June 25, 2008
D.C. Olympic Racewalking Team Practice Tonight
OK, so the District of Columbia doesn't actually have a real Olympic team that's officially recognized by the International Olympic Committee. That isn't stopping D.C.'s U.S. "Shadow" Representative, Mike Panetta, from convening a practice session tonight that amounts to a protest against D.C.'s second class status. We'll let him explain:
Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, while part of the United States, each only have one, non-voting delegate in the U.S. House of Representatives -- just like the District of Columbia. However, unlike those other American territories DC lacks its own Olympic committee.Check out the DCOC web site for tons more.That is until now. Together with some friends and co-workers who live in the District we started a movement -- the District of Columbia Olympic Committee. The first team we organized in 2006 was curling, but now with the summer games approaching, we are looking people who want to join the speed walking team. So, if you live in the District and want to compete sign up today!
In case you were wondering, speed walking, or racewalking, is an actual Olympic sport. Two years ago, voting rights activists put together a curling team for the Winter Olympics, because "it was the only sport that really fit our collective athletic ability." The D.C. racewalking team continues that fine tradition.
The first team practice is tonight at 6:30 p.m. at the Smithsonian Metro entrance (on the Mall side). You can probably just show up, but the DCOC recommends registering online. You have to be a D.C. resident to join the team, and going to Beijing later this summer for a PR stunt isn't entirely out of the question. Panetta is urging anyone willing to fund such a trip to contact him at dcolympicteam(at)gmail.com.
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The first team we organized in 2006 was curling, but now with the summer games approaching, we are looking people who want to join the speed walking team.
Could you possibly pick any dorkier sports? Couldn't find anyone to sign up for the basque pelota team, frisian handball, or synchronized blackhead squeezing?
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I know we're in a hand-eye coordination challenged zone (myself included), but what about some ping pong Olympians! They still have that right? Is it an official Olympic sport? I forget.
Holy crap - as long as alcohol weren't considered a banned substance for athletes, I think I'd have a pretty good shot at the bar shuffle board team.
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too bad it's not "Power Walking". More appropriate given the circumstances than racewalking, don't you think?
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I know this is pedantic, but bear with me.
Panetta is trying to make a cute point about the similarity of DC's lack of political rights to Puerto Rico, Guam and the USVI's lack of rights. But this doesn't do him any favors in his argument for greater political rights for DC residents.
That's because there is a good reason that Puerto Rico, Guam, and the USVI do not have more say-so in federal affairs, while there is no good reason that the District does not-- and it is the same reason that they have Olympic teams and D.C. does not.
Puerto Rico, Guam, the USVI (as well as the Northern Mariana Islands and American Samoa) are unincorporated territories of the United States-- meaning they are not part of the country proper, but still controlled by the national government. And because we Americans get queasy about the idea of colonies, their residents collectively consent to that status by an agreement with Congress. The District, on the other hand, is incorporated territory, part of the country proper. And Congress doesn't ask us what we want.
There are of course lots of other good reasons for full voting representation in Congress, but unless Panetta wants to take up the comparatively weaker arguments for greater federal representation from the five unincorporated territories alongside our own, he oughtn't blur the distinction.
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In other words, the only incorporated territory of the United States without equal political status under the Constitution is the District of Columbia (and, if you want to get really pedantic, /wiki/Palmyra_AtollPalmyra Atoll, with a variable population of around four).
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Gotta disagree with you on the dork call for curling, Monkey. Curling is cool.
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@16th St.: Amen! Not to mention, DC is 100% contiguous to the United States mainland, while Guam and the Virgin Islands are off in some far away land that none of us can reach via practical, cost-efficient air routes. 1 point goes to PR on that, however, you are a mere 90 communist miles from Key West.
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Meh. I'll take hurling over curling any day. And actually, come to think of it, I'll see your curling and raise you a caber toss. Now that's some s**t right there.
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Bring back barrel jumping! Wide World of Sports hasn't been the same since they stopped highlighting this majestic athletic contest.
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Dorktastic.