September 22, 2004
His Excellency Przemyslaw Grudzinski
The Embassy of Poland
2640 - 16th Street NW
Washington, DC 20009
Via Fax: (202) 588-0565
Dear Ambassador Grudzinski:
Team DC Democracy -- a coalition comprised of several organizations, including the Stand Up! for Democracy in DC Coalition, that advocate for equal democratic rights for the American citizens of the District of Columbia -- convened a meeting earlier this week to present updates on democracy related events and evolutions pertaining to achieving our congressional voting rights and full democracy in DC.
In the year 2004, it is difficult to understand why American citizens that reside in Washington, DC -- the capital of our nation -- are still denied equal representation in the U.S. Congress. Presently, our nonvoting U.S. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton is DC’s only congressional representative, besides U.S. “shadow” Senators Florence H. Pendleton and Paul Strauss and U.S. “shadow” Representative Ray Browne. At this time, the House leadership only permits Delegate Norton to vote in committee. Since DC residents are not able to elect representatives with equal congressional powers, we are unable to fully participate in our democracy on a federal level. Thus, we must depend upon 535 elected officials from the fifty states to make decisions on our behalf.
The U.S. Constitution protects only the democratic rights of residents of the states or commonwealths. Residents of the U.S. territories (American Samoa, Guam, Northern Marianas, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands) are neither taxed federally nor represented equally in the U.S. Congress. Residents of the District of Columbia -- the last colony -- are treated in a “unique” manner. We are federally taxed AND denied equal representation in our government. We only wish to eliminate one of the last vestiges of injustice written in the Constitution: Article. I., Section. 8., Clause. 17.
Recognizing that we are not equally protected under the Constitution, we continue to demand that we be treated as political equals with every other American citizen. The Organization of American States' (OAS) Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (ICHR), Case No. 11.204, Statehood Solidarity Committee v. the United States, issued an astounding legal decision on December 29, 2003. The ICHR found that the government of the United States of America was in “violation of internationally recognized human rights standards by denying the residents of the District of Columbia representation in their own national legislature through duly elected representatives on general terms of equality.”
Indeed, it is hypocritical and shameful when members of the legislative branch of the U.S. government complain about human rights violations in other countries while it actively participates in violating the human rights of its own citizens.
Mr. Timothy Cooper, executive director of Democracy First and Worldrights, is in consultation with the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). Mr. Cooper informed us of his plans to attend the next ODIHR Human Dimension Implementation Meeting in Warszawa on October 4th to further discuss DC's lack of congressional voting representation in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. He notes that under the 1990 Copenhagen Document, the right to equally participate in one's own national legislature is a right guaranteed under OSCE democratic election standards and is binding on all OSCE member states, including the United States. Importantly, these standards are identical to those the U.S. government was found in violation of under international law by the OAS's Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.
Mr. Cooper proposed that we meet with you, Mr. Ambassador, and your staff to discuss our political plight and invite you to speak at a press conference at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, September 30, 2004, at the Polish Embassy to garner more international media attention for this important issue.
As Polish-Americans, we were proud to hear Mr. Cooper recognize Poland as a nation that has a significant and well-admired history of political struggle. For that reason, we want to honor this history by remembering Poland’s courageous achievements over the centuries with a small recognition by our organization.
A small group, numbering 15-20 persons, will gather at the Polish Embassy at 12:00 p.m. to honor Poland’s history of struggle and persistence. It is our great hope that you would be present at the embassy at that time and that we might have a very few minutes of your time to speak of our appreciation.
Would you kindly let us know by Tuesday, September 28, if you might be available for such a meeting and a presentation. Dziekuje bardzo.
Respectfully,
Gerri Michalska
1825 New Hampshire Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20009
(202) 332-7589
gerrimichalska@hotmail.com