Protesting Policy: Time for Change

As we approach the beginning of the United State’s ninth year in Afghanistan, groups of activists from different perspectives converged on the White House, expressing everything from concern to disgust.

It is hard to believe that eight years have passed since former President Bush launched the Global War on Terror and Al Qaeda; yet after hundreds of billions of dollars and untold loss of life, what can we identify as “success?”

Perhaps we can say there has not been another attack in the United States. But have the extreme voices in the Middle East not been emboldened and empowered by the military actions which have devastated multiple countries?

Despite any grievances—right or wrong, valid or invalid—that have been expressed by these extreme voices, the United States has not made itself safer as a result of the multiple, simultaneous major theater wars it is now engaged in; rather, these wars have divided the country, indebted its people, and discredited its sound international reputation.

The United States has a long and tumultuous history in the Middle East: the 1953 overthrow of the democratically elected President of Iran, Mohammed Mosaddeq, support of Saddam Hussein and the Mujahedeen in the 1970s and 1980s, the Iran-Contra scandal in the 1970s, the 1991 Iraq War and over ten years of sanctions which followed, to the present campaigns, to name just a few instances. One cannot help but observe that after all this involvement, the United States seems less poised to have favorable relations with many of these governments than ever before.

This begs the question: if what the U.S. has done has not improved its standing, why, then, does it continue the same egregious and ignominious policies of years past?

Military actions in the name of “American Interests”—which seem to create hostility toward America—have only deteriorated U.S. standing in the Middle East, hence it is time for a policy change.

The protesters who came together at the White House yesterday understand this, though they all have different ways of expressing it. The way of the Friends Committee on National Legislation is to say, “War Is Not the Answer.” But FCNL doesn’t stop there. The next message is to engage Congress and tell them to change policy.

Civil disobedience is effective in its own way, but without pressure on the legislative branch, it is difficult to keep government accountable and responsive. Elected officials need to hear logical arguments—even if they do not agree with them—so that it is clear where their constituents stand. After all, it is the principle concern of a member of Congress, second only to making law, to get reelected, which would not be possible without the votes of valuable constituents.

Do not hesitate. Tell Congress enough is enough and it is time for a policy change in the Middle East. More troops will not translate into more stability in Afghanistan. There are ways to stabilize Afghanistan without increasing U.S. military presence there. Check out these points: FCNL's Afghanistan De-escalation Flyer.

Let us see then what diplomacy can do.

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DC Off the Hill: Get Some Culture!

Everybody knows that DC is a great place for museums, but not everyone realizes that in addition to the world-class Smithsonian museums on the National Mall, there are tons of fantastic museums all over DC. So, this "DC Off The Hill" is dedicated to the many fine educational and cultural centers that don't happen to reside on the National Mall.

1. The National Zoo. I can't believe that I failed to include this in the "Go Outside" post, because the zoo is one of my favorite outdoor spaces in DC. It's a Smithsonian (AKA: free!) and is a great way to spend a day if you have kids. After you've met Tai Shan, our local celebrity panda, I recommend checking out the Think Tank, an exhibit that introduces you to the innovative work the zoo is doing to understand the ways that animals think. Among other things, you'll be able to see the written language that the folks at the Think Tank are teaching orangutans.
2. The Newseum. I haven't been to this yet, but it's building looks beautiful and it made quite a stir when it opened. This museum celebrates the history of news and journalism and bills itself as "the world's most interactive museum." I have also heard that from the top of it, you can get a great view of the city.
3. The Anacostia Community Museum. Another Smithsonian museum that celebrates African American arts and cultural, as well as the history of DC's historic Anacostia neighborhood. I just went here for the first time a few weeks ago and loved it. Their exhibits change every few months, but if you go now you can see a great exhibition on African American celebrations throughout the year.
4. The National Geographic Museum. Brought to you by those same folks that make the magazine. They have rotating exhibits that can range from Chinese explorers' ships, to maps to North American birds. They also usually have at least one photography exhibit, which is always incredible. The neat picture at the top of this post is of their museum.
   
