Le Parisien, toning it down a bit, wrote “Paris will be capital of the
world.”
Two American mayors, both African American (D.C., San Fran), attended. (Giuliani
probably couldn't miss the St. Patrick's day parade.) There were reps from French Canada,
but none from English Canada, and London was nowhere to be found. Mayors' backgrounds were
in law (Paris, San Fran, Lisbon, Kyoto, Dakar, Istanbul, Bratislava) political science and
public law (Athens), engineering (Amman, Beyrouth, Peking), architecture (Prague, Rio de
Janeiro), administration (Casablanca), urban planning (Seoul), economics (Stockholm),
chemical engineer (Sydney). Montreal's mayor has a horticulture degree from a Belgian
university, and was director of the Botanic gardens for 30 years — maybe a good place
to think through the issues. Berlin's official is a Mayor-Governor. And the mayor of Paris
was a Deputy for Paris in the National Assembly before running for mayor. A lot of this
info is on the web site for Paris http://www.paris-france.org/
###############
At the height of our problems with snow removal this past winter my wife talked to
Vanessa Dale Burns. My wife complained that even if it was not practical to remove the
hard-packed ice, our street (and the neighboring intersections) should have been salted
and sanded. Ms. Burns replied that every street in D.C. had been salted! Her claim is that
D.C. uses white salt, rather than the colored stuff that is now becoming prevalent, and we
just didn't notice. This was an absurd comment since, regardless of the color of the salt,
the melting action, even if just pinpricks in the ice/snow, is quite apparent. Apparently
Ms. Burns was either lying to my wife, being lied to by her staff, or was completely
incompetent. Take your pick. In my book any of the three is reason to find someone better
for the job. Whether it is a week's worth of hard-packed ice or utility cuts, the problems
with DPW are manifest and our Mayor snubs the citizens with every day that he continues to
rely on Ms. Burns.
###############
More on Street Cuts
Austin Kelly, austin99@usa.net
I didn't see the Post article, so maybe this was already covered. But why is
Connecticut cut up over most of its length? In Chicago, pre-existing underground tunnels
(you know, the ones that flooded) were used to run fiber, so fewer streets needed to be
chopped. If memory serves me, there is already an underground tunnel running most of the
length of Connecticut Avenue. Maybe if the outfits chopping the streets had to pay the
full freight for their damage they would have sought out a cheaper alternative?
And Veazey Terrace is chopped up, presumably to connect Nextlink at the corner of
Veazey and Connecticut. But there's plenty of parkway alongside Veazey — I'd guess
it's cheaper to dig and repair dirt than it is to cut concrete. And that parkway could use
some new sod. Again, if the communication companies had to pay full freight . . ..
Oh, well. Perhaps the Mayor will call and apologize.
###############
Return of Long Car Inspections?
Kenneth Nellis, nellisks@aol.com
Too bad I didn't see Ted Gest's posting on the state of car inspections before I had my
car inspected this morning (3/20/00) — I might have planned differently! Unlike in
earlier years of long waits, in the past several years I have had virtually no waiting at
all. I had attributed that to the change in the inspection period, from one year to two.
But no longer! At Half Street this morning I was queued up for 56 minutes (starting around
the block at 8:38 am) before getting inspected, which itself took about ten minutes. Of
the eight service lanes, only four were open. What broke?
###############
DMV Capitol Hill Office
Jeffrey Hops, jeffhops@yahoo.com
I second the opinion of those who wrote in on behalf of the DMV mystery office (6th
& H NE, in the same minimall as Murry's steaks). There are rarely ever any lines. On
Wednesday night, you can go after work and walk right up to the window (they are open
until 8 pm on Wednesdays). And, believe it or not, the people are NICE (at least they were
to me). In fact, they seem a little bored by the lack of business. And of course, there's
plenty of free parking. The only reason to use the C St., NW, office is masochism (okay,
and subway proximity).
###############
Back in November I got my driver's license changed from MN to DC and my new car titled
and tagged in under an hour. Don't listen to everything people tell you. Go early in the
morning with a good attitude and see for yourself!
