The Rev. Wendy Hamilton and Michael Bekesha: DC statehood is a patriotic issue that deserves bipartisan leadership
In his inaugural address, President Joe Biden emphasized unity and a commitment to justice. He spoke of the constant struggle between the American ideal that we are all created equal and the realities that have long torn us apart. More than ever, it’s clear we need leaders who will work across the aisle to realize this ideal by carrying DC statehood across the finish line. We need to eliminate the gulf between the aspirations that Washington, DC, represents and the realities that District residents face.
Like most DC residents, we both recognize that Congress is suppressing our rights and freedoms as a people without representation. While one of us identifies as an “urban Republican” and the other identifies as a Democrat, we believe in moving this statehood conversation past partisanship. We may not agree on all issues, but we believe DC statehood is an opportunity to be united by our sense of shared humanity and patriotism.
In 1788, Alexander Hamilton, one of our nation’s founding fathers, believed that DC should gain representation once it reached a critical mass. Centuries later, we have been running circles around the concept of “critical mass.” Our population is larger than that of either Vermont or Wyoming. We pay more federal income taxes per capita than any of the 50 states and more total federal income taxes than approximately 23 states. Additionally, more than 11,000 District residents are currently serving in the military. The government can send these soldiers to war to fight for American values, yet they don’t have full rights in their residence.
Nonetheless, some senators and representatives still reject any possibility of DC statehood. Do they think our residents are less deserving of representation and rights than the people of Virginia, Maryland, or any other state in our union? Beyond partisanship, we need accountable and decisive leaders with the honor and courage to live up to our founding fathers’ intentions.
We believe in statehood as a bipartisan issue because we both believe in putting executive and legislative power rightfully into the people’s hands. District residents need more control over our government and our taxes, and we need the power to decide what is best for our community — whether defending ourselves during a crisis like Jan. 6 or even reclaiming full control of our criminal justice system. Statehood would provide the authority and opportunity to address local needs without congressional interference or navigation through the federal bureaucracy.
We currently don’t have the infrastructure to support DC residents in the justice system locally. Statehood could help bring DC residents currently in federally run prisons closer to their communities. We could rethink our approach to criminal justice, so returning citizens and their families are in a better position to thrive when they return home. To that end, we could help our returning citizens in DC by putting resources into their hands and helping them reintegrate. We could, for instance, implement a statewide Universal Basic Income pilot, where each of these citizens could be eligible for a monthly cash stipend to help them thrive once home. A shared future like this is possible; it all comes down to our perspective once we become a state.
The issue of DC statehood transcends partisanship because it’s about upholding our democratic ideals and empowering our people. Before we can genuinely unite America, we need to give equal opportunities to the haves and the have-nots in our country. We call on the honorable senators and representatives across our country to support DC statehood because, as tax-paying citizens, we demand voting representation within our government. After all, what is America without our rights as Americans?
To the constituents of the senators and representatives who will cast their votes on the Washington, D.C. Admission Act, we ask this: Suppose you agree that the government has a responsibility to protect the rights of Americans like you. In that case, you should pick up the phone this week, call your representative and two senators, and make sure they’re on the same page about protecting the principles of our democracy. When it comes to realizing Alexander Hamilton’s objective, we must set partisanship aside, live up to the ideals for which our country was established, and update this antiquated relationship.
When events like those of Jan. 6 occur, they wake Americans up and make them think harder about the role of government and its responsibility to protect people’s rights. In future crises, the District needs to be able to mobilize and secure itself without relying on federal signoff. The United States of America must untie our hands so we are able to defend ourselves. We must be proactive and do all we can to protect our citizens’ rights, lives and well-being.
Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are more than words; they’re rights earned through citizens’ struggles, sacrifices and patriotism. These rights apply to all Americans, including those living in Washington, DC.
The Rev. Wendy Hamilton is a Democratic candidate for DC delegate to U.S. Congress in 2022. Michael Bekesha ran for the DC Council in 2018 as an “urban Republican.”
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