5. The Spy Museum. Another great kid-friendly space! Learn all about the history, gadgets and intrigue of international espionage. And, if you happen to be in DC on the last Wednesday of the month, you can even go to their free Community Nights!
6. The National Museum of Women in the Arts. Has a diverse collection of art from women artists around the world.

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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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DC Off The Hill: Get Yourself Some Religion!

This week, we continue our series "DC Off The Hill," which celebrates some of the lesser-known (but still wonderful!) sights in Washington, DC. In honor of last week's celebrations of Passover and Easter, this post is about the many beautiful and vibrant worship communities in DC.

One of the first things that struck me when I moved to DC was how dynamic spiritual communities are here. Of course, I love the National Cathedral (and particularly recommend their monthly labyrinth walks), but I think that you can learn a lot about the history (and future) of DC by getting to know other religious communities in the city. Here are just a few communities that are worth getting to know:

1. Friends Meeting of Washington This is a beautiful example of classic Quaker architecture and has a great deal of history behind it (President Hoover use to worship here!). The community is fantastic (and good friends of FCNL!), and I'm sure that they would love an opportunity to share silent worship with visiting Friends (or friends-of-Friends).
2. St. Augustine’s Catholic Church St. Augustine's is the oldest black Catholic Church in DC (the parish celebrated their 150th anniversary last year!) and is lovingly called the Mother Church of black Catholics in Washington. Founded in opposition to the segregation practiced in other churches at the time, St. Augustine's has a strong commitment to social justice. They also happen to have a phenomenal gospel choir and one of my favorite local buildings (pictured above).
3. All Souls, Unitarian I'm a frequent visitor to All Souls and am never disappointed by their powerful preaching, beautiful music and kind faces. Currently, they are displaying "Hiroshima Drawings: Gifts of Peace and Hope" in their community hall. These drawings were given to children at All Souls from children in Hiroshima in 1948, to thank them for collecting art and school supplies for Hiroshima schools. The pictures are beautiful and the story of peace is timeless. Word to the wise: if it's your first time visiting All Souls, the church will treat you to a delicious homemade lunch. YUM!
4. The Historic 6th and I Synagogue This 100 year old synagogue has a wide variety of social justice events, educational lectures and live music concerts happening every day of the week. It was recently named one of the 25 most vibrant Jewish congregations in the country by Newsweek Magazine, and in addition to having a wonderful community, the building itself is also stunning.
5. The Potter's House To quote their website, Potter's House "is a restaurant, a bookstore, a gift shop, a concert venue, a theatre, an art gallery, a gathering place for innocent conversation, work meetings, worship or subversive activism." This is one of many outreach ministries of Church of the Savior, a radical, inclusive, ecumenical community that has done so much for the people of this city. I particularly recommend participating in Taize services at The Potter's House.
6. Islamic Center of Washington Founded in 1944, this is both the center of Muslim life in DC and a powerful advocate for dialog between US leaders and the Islamic world. They have a wide variety of events and classes throughout the year and are always welcoming to visitors.
7. Hall of Remembrance A moving memorial to victims of the Holocaust that is used for community ceremonies as well as personal reflection. Part of the US Holocaust Memorial Museum.

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DC Off The Hill: Go outside!

The National Cherry Blossom Festival is this month, which means that tourist season in DC is in full swing. As much as I might have complained during the inauguration, I really love DC tourists. This is by far the biggest city that I've ever called home and I love the culture, character and friendliness of this city. I'm proud of my new hometown and love to share it with others.

However, I am saddened by the number of tourists who travel all the way to DC and never seem to find their way out of the National Mall. While the Smithsonian, the Capitol Building and various presidential monuments are awe inspiring, they don't come close to the beauty of the city I call home.

So, in an attempt to correct this great injustice, for the rest of tourist season I will be hosting a periodic blog series titled "DC Off The Hill." In honor of cherry blossom season, this post will be about the many beautiful outdoor spaces in and around DC where you can appreciate spring flowers without having to deal with the overwhelming crowds of the tidal basin.

