Independence Day

By: Miriam Edelman

Independence Day (July 4^th) commemorates the day in 1776 when delegates from the original 13 colonies adopted the Declaration of Independence. It is considered to be America’s birthday.

A key reason why the U.S. wanted independence from Great Britain is taxation without representation. Presumably in an effort to recoup money lost from the Seven Years’ War of 1754, the British Parliament began taxing American colonists in the 1760s. Colonists, who were not represented in this legislature, used “Taxation without representation is tyranny” as a rallying cry against this unjust and unfair treatment.

Yet, D.C. residents continue to experience taxation without representation. According to D.C. government:

“The District of Columbia is the only political and geographical entity within the United States of America whose citizens bear the responsibilities of citizenship, including taxation and Selective Service registration, without sharing in the full rights and privileges of citizenship.”

“Washington’s residents pay more taxes than residents in 19 states and pay more per capita to the federal government than any state—yet they have no votes in Congress.”

“DC is subject to the whims of the federal government where Congress interferes with our local laws, local funding and operations.”

“DC has all the same responsibilities, but not the same rights, as our fellow Americans—we are treated as second-class citizens”

“Like our counterparts in all 50 states, D.C. residents pay federal taxes, serve in the military and on juries, start businesses and families, and contribute to our national economy.”

“Yet, we are still unable to control our own budget or our own laws, and we still have no votes in Congress.”

D.C. residents have no voting representation in the Congress. Instead, they have just one non-voting delegate in the House of Representatives and no representation in the Senate.

“Taxation without Representation” is used to support ending the disenfranchisement of D.C. residents. In 2000, D.C. license plates began to include “Taxation Without Representation.” “End Taxation Without Representation” also appears on D.C. license plates. The D.C. flag temporarily included “No Taxation Without Representation.” As DCNOW’s blog’s post, entitled “Songs Relating to D.C. Autonomy,” stated, Sweet Honey in the Rock began its song, entitled “Give the People the Right to Vote!,” with:

“No taxation

Without representation!

Two hundred years of exploitation

In the capital of this nation!”

D.C. statehood supporters have marched in the Palisades 4^th of July Parade. In 2017, Anise Jenkins wrote:

“Frederick Douglass' famous speech was originally entitled "What to the Slave Is the 4th of July?"

Because DC residents still do not enjoy the freedom and independence that other Americans have, our message for the Palisades Parade on July 4th will be "What to the DC resident is the 4 of July?"  Without DC Statehood,  We are the Politically Enslaved"!  Our theme this year is "The 4th of U Lie!"”

In 2024, the League of Women Voters of the District of Columbia described the July 4 Palisades Parade:

“A wonderful July 4th tradition in DC is the parade through Palisades neighborhood -- and LWVDC marching along with people and pets that come from all over to enjoy the festivities. LWVDC members and friends are invited to march with us. We'll carry VOTE411 and Statehood signs and give candy and Future Voter stickers to the many youngsters and VOTE411 and Statehood info to older folks who line the route.”

On July 4, 2024, on Instagram, students_for_dc posted “Representing DC Statehood and celebrating America’s Birthday with our DC Family in today’s 4th of July Parade in @palisadesdc 🇺🇸❤️ #4thofjuly #dcstatehood #sfdc #dc.”

Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC)’s office published multiple press releases connecting the Fourth of July and D.C. statehood. The latest was the following release, entitled “Norton Says 248 Years After the Nation’s Independence, D.C. Statehood is Long Overdue,” from July 4, 2024:

“WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) said that, as the nation today celebrates 248 years since declaring independence from Great Britain in part because of taxation without representation, Congress must take the nation's founding slogan to heart and pass the D.C. statehood bill.”

"The continuation of taxation without representation in the nation's capital not only violates a main pillar of the revolution that sent our Founders to war," Norton said. "Allowing the nearly 700,000 Americans who live in the nation's capital to continue to live as second-class citizens betrays the spirit of July 4th itself. On no U.S. holiday is D.C.'s inequality more deeply felt or more at war with the nation's democratic values than on July 4th. District residents not only pay all federal taxes without voting representation in Congress, they pay more federal taxes per capita than the citizens of any state in the nation. July 4th summons our moral outrage to continue our fight for statehood and full equality for D.C. residents."

Let’s truly honor the United States as a nation by finally ending taxation without representation. Washington, D.C., must become a state, where its residents would be full U.S. citizens. As D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser wrote in her “Letter from the Mayor” on July 3, 2019:

“Tomorrow, as our nation celebrates 243 years of independence, here in DC, we will celebrate knowing that "taxation without representation" continues in our nation's capital. We will celebrate knowing that even though we meet every obligation of citizenship, we still have no voting representation in Congress – no say in how our federal tax dollars are spent and no voice on important issues that affect our day-to-day lives.”

“And we will celebrate with the understanding that the only way to fix this injustice is to make Washington, DC the 51st state.”