###############
On Race (Or the Problem of Groups Adjusting to One Another)
Mark Richards, Dupont East, mark@bisconti.com
On this planet there is no promised land, no emancipation, and no liberty. There are
people of varying identities, usually trying to get along, who associate in overlapping
and interacting groups within structures that are largely elite (SES, class) determined.
William Edward Burghardt DuBois was being forthright when he asserted in 1903 (The
Souls of Black Folk) that “The problem of the 20th century is the problem of the
color-line, -- the relation of the darker to the lighter races of men in Asia and Africa,
in America and the islands of the sea.” DuBois removed the veil off the polite
discussion of what was called “the Negro problem.” A century later, many are not
sure how to discuss the issue of race, where to discuss it, or if such a discussion would
even be beneficial. Some want the past to be the past, and some want to sustain
appearances of unity, or at least civility. Even if they know it, people don't often talk
about the fact that U.S. (1) was formed primarily by Anglo- and Northern-European
immigrants who (2) colonized and segregated natives into “reservations,” who (3)
effectively played upon French, English, and native rivalry to establish a World Empire,
who (4) institutionalized trade in African peoples in support of economic development, who
(5) fought a Civil War to over the so-called “color-line,” who (6) used legal
bodies to sustain inequality. The images are pretty ugly. In the last era, many in U.S.
waged a Civil Rights battle to reduce racism and inequality — D.C. liberation, or
limited Home Rule, was part of that fight. But, we have moved out of the Civil Rights era
into one that has yet to be created and described. And many seem speechless, wishing we
could have our potholes filled and hoping the days of riots and daily physical violence
over integration are over for good.
This new era is less clear — there is still old fashioned blatant racism, but
there are more subtle forms, symbolic racism. Recall the Willie Horton ad run by
supporters (unaffiliated with) the George Bush campaign in 1988: research showed that that
ad appealed more to white prejudice than fear of crime. Many suspected as much. In fact,
there is a paradox: polls show that Americans support race equality, in principle, but
oppose social policies to help solve the problems. The primary determinant of support for
or opposition to race-targeted social policies is racial attitude (way more than ideology,
party ID, values, education, etc.). So, as civil rights era policies are reversed in the
name of ideology, conservatism, and even equality (and not replaced with other methods to
solve the problems), race attitude is lurking behind what DuBois called the veil. In
addition is the issue of stereotyping. Polls show that a slight majority of whites endorse
certain stereotypes (“pictures in the head” — Lippman, 1922) about African
Americans as a group (they prefer welfare, they're violent, lazy). Polls also show that
large majorities of African Americans believe whites hold such stereotypes of their group
— especially African-American women, young people, and those with higher incomes.
This subject is personal and hurtful. As a pinkish man who has no use for supremacist
ideas, and as an American who finds many disagreeable aspects within his society, I don't
like to be blamed for ignorance of the whole group with which I'm identified. If you
observe discussions with race subtext, the line between ones group and oneself can be thin
and disrespected. But, both African- and Euro-Americans believe things have improved. In
April-May 1999, the Pew Center asked, “Since the 1950s, would you say life in the
U.S. has gotten better, gotten worse, or stayed about the same for African
Americans?” 81% overall said yes; including 63% of African Americans. And people
didn't say that about teenagers (33% better). Guess that takes us back to schools, where
D.C. school leaders seem to be in a cake walk or something. Here's one sentence DuBois
wrote a century ago: “The training of the schools we need to-day more than ever,
— the training of deft hands, quick eyes and ears, and above all the broader, deeper,
higher culture of gifted minds and pure hearts. The power of the ballot we need in sheer
self-defense, — else what shall save us from a second slavery?”
###############
Cancer Awareness on District Cablevision
Mitchell Schmale, mschmale@nevinspr.com
I wanted to take this opportunity to make all of you aware of a special program that
District Cablevision is providing to all of its more than 100,000 customers throughout the
District of Columbia as a free community service. District Cablevision will air the HBO
original program “Cancer: Evolution to Revolution” to provide an opportunity for
all of its customers to learn more about how to detect and prevent cancer.
