April 7, 2005: NORTON WANTS SIGN PROMOTING D.C. VOTING RIGHTS UP ON BASEBALL OPENING DAY

Washington, DC—The Office of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today released a letter to Mark H. Touhey, III, DC Sports & Entertainment Commission Chair, asking that a large permanent sign promoting D.C. voting rights be up by the historic opening day of the Washington Nationals on April 14^th at RFK Stadium. She said, “If beer can be promoted in our ball park, surely we can get our act together to promote our own human rights.”

Norton’s letter followed a conversation she had with Touhey during the exhibition game last Sunday. She said that the independent D.C. Sports & Entertainment Commission could erect such a sign because the “disgraceful and uniquely unconscionable rider that keeps the city from spending its own funds to lobby for its own rights” does not apply to the Commission. In the letter Norton said, “Whatever it takes, we should not open a new era in baseball in D.C., when the world’s focus will be on this city as on no other day, without also opening a new chapter in our long search for our full rights as American citizens.”

The full text of Norton’s letter follows

April 7, 2005

Mark H. Touhey, III
Board of Directors Chair
DC Sports & Entertainment Commission

Dear Mark,

I appreciated our conversation at the Washington Nationals’ exhibition game, where I indicated that I know that D.C. residents would really appreciate a sign that promotes D.C. voting rights up, large and visible, on opening day April 14^th. As I said then, if beer can be promoted in our ball park, surely we can get our act together to promote our own human rights. Considering the disabilities that thwart our efforts, I believe that a large, permanent, and appropriate sign in place on opening day would be particularly important for the residents of this city and of our country to see. A major frustration of residents is the difficulty that a single jurisdiction has in telling the world about the invidious discrimination that applies only locally but results in a denial of basic human rights.

The District’s situation is compounded by the disgraceful and uniquely unconscionable rider that keeps the city from spending its own funds to lobby for its own rights. The independent D.C. Sports & Entertainment Commission, of course, is not bound by this outrageous stricture.

With only one week before opening day, I thought that I should put in writing the request I made to you on the field last Sunday. The D.C. Sports & Entertainment Commission itself, or through other private resources, should assure that on the day that baseball returns to this city, there is a large and permanent sign that promotes equal voting rights in the Congress for the people of the District of Columbia.

I know well of your personal commitment to voting rights and of the commitment of our elected officials. Opening day for baseball is a once in a lifetime opportunity to act on this commitment. Whatever it takes, we should not open a new era in baseball in D.C., when the world’s focus will be on this city as on no other day, without also opening a new chapter in our long search for our full rights as American citizens. Of course, I stand ready to be helpful in any way.

Best personal regards.

Sincerely,

Eleanor Holmes Norton