District of Columbia

The Washington DC flag is often presented with some additional information:


in order to protest the fact that the city has no power over its own governance, despite paying taxes like the rest of America. Though many campaigns of varying merit levels have been launched, the republican controlled congress is showing no signs of turning over any power. In fact, one of their first acts was to strip our rather powerless house representative of any symbolic voting rights. Many people here advocate for DC to become the 51st state- an idea I had never heard mentioned outside of the city. It makes perfect sense though. It certainly has been oft mentioned that this once majority black city (now down to less than 50% according to the latest census), filled with immigrants, ambassadors and delegates from all over the world, sporting some of the highest crime rates and an intense racial and financial segregation across the city, that this, our nation's capital, is governed by a bunch of white men in congress that we haven't even elected, and have no power to control. This feels like a quiet betrayal and outrage no matter where one lives these days, given the political state of things across the country.

But feeling helpless is not a useful state of being, and certainly DC residents are some of the most active, vocal, interested and motivated I have met. This, conversely, allows me to be active and to find community, support, and motivation everywhere I go. I have never experienced this level of openness or kindness from strangers anywhere in the United States. I suppose I should be grateful for the segregation, if it means I can be surrounded by folks like these, and not politicians and other climbers. Through Positive Force I have been organizing a day laborer support project and an anti-militarization, anti-violence, SOA Watch/Radio CPR collaboration concert, in addition to our usual fundraisers, protests, and community projects. I have also been working for the Latin American Youth Center supporting their ESL after school classes.

This week I attended two protest-action events. One was against the granting of a visa to war criminal General Molina, who will be running for president in the upcoming elections despite his bloody history. Anyone who has been watching the news on current events in Guatemala knows that the last thing this country needs is the continuation of decades of bloody persecution and suffering for farmers and activists. The second event was to save the DC safety net from budget cuts which would/will decimate services for DC's homeless, disabled, and disadvantaged, further widening the gap between the "haves and the have nots" of DC, and of course, the country at large. I was pleasantly surprised to find that both events had a major turnout of a diversity of strong, caring folks who were organized and respectful- each event featured speakers and informative materials as well as a place to express rage directly at the powers that be. Our city council chair even came out to be an asshole personally for the crowd. The council has vowed to block the Mayor's attempt to raise tax rates on the super rich, and will instead be cutting social services. Ah, the America of today.

That being said- rise up, collaborate, coordinate, and onwards! And solidarity to those in Mexico and beyond who are organizing for a more peaceful and just world.

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