Misguided Worship of 2nd Amendment Puzzling, If Not Appalling
• February 7, 2013

“A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.”

That’s the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution that everybody talks about every time shots are fired in schools, in the workplace, at a movie theater or down the street down on the corner.

National Rifle Association CEO Wayne LaPierre — in the aftermath of the shootings at Newtown, Conn., were 20 grade school children were killed along with several teachers — proposed arming teachers and said, “The answer to a bad man with a gun is a good man with a gun.” At Senate Judiciary Committee hearings on gun violence Jan. 30, he objected even to the idea of enhanced background checks, saying that “Universal background checks, which sounds, whatever, ends up being a universal federal nightmare imposed upon law abiding people all over the country.”

LaPierre’s answer appears to be to arm more people, to have zero restrictions on automatic weapons, to just leave gun owners alone lest the Second Amendment be somehow destroyed.

At the same hearing, former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., who was critically wounded by a gunman in 2011 pleaded eloquently, testified. Her speech slowed to a powerful pace whereby every word acquired the quality of thunder.

“This is an important conversation for our children, for our communities,” Giffords said. “For Democrats and Republicans. Speaking is difficult, but I need to say something important. Violence is a big problem. We … must … do … something. It will be hard. But the time is now. You must act. Be bold. Be courageous. Americans are counting on you. Too many children are dying. Too many children.”

Giffords’s husband, a retired astronaut and U.S. Navy captain, declared his support for a background check, noting that both he and his wife were gun owners.

Giffords’s presence in the chamber was a powerful moment, but it was also impossible not to note the mostly friendly reception from many senators for LaPierre, a familiar figure on Capitol Hill as chief lobbyist for the NRA, for which he is paid an annual base salary of more $800,000 plus other compensation.

The Second Amendment has come up often in hearings held across Connecticut, where some of the parents of slain children, education officials, gun owners and police leaders spoke. One parent talked about his child and called for gun control while some members in the audience shouted “Second Amendment, Second Amendment.”

It should be pointed out that none of the proposals heard so far from legislators and the administration—from universal background checks, to banning military style automatic weapons—actually punish gun owners including those who rushed out to buy thousands of weapons after the Dec. 14 shooting. Rather, they’re intended to make it more difficult to purchase certain weapons, a development which would hurt gun manufacturers and gun shows—i.e., makers and sellers, not owners. Anybody who needs a gun—especially an automatic weapon—desperately, badly, immediately, urgently should get an automatic—there’s that word again—spot check.

I looked it up. There is the famous Second Amendment. It seems puzzling that we should get from there in the aftermath of the American Revolution to here. That lead-in statement about a well regulated militia suggests to me that citizens ought to have the right to bear arms in order to maintain a militia to protect us from . . .

I’m not on the Supreme Court. Nevertheless, Thomas Jefferson, the smartest man in the Western World outside Voltaire, Diderot and Benjamin Franklin, surely had the answer and just didn’t tell us.

It is, as the King of Siam said, a puzzlement. No. It’s much more than that. It is a shame and a tragedy that we talk about the death of not just children, but people in the line of fire, innocents, really, as some kind of collateral damage sacrificed at the altar of the Second Amendment. The founding fathers, the fathers and parents among them, at least, might have found that idea appalling.

‘Sugar & Champagne’ Goes to the Dogs on Jan. 31
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The Washington Humane Society will host its 12th Annual Sugar & Champagne Affair Thursday, Jan. 31, at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, recognizing community activists against animal cruelty and raising funds for the District’s homeless pets.

Washington Humane Society’s humane law enforcement officers, humane educators and animal care and control officers are among the evening’s honorees. The popular, canine-friendly Sugar & Champagne Affair welcomes guests to bring their dogs to the event. Not many other galas in the city allow that.

New components have also been added to this WHS tradition. “The Golden Ticket” invites guests to enter a drawing, the winner of which will receive a tasting at RdV Vineyards for ten people and dinner at Market Salamander.

Guests may also participate in the “Cake Walk Challenge,” another new addition to the evening’s activities, in which cakes – created by five notable chefs – will be auctioned to the highest bidders.

The main event, which begins at 7 p.m., will feature Washington, D.C.-area pastry chefs, as well as champagnes and wines, to celebrate supporters of WHS efforts to fight animal maltreatment. Chef Todd Gray and Ellen Kassoff Gray of Equinox Restaurant and Muse at the Corcoran Gallery of Art are the reception’s hosts.

The VIP Chefs’ Tasting Room, “an exclusive savory gathering prepared by the finest chefs of the national capital region,” begins at 6 p.m. before the main event, according to the WHS website.

