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Politics & Government

Demonstration without Representation

Keep D.C.'s fight for voting rights out of other protest movements.

As the demonstrators who have descended on Washington continue to search for a way to refine and localize their message, there appears to be an attempt by some to adopt the cause of D.C. voting rights, and to take advantage of the fervor that “Taxation without Representation” brings. It should be troubling to those who are truly fighting for representation in Congress, allowing our most noble of causes to be thrown into a protest free-for-all.

Last weekend, a group led by D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray rallied at Freedom Plaza for “full democracy and freedom," to call attention to the District’s lack of voting rights. The rally and subsequent march that followed were seen as a success, at least on a local level. 

Unfortunately, the event came at a time when so much attention has been paid to other movements that have come to Washington. As a result, several demonstrations held the same day were thrown together by most media outlets.  People who came for a “jobs and justice” rally led by Al Sharpton, and others taking part in Occupy D.C. also took part in the voting rights event. 

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Sometimes it’s hard to pick a just cause when there are so many, and as a result, D.C.’s voting rights message barely made a blip on the national radar.

Organizers of the D.C. rally may have also wanted to take advantage of the other demonstrators, seeing it as an opportunity to gain more numbers on the street, but buyer had better beware. Those who truly want voting rights for the District of Columbia need to be cautious when associating themselves with other movements that have yet to blossom, .

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No matter how just their cause, or causes, movements such as Occupy D.C., Stop the Machine and October 2011 are still searching for a cohesive message that will allow them to turn into a staying power in Washington. On the other hand, the residents of the District of Columbia already have a unifying message and a movement. It’s a strong movement, and it’s been around for years.

Just how effective city leaders have been in D.C.’s voting rights movement is up for debate. In recent months, Mayor Vincent Gray has hit some low points while trying to showcase the city’s struggle. Last week, however, Gray hit a high point when he used the dedication of the Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial as a platform to highlight D.C.’s plight. The voting rights issue can easily be tied to civil rights, though some have demonstrated they can do it better than others.

During a recent visit to McPherson Square, where Occupy D.C. demonstrators are camped out, some of the conversations among protesters continued to center around the fact that there are a myriad of messages and causes being thrown about. “There are too many different voices,” said one man, who was explaining to a group of out-of-towners setting up camp. Organizers have begun to realize their movement in Washington may fizzle unless all their voices are heard as one.

It’s why Occupy D.C., Stop the Machine, and others may try to find a way to associate with our city’s fight with Congress. Some of the latest protest signs and language are already pointing in that direction, and it fits their motive. Right now, they’re out there protesting anything they can get their hands on.

If Mayor Gray, Delegate Norton and members of the D.C. Council associate themselves and their fight for voting rights with these other movements, then the District’s message will become diluted, plain and simple. It doesn’t have to take twenty more years to gain full representation in Congress, not if city leaders stay focused and on message, on our message.

Let’s not allow D.C.’s fight for voting rights to be hijacked by groups of protesters, some of whom aren’t even District residents. Ours is not a protest free-for-all. It’s a concentrated movement, one with a clear, unifying message, one these groups wish they had.

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