Politics

Dear PoP – “Had it with the election”

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by PoPville flickr user DCBritannia

“Dear PoP,

This morning I hit my breaking point with the elections. I was walking my dogs, came around the corner or my street, and witnessed a man stealing my neighbor’s election sign from their yard. I stopped him and asked him “did you take that?” to which he replied “is that your yard?” I repeated the question and he had the gall to say “I asked you a question too.” I told him that was my neighbor’s house and he was stealing their sign. He then proceeded ask if I knew what gentrification was all while he tore up the sign. I flat out told him that was stealing, theft, and weak, and had to go inside because my dogs were freaking out and I was livid.

My freakin’ high school elections weren’t this petty and childish! Little does the man know that his actions have made my mind up for whom to vote.”

On a side note the woman accused of removing campaign signs from Capital City Diner has released her defense this morning. Full press release after the jump. (more…)

Campaign Signs Removed from Capital City Diner

By Prince Of Petworth

More dirty politics this Labor Day weekend? In the age of camera phones and camera surveillance this is really beyond stupid. Sunday evening, Capital City Diner owner’s, Matt Ashburn, sent the photos to me and a few other bloggers. He says that the removed signs were Kwame Brown and Harry Thomas and were replaced with Fenty signs without his permission. Frozen Tropics identifies the woman in the picture as a former ANC 5B10 commissioner. Capital City Diner is located at 1050 Bladensburg Road, NE.

Dear PoP – Should I Protest the Glenn Beck Rally?

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by PoPville flickr user Mark Brueggenjohann

“Dear PoP,

I just found out about the Glenn Beck Rally – “Restoring Honor” – being held Aug. 28 on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and wondered what people think is a good/effective/proper response to something like this.

DC is of course the Mecca for protesters of all kinds and there is the whole free-speech thing of course. My usual inclination is that counter-rallies or protests just fan the flames and generate more publicity and often exploitable ugliness, especially in this case, where Beck has his own powerful TV juggernaut where he can manipulate images & news however he likes.

What should one do when something this offensive is going on? Ideas?”

The Post’s DeNeen Brown just wrote about this in the Style Section:

“Social activists and civil rights leaders, among them the Rev. Al Sharpton, are planning marches and demonstrations — including the unveiling of a nearly four-story-tall original sculpture on the Mall — on Aug. 28 to coincide with a rally organized by Fox News personality Glenn Beck…

“For Glenn Beck and Sarah Palin to have a march, they have the right to do so. Many of us suspect they are using the symbolism of that day in a way that does not reflect what the day is about,” Sharpton said. “At no point will we interchange. We will not desecrate the march and what King stood for.”

What do you guys recommend is the best way to counter a rally that you find offensive (no matter the subject)? I usually lean towards ignoring them, personally. What about you guys?

Ed. Note: For those that don’t like political discussions on this blog please just move on. A reader wrote in the question and I think it is a fair question whichever side you happen to be on.

Dear PoP – Today is the last day to change party affiliation

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by PoPville flickr user schmiddi

“Dear PoP,

I’m not sure if you’ve posted anything (or want to), but today is the is the last day to change party affiliation for those that want to Vote in the Fenty vs Gray Democratic primary on Sept 14. People like myself who are registered Independent (or Republican) and would like to vote in the Democratic primary need to change this by COB today.”

You can download a new voter registration application at www.dcboee.org here.

Dear PoP – Photo and Video of protest at Nationals’ stadium Sunday

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoP,

Just wanted to let you know there was a protest today against the Arizona bill, SB 1070, at the Nationals stadium today – they were playing the Arizona Diamondbacks, whose owner is a staunch right wing supporter of the bill. There were several banner drops, a picket line, and several people ran out onto the field with a banner. There were also several arrests and detentions.”

Do you guys think this is an effective way to protest the bill?