This special program focuses on how modern medicine takes a proactive approach to
battle cancer on a case-by-case basis. The nation's top doctors discuss ways that
individuals can live with cancer and focuses on at-home strategies for cancer prevention
including diet changes and detection practices. The program also provides toll-free
numbers and web sites for viewers who would like more information. The program will be
provided free to all of District Cablevision’s customers, whether or not they
subscribe to HBO, on Thursday, March 30, 2000 from 8:00 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. on Channel
30 for customers with converter boxes and Channel 98 for cable-ready customers.
###############
I, too, received the long form. Furthermore, everyone I know has received the long
form. Has anyone on this list received a short form?
##############
CLASSIFIEDS — EVENTS
Washington, DC, Film Society Capital Oscars
Ky Nguyen, ky.n.nguyen@bigfoot.com
Guess who's back and hosting the 72nd Annual Academy Awards presentation? Not sure?
Won't be in L.A. to attend in person? That's o.k.! Celebrate the festivities right here
with host Billy Crystal broadcast live from the Los Angeles Shrine Auditorium on Sunday,
March 26, 2000, 7:30 p.m. at the 8th Annual “Capital Oscars” party presented by
the Washington, DC Film Society. Join friends and family (over age 21) at the Bethesda
Theater Café, 7719 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda, MD. A historic landmark, the Bethesda
Theater Café retains its original décor and combines the vintage theater experience with
the latest advances in film equipment and sound technology. It has served movie patrons
for over 60 years.
Watch the stars of the big screen on the BIG screen and enjoy a special evening that
features a silent auction, door prizes, and free movie promotional items. Tickets are
$20.00 ($15.00 for Film Society members) and may be purchased in advance. Complimentary
popcorn and soda. Cash bar. Food and beverages available for purchase. Door prizes include
two tickets to the gala opening of Filmfest DC, Washington's own international film
festival, now in its 14th year. Reserved tickets will be held at the door. For ticket
sales and further information, please visit our web site at http://www.dcfilmsociety.org, or call the hotline
at (202) 554-3263.
###############
Tenley Library Book Sale
Martha Saccocio, MarthaNS2@aol.com
The Friends of the Tenley-Friendship branch of the D.C. Public Library will host their
semi-annual BOOK SALE on Saturday, April 1, from 12-4 pm. The Library is located at the
intersection of Wisconsin Avenue and Albemarle Street, NW. We have 1000s of books at great
prices.
###############
April Arts Workshop at Longview
Connie Ridgway, kaniru@aol.com
We invite you to renew your spirit at Longview, a retreat/workshop center close to
Washington, DC. In April we're holding the following workshop: April 8 and April 22, 2000,
9 am - 1 pm: Gentle and Wild Experimentation with Art Materials, led by Elizabeth Black
(artist and registered art therapist). Give yourself permission to celebrate the wild,
silly, and gentle parts of your being using different art materials (clay, pastels and
paint). There is no right, wrong, or judgment in art making. Come with an open heart and
mind to experience, enjoy and know yourself at a deep level. $60.
Longview is about 15 miles south of DC near Indian Head Highway in Accokeek Maryland.
It is across the river from Mt. Vernon VA and has a view of the Potomac River and the
Washington Monument. Longview Retreats was born with a simple mission: to create a space
where people can explore what is sacred in their lives and learn to live out of their
values, while surrounded by beauty and a sense of being Home. Through the creative arts,
spirituality and community-building, we encourage people to take risks and imagine
possibilities. We hope this lovely place will help you to step back and see the “long
view” of your life. E-mail or call Connie Ridgway for more information at 966-1485 or
kaniru@aol.com.
###############
The Control Board, IMF, and World Bank: Colonialism at Home and
Abroad
Amy Quinn, a-quinn@mindspring.com
In mid-April thousands of people from across the U.S. and the world will come together
in Washington, DC for a week of education and protest around the World Bank and
International Monetary Fund's annual meetings. The 55 year old international financial
institutions impose policies on communities around the world that have devastating effects
on health, education, the environment, labor rights and human rights. Come hear about the
history of these institutions and the impact of the World Bank and IMF on our own
community in Washington, DC. Learn about the Mobilization for Global Justice and the
movement for a justice-centered local and global development model.
