Happy (late) Emancipation Day!

Yesterday was Emancipation Day in DC, which, in the words of Mayor Fenty, recognizes the people who:

despite having been the "First Freed" by the District of Columbia Compensated Emancipation Act, their descendents and all residents of Washington, DC remain the only taxpaying citizens of the United States who are denied full representation in the U.S. Congress.

In case you haven't noticed, I'm a bit fanatical about my hometown, and it bothers me when my friends and loved ones outside of the District don't seem as passionate about DC voting rights as I do. The idea that a city with a population larger than the state of Wyoming and a 17% poverty rate (according to the US Census) wouldn't have a vote in Congress should outrage anyone.

Luckily, with the 2009 DC Voting Rights Act, we may be closer than ever to granting DC the right to vote. So, please, those of you who have voting rights, exercise them today and tell your representative that DC deserves the vote. You can also send a postcard to President Obama courtesy of DC Vote.

And while you're at it, remind them that the DC Voting Rights act is about granting DC more self determination, not less, and should not be used as an opportunity to take away our right to write our own gun laws.

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