Friday Question of the Day: Who you gonna vote for and why? (Reader Request)

By Prince Of Petworth


Thanks to a reader for sending in the great shot of a ‘house divided’ above

“Dear PoP,

So in recent weekend outings of mine, I can’t help but see the incredibly enthusiastic Vincent Gray campaign volunteers/staff. So, I begin my research into who I’m going to vote for, which turns out is a little difficult. I can find summaries of debates and interactions, but I want a side-by-side unbiased comparison of where they stand on various issues. I know Gray is running on an education platform, but what else is he planning to do to improve the city–and how is it better than what Fenty’s already doing?

I’m sure opening this up as a question of the day on PoP could yield some strange/inappropriate responses, but myself and I’m sure some other people out there wouldn’t mind digging through those comments to find something of value. Just something to think about before November 2.”

Actually the primary is September 14 so you only have a month to decide! So another reader asked that I put up a more updated Mayoral Poll:


For those who’ve been following the campaign – who are you going to vote for and why?

Is it possible to discuss DC’s Problems without bringing up race?

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by PoPville flickr user BrennaLM

Over the weekend there was a lengthy discussion/debate about the huge fight that took place on metro Friday night. I knew some folks would bring up the issue of race but I was surprised to see almost the entire debate devolve into the issue of race. I think when the debate is framed in this manner it does a great disservice to DC. Rather a great disservice to understanding, identifying and fixing DC’s problems. You see, in my opinion, whenever these conversations devolve into a discussion simply of race, it misses the point. The point being: How do we fix these problems? In 2010 to blame all the serious problems the city faces solely on the race of some of its residents is absolutely ridiculous and absurd.

On Saturday, Washington Post columnist Colbert King summed it up nicely in his column about the Mayoral election:

“This is not something to cheer but to regret. Not out of sympathy for Fenty. But out of concern for a city so trapped in its past that it can’t see the problems before its face — problems that are neither black nor white.”

So when do you think DC and its residents will mature to a point that we can discuss the major problems we face for what they are – major problems? Major problems that, sadly, plague many towns and cities regardless of the race/ethnicity of their inhabitants?

Dear PoP – Ward 4 straw poll tonight

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo from PoPville flickr user KJinDC

“Dear PoP,

I got a flyer that the Ward 4 straw poll is tonight – are you planning to post anything on your site? I’m not really sure what it means…is it just a test vote before the vote? Anyway, it was hard to find any info about it online, but I could find out at least where/when it is:

Wednesday, August 4th, from 6 to 8 pm at the St. George Ballroom and Conference Center at 4335 16th Street, NW.”

Anyone know some details behind these straw polls? Who sets them up? If you live in Ward 4 for tonight do you have to show proof of residence? Anyone put much weight behind these polls?

PoPville had its own Straw Poll back in April.

Dear PoP – Anti-choice protesters along Mass Ave., NW Yesterday

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by PoPville flickr user sciascia Photo from previous protest not along Mass Ave

“Dear PoP,

I had to go to Georgetown Univ. Hospital yesterday for an appointment. Afterwards, I took the GUH shuttle from the hospital to Dupont Circle at around 11:45 a.m. The shuttle takes a rather roundabout route up Wisconsin Avenue, around Observatory Circle, and then down Massachusetts Avenue. As soon as we got to Mass Ave., I saw several anti-choice protesters with those big photo posters that they like to parade around with along the west side of the road. Unfortunately, I didn’t react quickly enough to take a picture.

Any idea why they were there? Was it a special occasion or are they always/often there? I don’t usually travel on Mass. Ave. Could they be targeting a specific embassy? A likely target — the Chinese embassy — is on Wisconsin, though. Could it have been the British embassy? If so, I wonder what happened to spark the protest.

There were probably about a dozen people, but they were spread out along the road for a couple hundred yards, not grouped together, so it didn’t look like they protesting a particular embassy. If anything they appeared to be directing their signs towards the cars that were traveling north. The Vatican’s embassy is nearby, but somehow I doubt it would be the target (more like home base).

Anyway, I was just curious and thought you or one of your readers might know.”

Perhaps they were there to protest near the Vice President’s residence by Observatory Circle? This is the first I’m hearing of a protest like this around there. There is a well known protester of the Vatican who was recently profiled in a People’s District post. Anyone know what was going on?

View More Stories