Crowds descend on Mall for first-ever national rally for D.C. statehood

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Washington Post

Dan Rosenzweig-Ziff 2 hrs ago

Looking out at the people across the National Mall, 54-year-old Dawn Craig, a third-generation Black Washingtonian from Brookland, was amazed. Thousands from across the country had come to her city Saturday to support not only voting rights, but D.C. statehood.

“If our vote didn’t matter, then they wouldn’t try so hard to stop us from voting,” said Craig, wearing a black shirt with “Black Voters Matter” in big, white block letters. “It’s heartwarming to see so many people out here.”

The rally, organized by Black Voters Matter and more than 50 civil rights, voter rights and racial justice groups, capped off a nine-city, eight-day Freedom Ride for Voting Rights that began in New Orleans. During the five-hour gathering Saturday, activists and elected officials from around the country argued that D.C. statehood wasn’t a partisan issue, but one of civil rights, and that the U.S. Senate needs to act now.

“The fact that residents of D.C. don’t have congressional representation is an issue of racial justice,” said Akosua Ali, president of the NAACP’s D.C. chapter. “This is a call to action. Hold Joe Manchin accountable.”

Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/crowds-descend-on-mall-for-first-ever-national-rally-for-dc-statehood/ar-AALtZMv?li=BBnb7Kz

[rickford66]

1. The real patriots fighting for freedom and no arrests ?

[paleotn]

2. Well past time.

DC has way more people than Vermont and Wyoming. Almost as many as North Dakota and Alaska. And yet those four states are each represented by a VOTING member of Congress and TWO senators. Then again, DC is majority people of color and as we all know malapportionment is meant ONLY to benefit white people. Always has been.

[elleng]

3. Excellent!

Daughters and I would be there too, IF we lived closer.

My younger daughter's birthday is TODAY. She and her sister were born in DC (36 and 33 years ago.)

[ancianita]

4. Is Congress still in session? Because they all need to be told that the only power grab is

the GOP's taking power away from the people to have elected representation.
THAT is the power grab by the GOP -- to block, deny, refuse, vote no, and destroy anything needed by people who don't look like them.

[Warpy]

5. Grumble grumble loaded language grumble grumble

"Descend on" is what you use for something destructive, like locusts.

"Crowds assemble on Mall" would have been a lot more accurate and less demeaning to the people who want representation in national government.