Saturday, March 25, Shiloh Baptist Church, 1500 9th St., NW, Shaw/Howard U Metro. 3:00
- 5:30 Plenary: Rev. Alice Davis, Outreach Minister at Shiloh Baptist Church; Soren
Ambrose, 50 Years Is Enough; Njoki Njoroge Njehu, 50 Years is Enough; Joy Zarembka,
Campaign for Migrant Domestic Workers’ Rights; Roger Newell , Int'l Brotherhood of
Teamsters; Asantewaa Nkrumah-Ture, Mobilization for Global Justice; 5:30 - 6:30: Dinner
Break; 6:30 - 8:30: Roadshow for Global Justice. For more info, 319-2426, http://www.a16.org.
###############
CLASSIFIEDS — SPACE
Polite, mature, responsible, and respectful 32-year-old professional female seeks a
room (preferably furnished) very close to a Metro line on a month-to-month rental basis
beginning May 1, 2000. Ideal situation would be a room in a person's home. Willing to
consider living anywhere in the the greater Metropolitan area as long as it is metro
convenient. To reply, please contact me at 703-920-1759 or incwg@yahoo.com.
###############
Office Space Available Near Dupont Circle
Linda Baron, lbaron@nafcm.org
We are in a prime downtown location just off Dupont Circle — 1527 New Hampshire
Avenue, NW. There are five offices available that have enough room for 7 or 8 staff for a
total of 2,100 square feet including shared common area. Rent is $26/square foot - $4550
per month. The space is available for immediate occupancy. If you or anyone you know is
interested in leasing this office space please have them contact Richard Wallach at
667-9700.
###############
CLASSIFIEDS — RECOMMENDATIONS
Veternarian Wanted
Valerie Kenyon Gaffney, vkg0531@aol.com
I have been adopted by a kitten, and am now in search of a good vet, convenient to the
Foggy Bottom, Georgetown, Dupont Circle area. Suggestions, anyone?
###############
Would appreciate any recommendations for a reputable roofer. We had roof work done
about 7 years ago (warranty was for 5) and now have a leak in our living room.
###############
CLASSIFIEDS — CITY PAPER PREVIEW
Dave Nuttycombe, webmeister@washcp.com
From washingtoncitypaper.com's LOOSE LIPS column, appearing this Friday:
GETTING FISCAL: Ever since he announced his budget plan for fiscal year 2001 on March 13,
Mayor Anthony A. Williams has done little to inspire confidence within the 13-member D.C.
Council. The council, for starters, furrowed its collective brow when the mayor claimed
that his magical government reforms would save the city $62 million in one year.
In his press conference launching the budget, Williams merely deepened the skepticism.
“The $62 million that we have in here is a conservative estimate.... I'm the mayor
— I ought to be able to achieve some savings,” said Williams.
In the week since, the mayor and his aides have achieved some ridicule, instead.
Read the entire Loose Lips column here: http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/lips/lips.html
From washingtoncitypaper.com's CITY LIGHTS page, here are a few early warnings for
upcoming events:
SATURDAY: Evelyn Glennie, 5 p.m. at the Kennedy Center's Concert Hall. $20-$45.
SATURDAY: 34th Annual Smithsonian Kite Festival, 10 a.m. (kite registration is from 10
a.m. to noon) at the Washington Monument's West side. Free.
More details and more critics' picks are available online at http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/pix/pix.html
###############
themail@dcwatch is an E-mail discussion forum that is published every Wednesday and
Sunday. To subscribe, to change E-mail addresses, or to switch between HTML and plain text
versions of themail, use the subscription form at http://www.dcwatch.com/themail/subscribe.htm.
To unsubscribe, send an E-mail message to themail@dcwatch.com
with “unsubscribe” in the subject line. Archives of past messages are available
at http://www.dcwatch.com/themail.
All postings should also be submitted to themail@dcwatch.com, and should be about life,
government, or politics in the District of Columbia in one way or another. All postings
must be signed in order to be printed, and messages should be reasonably short — one
or two brief paragraphs would be ideal — so that as many messages as possible can be
put into each mailing.
