Mike Panetta’s Testimony on Renaming Portion of Pennsylvania Ave to Promote DC Statehood
I testified before Councilmember Michael A. Brown’s committee today on a proposal to re-name part of Pennsylvania Avenue and the District’s gateway signage to promote DC Statehood. My remarks before the committee are listed below. If you have any suggestions on names for the street, please submit them in the comments and I’ll make sure they are added to the official record.
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TESTIMONY OF U.S. REPRESENTATIVE MIKE PANETTA
RENAMING PORTION OF PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE TO
PROMOTE FULL DEMOCRATIC RIGHTS THROUGH DC STATEHOOD
JANUARY 13, 2011
Thank for the opportunity to testify today on this important issue. I applaud Councilmembers Michael Brown and Harry Thomas, as well as Chairman Kwame Brown for their leadership within the Council on statehood-related issues, and I know I speak for the entire elected Statehood Delegation when I say that we are supportive of any and all attempts to raise volume on the national dialogue regarding the District’s lack of basic democratic representation in Congress and autonomy on local affairs.
Of course, I am supportive of the proposal to re-name a portion of Pennsylvania Avenue and to use the District’s gateway signs to inform and educate visitors about our unique status our beloved republic. It’s a great opportunity to promote our collective goal of statehood to thousands of people every year.
I do have some experience with this type of approach and I have long been a proponent of using the District’s buildings and infrastructure as messaging platforms. As you may recall in 2005, when the Washington Nationals were looking to secure naming rights for the RFK Stadium, I started a campaign to name the venue “Taxation Without Representation Field at RFK”. At the time we called our efforts a “grassroots campaign to name the grass.” Not only did the campaign secure thousands of dollars in pledges – only to be collected if the proposal was adopted – it amplified the message of DC’s lack of voting representation and reached entirely different audience than otherwise would not have been exposed to the issue.
Using a similar approach, in early 2006 I started a tongue-in-cheek “Olympic” committee for the District of Columbia and proceed to organize a curling team as the Winter Olympics were getting underway in Turin, Italy. I figured if other American territories with non-voting delegates in Congress could field Olympic team, then the District of Columbia should certainly have that right as well. This effort resulted in explosive media coverage on television and print publications around the world – it was even covered in TIME magazine. Granted it was seen as a good laugh, however every single story on the “Olympic” team featured the District’s lack of voting representation in Congress.
Additionally, the re-naming of District streets as a form of protest has been used in the past for other issues. For example during the Cold War, the block of 16th Street NW between L and M streets, in front of the then Soviet embassy was renamed “Andrei Sakharov Place” as a form of protest against his 1980 arrest and detention. I’m sure it pained the Kremlin to have to use that address.
The current plan to rename portions of Pennsylvania Avenue follow the same creative path of naming public spaces as a way to reach new audiences. However, given my experience in these matters, I feel a critical piece is missing. What is lacking from this proposal is the “hook” to make this worthy of sustained interest and not just a one-day local story. The question we have ask ourselves is whether or not this will move the needle on the making the District of Columbia the 51st state of the union. I think it will, but only if its done a certain way.
My suggestion is to brand the aforementioned blocks of Pennsylvania Avenue with a purely statehood-based message – perhaps labeling it as the “Avenue of Statehood”, akin to the Avenue of the Americas in New York or “51st State Way” as real-world visualization of our path towards statehood – leading us down the street towards the U.S. Capitol.
I also suggest, as part of this statehood centric plan to commission a plaque that commemorates the dates of admission of the current 50 states to the union – starting with Delaware and ending with Hawaii. The last line listed on this plaque, and one of the hooks, would be “New Columbia” with a date of admission yet to be determined. As an additional hook an American flag with 51 stars could be installed near the plaque along with signs with additional information about the campaign for DC statehood.
I urge the Council to reject any naming that does not promote statehood. Names that feature “voting rights” or “democracy” will not be clear in their intent – nor will they inspire any reaction or movement towards the ultimate goal. This is not the time to be timid, but to clearly articulate what we want.
I’d like to end my time by reminding the Council that while the adoption of this resolution is definitely a worthy cause – and has my support – it’s largely symbolic. If we are serious about achieving our goal of statehood, then we’ll need to be just a serious about finding the resources to get there. I’m well aware of the budget gaps we are facing a government, and the painful cuts to essential social services that are on the table. Yet, we need to find a way to make the necessary investment in the political future of the District. Only with a sustained investment and focused awareness campaign will be achieve our goal. I urge you to increase the funding dedicated to lobbying for statehood in next year’s District budget and to work with your own funding sources to raise additional resources for this fight.
Thank for the opportunity to present my thoughts on this issue.
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January 20th, 2011 at 1:10 pm
The statehood campaign must focus on a single message. The renaming of streets is just part of the campaign. “DC – Disenfranchised Colony” should become that message or theme. As well as “Disenfranchised Colony Avenue,” change the signs on the borders to “Welcome to Washington, DC – Disenfranchised Colony (We Shall Overcome as State # 51)” and replace the wording on the license plates to “Washington, DC – Disenfranchised Colony.” The “Taxation Without Representation” slogan isn’t getting the job done.
Also, in order to achieve statehood, DC must acquire a “be the change” attitude. To become a state, be a state. DC sends shadow senators and a shadow representative to Congress, but the mayor is not considered the governor?! We need to start calling him Governor Grey, and he should attend the National Governors Association meeting in DC in February 2011. If they refuse to seat him, ask other governors to walk out (like Jerry Brown of California). Each member of the DC Council should take on the title of state senator (similar to members of Nebraska’s Unicameral Legislature), and ANC Commissioners should meet collectively once each year as the State Assembly in order to affirm statehood resolutions, such as the one just enacted by the state senators on the DC Council and signed by the governor of DC. This would allow our legislators to participate in other legislative organizations, such as ALEC, NCSL, and the Council of State Governments. The CSG eastern section allows elected officials from Canadian provinces to participate – but not the governor, state senators, and state assemblymen and assemblywomen from DC?!
President Obama is quoted as saying “we are the change we have been waiting for.” It is time for DC to be the state it wants to become.