Around this time last year, we were ramping up for the Voting Rights March, an event that eventually brought thousands to the streets of the District to demand that Congress act on legislation granting the city a voting seat in the House of Representatives. Unfortunately, this year we won’t be repeating.

The march, which was scheduled on April 16 to coincide with the District’s Emancipation Day, was canceled in late March when it became obvious that Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to the city would make the logistics pretty near impossible to handle. In fact, April 16 is the very day his holiness celebrates his birthday, and he’ll be romping around town in the popemobile. We can only hope that he pulls a Dalai Lama and tells the faithful that an unmerciful God will strike them all down with arrows of fire if District residents don’t get representation sometime soon.

Fortunately, the folks at D.C. Vote have informed us that they’ll still be hosting their Tax Day Protest:

Next Tuesday, April 15 – “Taxed Without Representation” Day – join DC Vote staff, volunteers and activists as we educate citizens about our denial of voting rights and highlight taxation without representation in the nation’s capital. We will circulate postcards and a “wooden nickel” to Senate staffers and visitors to Capitol Hill.

If you want to join in the fun, you can head to the Union Station Metro station from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., the Dirksen Senate Building from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., or the National Capitol Post Office from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.