Dear fellow Washingtonians who are planning to take their trash over to House Speaker John Boehner’s (R-Oh.) Capitol Hill home tomorrow morning:
Really?
Let me get this straight: the livelihood of many of us is in jeopardy, federal funding for important medical care (among many other things) is being held hostage by the outrageous demands of a small sector of partisans.
We are all angry. The democratic process is failing us, again. Now the meaning of our angry license plate slogan, “Taxation Without Representation,” is making sense to those who don’t live in our Washington, those who confuse the metonym with the real living, breathing city that we love.
And you’re thinking of lugging Hefty bags to Boehner’s house to “make yourself be heard?”
It may have been a funny joke at first. Sure, I laughed, and I went to the Facebook event page to see what was going on. I see that the group’s organizers are trying to keep things a little dignified by emphasizing that, “trash is not required.” I am sure that’s a small comfort to the hundreds of DC residents who live near Speaker Boehner and who may have to deal with not just a whole bunch of protesters rightfully exercising their right to assemble, but also with people who don’t seem to understand that bringing garbage to one person’s house is an equivalent action to being unreasonable on the Senate floor and letting our government shut down. Most Americans, in contrast, are reasonable individuals who are having to cater and kowtow to the few who want their piece of cake and to eat it, too.
Oh, and the garbage, of course. Just because you’re angry that your trash won’t be collected, it doesn’t mean that other residents need to see it and smell it, people! Monday’s high will be 84 freaking degrees!
Think of the neighbors! Think of poor Metro — it’s already been through enough!
We are all feeling non-essential and neglected here in DC, but there are other ways to show our displeasure. If you go to this rally, please don’t take trash. If you want to do more, support an organization that is helping DC attain the right to vote, like DC Vote so we don’t have to resort to silly gimmicks to highlight our plight. Contact our local congresswoman, Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), and read about her pay donation to such organizations if there is a federal shut-down, so we can be fully represented.
But folks please, please, PLEASE! Keep your trash to yourself.
If you feel you must get trashy, however, here is an article that features the Top Ten Government Shutdown Pick-Up lines. Fun
Enjoy.
