The endless struggle for representation in the District

Green Party attempts to hit the streets in Washington DC

The Party Animals project is in trouble.

(The Washington Post) The D.C. Statehood Green Party is asking for a temporary restraining order for the arts project, which plans to place 200 plastic donkeys and elephants across the city as part of an effort to promote tourism.

"If they're going to insist on using political symbols," says Green Party member Michael Piacsek, "by any definition, we're a major party, and we should be included in the project."

Piacsek, a member of the party's steering committee, is co-plaintiff in a lawsuit against the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities to try to force it to include the Green symbol -- a sunflower. In January the commission turned down the party's request that 100 sunflowers become a part of the arts project.

Well, you know, if getting on the streets keeps 'em off the streets, more power to them. I'm all for statehood. Go for it, says I.

My absolutely favorite detail of this story, however, is this:

In the last presidential election, the party -- with Ralph Nader heading its ticket -- won 6 percent of the District vote. The GOP won 9 percent.

Extra credit quiz: for ten points, which party in congress is steadfastly standing in the way of voting rights for the residents of DC?

Brief encounter

'mtired. You tired?

mmhm

Long day.

yeh

Some days are just like that. Long days. Just one of those days.

right, sr

Been one of those days for me.

m

You look like you had one of those days.

srda

You look tired. Like you had a long, long day.

You know...

yeah? What, I'm interested, go ahead, I'm made of time.

Did you ever have one of those days?

Oh, yeah, sure, damn, I was just saying

Did you ever have one of those days when you sit there and you say to yourself, damn, this is definitely one of those days?

Hell, I say it to other people, remember? Lemme tell you

Do you ever just feel like you're at the end of your very last nerve and you don't know if you're gonna be able to hold it in and handle it the way you think you ought to? And you feel like if anyone looked at you you would look just like that scream painting on the bridge, not that they would, look at you, that is, but that's what the inside of your face feels like.

Um, yeah. Sometimes. lemme tell you about

And then something happens and you start to think it's all funny because it all just sucks way too much for you to take it seriously? And you look out around you, and you say to yourself this is a joke. You're a joke, everyone else is a joke, it's all a joke.

I don't know, hey, I think I need to

and you say hey, I wonder what that pudding faced man over there or the woman staring at nothing would do if I did something really outrageous? I mean, if I were to all of a sudden start howling, would they pretend not to notice?

um er

Sometimes I think if I snapped and grabbed someone and started tossing them around like a rag doll, just worked out the day on them, everyone would just sit there and not notice.

ung

I bet these people would walk straight through a puddle of blood and spoil their fancy clean shoes just so they could pretend they didn't see it, take the risk of seeing something and paying attention to what was

scume

Goodness, are you all right? Well, that was certainly rude. Did he hurt you? No, I'm sure it wasn't personal. He seemed like a very nervous person. No, not at all friendly. Yes'm, I think it's a shame too. Would you like to sit down? No, please, I'm getting off soon. It's a lovely evening. I'm looking forward to the walk home.