While President Trump was in Maine last week highlighting our state’s contribution to the battle against COVID-19, our federal government ordered troops to wage a different war in our nation’s capital. Prior to his visit here, I, like many friends and neighbors, watched in shock as an American president ordered the use of tear gas to clear peaceful protesters so he could have a photo-op in front of a church.
He could do this because Washington, DC residents lack the basic representation that Americans living in the 50 states have. Because they lack statehood, families in DC do not have Senators or voting Representatives in Congress, nor a governor to block the use of pepper-spray on peaceful protestors.