| Table talk focuses on race and
politics in Washington, D.C. BY ADRIENNE FRANK Two speakers offered two distinct perspectives, one academic and one activist, during last week’s Table Talk, “Race and Politics: The Case for the District of Columbia.” The event featured Jamin Raskin of the Washington College of Law and David Haimen, a community organizer with Manna Community Development Corporation, a nonprofit that focuses on rebuilding neighborhoods through home ownership. Raskin argued for congressional representation for District residents, noting that “this is the only community of tax-paying American citizens who remain disenfranchised.” Raskin, who in the past has sued to obtain representation for D.C., suggested that if Washington was a predominantly white city (according to the 2000 census, 60 percent of residents are African American), citizens would be extended representation in the House and the Senate. Raskin, who noted the D.C. statehood proposal appears to be “permanently stalled,” also said Republicans, in general, are opposed to congressional representation for the District, as it would threaten the balance of power. “There’s one party in control of the White House, the House of Representatives, the Senate, and the Supreme Court, and they’re not much interested in granting voting rights to a population that will send Democrats to Congress.” Fellow panelist Haimen agreed with Raskin’s comments, but focused his remarks on the historic Shaw neighborhood in Northwest D.C., where he’s been helping to organize community members for six years. He argued that, because elected officials don’t have the residents’ interests in mind, they have to band together to fight for social-economic equality. Shaw, Haimen said, “is a community where people are suffering greatly because of the condition of their neighborhood, but they’re cut off from the means to improve it. “Residents are used to a political culture of nonactivity,” he continued. “Our job is not to come in and serve people, but empower them to help themselves. Our role is to help them connect the dots to discover what’s possible.” |
