Back to Same-Sex Marriage main page
|
Columns DCWatch
Archives Elections Government and People Budget issues Organizations |
Give the Power Back to the PeopleAdvisory Neighborhood Commissioners Resolution in Support of A Citizens’ Initiative on the Definition of Marriage in the District of Columbia For 2010 Election Ballot for Voice of the People I. Whereas, citizens of the District of Columbia have not had an opportunity to address or vet the issue of changing the definition of marriage to include same-sex marriage and most were not aware it was an issue before Council; II. Whereas, Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners, which provide great weight on D.C. issues, policies and laws have a constituency of at least 2000 residents, were not consulted on legislation regarding the definition of marriage, nor were civic groups, community leaders, the faith community, business leaders, or other groups; III. Whereas, the Council of the District of Columbia, the Mayor, and the D.C. Delegate to Congress support legislation passed to recognize same-sex marriage; however, there was no public hearing on changing the definition of marriage to gauge pros and cons or public/taxpayer opinion and Congress chose not to intervene on this local issue; IV. Whereas, the D.C. Council is expected to introduce legislation in Fall 2009 to change the definition of marriage to permit same-sex marriages to be performed in the District of Columbia while recent legislation allowed such marriages to be recognized from other jurisdictions; V. Whereas, the District of Columbia is the Nation’s Capital, America’s First City with nearly 600,000 residents (more residents than a few states) and is considered the international seat of democracy in the Free World and symbolically D.C. policies may have far reaching impact and set the tone and direction for jurisdictions to follow; VI. Whereas, nothing in the D.C. Human Rights Act should prevent the people of D.C. from being heard on this important public policy matter of changing the definition of marriage or other public policy issues; VII. Whereas, the District of Columbia and a multitude of states allow for ballot measures in the form of a referendum and/or initiative to create, affirm, or reject legislation; VIII. Whereas, the people of the District of Columbia should decide the critical issue of the definition of marriage and same-sex marriage, not the thirteen members of the D.C. Council, the Mayor, and the D.C. Delegate to Congress; Therefore be it resolved that the undersigned supports having a citizens’ initiative (according to the procedures outlined by the D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics and the laws of the District of Columbia) on the ballot in the 2010 General Election (or the appropriate election when the ballot measure process is completed) for D.C. voters to decide whether or not the definition of marriage in the District of Columbia shall include same-sex marriage, Be it further resolved that District of Columbia registered voters (Democrats, Republicans, Independents, Statehood/Green Party) should be able to vote “for” or “against”, “yea” or “nay” on the ballot measure, thus giving power Back to the People in the Nation’s Capital and taking the matter beyond elected officials to determine once and for all the will of the people. Date Print Name Signature ANC Single Member District Address Email Address Telephone Number The right to vote cannot be minimized or marginalized Grassroots Movement to Gain a Voter Ballot Citizens
Initiative in 2010 Election on the Definition of Marriage in Washington,
D.C. August 18, 2009 Dear Elected Official, Certainly democracy can sometimes be untidy, scary, and even inconvenient, but it is what our country was founded on and it gives us a great promise upon which to build our hopes, dreams and aspirations. It is not a commodity to be bartered or a treasure to be relinquished. With democracy comes the right to vote (the will of the people), which separates democracy from communism, socialism, tyranny and dictatorship. The value of the American democratic vote is so important and so well valued that measures were enacted to protect it. If it were not for the Civil Rights Acts of 1963 and 1965, many Americans would still be denied their constitutional right to vote – a right that the District of Columbia demands as a taxed body of people. Many citizens in the District feel they are being denied their right to vote by their own elected and appointed public officials. As of June 30, 2009, there are 311,528 Democrats; 28,448 Republicans; 4,126 Statehood-Green Party and 66,078 Independents/No-Party registered voters. There are 411,476 total registered voters in the District of Columbia. They demand the right to vote on what the definition of marriage should be in the nation’s capital, and no excuses will soften, abrogate, or nullify their stance to involve them intimately in this controversial public policy issue. Citizens are determined to go to the ballot box on this issue one way or another. It is imperative that there be an initiative on the ballot in 2010 to relieve impressions of anarchy and self serving interests as well as disrespect and disinterest for the everyday voter and taxpayer. When states decide on a citizens’ initiative, it is because the will of the people must be heard. A citizens’ initiative, for whatever reason, is not uncommon; it is routine and typical, and a part of our great democracy. In the District, as in other jurisdictions, the citizens’ initiative was used for many issues: gun control, death penalty, and even for legalization of marijuana. Why must citizens of the District be held hostage and treated like unintelligent, unsophisticated second- class citizens when other jurisdictions enjoy the liberty to have a citizens’ initiative on the issue of defining marriage? As an elder statesman and District elected official for over 20 years, I cannot stand idly by and allow the City Council to usurp its own authority by denying the people the right to vote in a city already challenged by limited democracy. As an elected official, it is simply wrong – wrong for us officials to deny our citizens the right that every jurisdiction in this nation enjoys. If it had not been for the 1973 Home Rule Charter, we as residents of the District of Columbia would be unable to elect our own Mayor, our own City Council, our own Delegate to Congress, our own Shadow Senators, our own ANCs, or our own School Board Representatives. Section 738 of the Home Rule Charter created 37 Advisory Neighborhood Commissions (ANCs), 286 sub-areas or Single Member Districts (SMDs) that represent at least 2,000 residents each. ANCs are the body of District government with the closest official ties to the people. The ANCs consider a wide range of policies and programs affecting their neighborhoods and present their advisory views to District government agencies as well as to the Council. Examples include the Districts’ annual budget, zoning, economic development, recreation and traffic, to name a few. No public policy area is excluded from the purview of the ANCs. I repeat, no public policy area is excluded from the purview of the ANCs. There is a growing movement in the District calling for a citizens’ initiative on the ballot in 2010 on the definition of marriage. ANC Commissioners, civic leaders, School Board Representatives, former elected officials, clergy, members of the business community, senior groups and individual citizens have joined with me in support of the People’s Resolution demanding that their voices be heard in the form of an initiative on the issue of the definition of marriage in D.C. In a democracy, a voter ballot is the most valued voice citizens have to express themselves and to participate in our society. It is the right to vote that matters more than what the outcome of the vote may be. Elected Official, we call upon you to do the right thing and stand with and for the people that you represent and embrace the democratic process and unite us all by supporting efforts to hear the will of the people through a ballot measure and not a public hearing. Hold off on any legislation until the people have spoken, for or against and then let the issue rest. May God bless this city and may God bless the United States. Sincerely, |
Send mail with questions or comments to webmaster@dcwatch.com
Web site copyright ©DCWatch (ISSN 1546-4296)