1. Mount Vernon Trail This is where my partner and I started our Cherry Blossom tour last week. We started our journey at the Rosslyn metro stop and followed the Potomac River to Roosevelt Island (which is only accessible by foot bridge and has a monument to Teddy Roosevelt). Then, we kept walking and admired the daffodil fields until we crossed the Arlington Bridge and ended with the tidal basin. The whole thing was between 8-10 miles.
2. Malcolm x/Meridian Hill Park This is my favorite place to spend a lazy summer afternoon. It has the sort of old grandeur that city parks rarely posses anymore and you never know who you're going to meet. Last week, I saw a woman wearing a ball gown made entirely out of balloons!
3. Rock Creek Park A huge, mostly unlandscaped wild space that spans both DC and Maryland. A great way to get lost in the forest.
4. The Franciscan Monastery I think this might be the most relaxing space in DC. I particularly love the rose gardens surrounded by mosaics.
5. C&O Canal This is the only reason I ever agree to make the trek out to Georgetown. My favorite touristy activity around here is to take advantage of the canal boat rides that the National Park Service provides for $5 per person. You get to ride in a reburbished 1870's canal boat (pulled by mules!) and listen to historic reenacters talk about the history of the canal. This would be a particularly fun thing to take small children to!
6. The Bull Run-Occoquan Trail When I told my coworker that I was putting together a list of outdoorsy sights in and around DC, she told me I had to mention the blue bells that bloom along this trail, 25 miles from the city. She had fond memories of going here as a child, and I can see why. I'm putting this on my to-do list.

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Stumbling forward - An ode to D.C.

Whew. Well, it's been a week. I finally feel like I've recovered from the inauguration. Now I feel as though the city is lurching forward, shaking off all those people and all that garbage on the mall and settling into normalcy again.

Except… normal feels a bit different than it did before. Why? Part of it is that now when I walk by the White House I feel pride that the people who live and work there view torture as unacceptable and share my views on a myriad other issues. One in particular, about which I won't go into detail here, makes me want to skip down the mall and turn cartwheels on the ellipse.

This shift was expected and is great. But I also wonder when the honeymoon will fade away, and we all realize that President Obama can't change the economy overnight (or even over a number of years).

So is there a more resilient shift happening in the city? I think that there is. I have always liked Washington D.C., even before I lived here. As a nerdy child I loved the museums all in one place, all of them free, and couldn't think of a more wonderful place to spend my summer vacation. The National Museum of American History was kind of like mecca.

As a high school senior, I toyed with the idea of attending GW University, and almost went there, until I admitted that I really just wanted to be in D.C., and really didn't want to study at a large university.

But after college I quickly moved here, and fell in love with all new aspects of the community. I basked in the free museums but also in the strange mix of braininess and gentility that seems to hang around the place. I found an apartment that is an easy walk from restaurants, bars, the White House, museums, and embassies. I like being close to "real D.C." where people live, and "official D.C." where laws and policies are made. Moving between the two (which I realize is a luxury many of my fellow residents don't enjoy) adds an official excitement to my everyday life, and makes seeing Dick Cheney's motorcade or talking about my boyfriend's meeting with the Kenyan economic advisors seem a bit more every day.

But not many people really got my affair with D.C. before. Most of my friends gleefully moved to New York after college, with enthusiasm I didn't understand (I grew up near New York, and I think it will always be a little too close to home and little too full with memories of going to Broadway shows with my family). They didn't understand why I wanted to live here.

Now they're starting to get it. The Obama excitement is drawing people here and they're discovering that their nation's capital is pretty great (except for the humidity. That's actually not that great). Sure, you can run into rampant and slightly annoying idealism, not to mention partisanship, but for me, someone who lives in the district limits and doesn't own a car, it's also incredibly liveable, walkable, exciting, and pleasant. Not to mention the fact that while Wall Street collapses the D.C. economy is looking comparatively stable.

So long New York. Welcome to the District.

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