This Christmas, All We Want is Voting Rights

Sure, it's December and we're all preoccupied with holiday cheer and making plans for that one New Year's party that will finally be worth the all the hype. But even though they've suffered some setbacks this year, D.C. voting rights activists are pushing the cause through the holiday season.

On Thursday, December 6, the D.C. Council will hold a hearing to consider legislation that would place large electronic billboards outside the John A. Wilson Building and the new Washington Nationals stadium tallying the amount of federal taxes paid by the unrepresented residents of the District. The hearing starts at 10 a.m., and the public is invited to testify. If you'd like to take part in the hearing, call (202) 725-7139 or email alatta (at) dcccouncil (dot) us with your name, address and telephone number before the close of business today. Make sure to mention that DCist sent you, obvs.

And on Sunday, December 16, the folks over at D.C. Vote will be celebrating the 234th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party with a rally, speeches, and a symbolic reenactment of the tea party. They may as well just reenact it faithfully and dump the tea into the river, because it sure can't make the Potomac any dirtier, can it? (Having the river smell like chamomile might also be a nice change.) The tea party will kick off at 1:30 p.m. at the Georgetown Waterfront Park, which is located by K Street between 31st Street and Wisconsin Avenue NW.

And since we're coming in on the end of 2007, look for our retrospective on the year in D.C. voting rights in the next few weeks. We'll have plenty on how far we came, how far we have to go, and if you're good, a special salute to our one and only representative-to-be, Rep. Louie Gohmert (R.Tex.).