Tickets for both the VIP event and general reception may be purchased at sugarandchampagne.org.

According to WHS, reception proceeds “directly benefit the animals and programs of the Washington Humane Society.”

WHS has served the Washington, D.C., region since 1870, working to ensure the well being and protection of animals through various services, such as adoption, sheltering, rehabilitation programs and humane law enforcement, among others.
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Newtown Residents Join March on Washington for Gun Control (photos)
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Wearing the green and white colors of Sandy Hook Elementary School where 26 children and adults were killed, 100 residents from Newtown, Conn., joined thousands of other gun-control activists on Jan. 26 in Washington, D.C., in a march along Constitution Avenue to a rally with speeches, musical performances and a poetry reading near the Washington Monument. The rally was organized by Molly Smith, the artistic director of Arena Stage, along with her partner, American Indian activist Suzanne Blue Star Boy. Co-sponsors included One Million Moms for Gun Control, Washington National Cathedral, Foundry United Methodist Church in the District and Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago.

Speakers at the rally included Education Secretary Arne Duncan, actress Kathleen Turner, Rep. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, D-D.C., Mayor of Washington Vincent Gray, activist and Virginia Tech shooting survivor Colin Goddard, Connecticut Against Gun Violence president Marty Isaac and One Million Moms for Gun Control founder Shannon Watts.

View our photos of the event by clicking on the photo icons below.

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March for Life Draws Hundreds of Thousands to D.C. on Roe v Wade’s 40th Anniversary (photos)
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Anti-abortion activists marched during bitterly cold temperatures for the annual March for Life rally in Washington, D.C., Jan. 25. The march coincided with the Supreme Court’s landmark Roe v. Wade decision, which legalized access to abortion. Jan. 22 marked the 40th anniversary of the Supreme Court’s decision.

View our photos of the March for Life 2013 by clicking on the photo icons below. [gallery ids="101134,140363,140370,140377,140384,140390,140397,140404,140412,140418,140426,140432,140439,140446,140452,140460,140356,140350,140342,140490,140266,140484,140274,140479,140281,140474,140288,140294,140302,140308,140316,140322,140329,140336,140466" nav="thumbs"]

Hoyas Defeat St. Johns for Coach Thompson’s 200th Georgetown Win (photos)
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Head coach John Thompson III celebrated his 200th Georgetown win at the Verizon Center Feb. 4 as the Georgetown University Men’s Basketball Hoyas (16-4) defeated the St. John’s University Red Storm (14-8) by the score 68-56 in a key Big East match. It was the Hoyas’ fourth straight win. The Red Storm had won five in a row, coming into the game. The Hoyas were led by junior forward Nate Lubick who scored a career-high 16 points on eight for ten shooting, along with ten rebounds to achieve his first double-double.

View our photos of the game by clicking on the photo icons below. [gallery ids="101147,140791,140798,140805,140812,140819,140825,140832,140839,140785,140778,140772,140868,140742,140862,140857,140750,140853,140757,140764,140846" nav="thumbs"]

Chancellor’s Plan to Close 15 Public Schools Faces Opposition
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Following last week’s announcement that 15 Washington, D.C., public schools have been scheduled to close, Chancellor of D.C. Public Schools Kaya Henderson testified before the District Council’s education committee Jan. 23 to discuss the rationale behind the plan that has sparked opposition from community members and local organizations.

“For the first time in a long time, people have hope about the District of Columbia public schools,” Henderson told the council.

D.C. Public Schools finalized the changes that will take effect at the end of this academic year, including the consolidation of 13 of the identified schools – the other two of which are slated to close the following year – and “several expanded quality program offerings.”

The initial proposal to close 20 schools was altered after DCPS received enormous feedback and eliminated five schools from the list. The revised and current plan will affect more than 2,400 students and 540 employees, as first reported by the Washington Post.

Some people are opposed to Henderson’s plan — but not simply because it will force students to relocate to different schools.

Empower D.C., a local grassroots organization, believes Henderson’s plan is discriminatory, “blocking the school doors for hundreds of black and brown students,” according to attorney Johnny Barnes.

Barnes is working with Empower D.C. to combat the school closings plan. Its litigation strategy was announced at a press conference Jan. 23 in front of the Wilson Building on Pennsylvania Avenue, during the chancellor’s meeting with the council.

“We intend to vigorously and zealously pursue those legal avenues available to the parents and children affected so that all young people in Washington, D.C., have the same access to quality education,” Barnes said in a Jan. 18 statement.

Another feared consequence of Henderson’s plan is that DCPS will struggle to compete with the public charter schools that already serve more than 40 percent of public school students in the District, according to the Washington Post. Many worry closing 15 schools could exacerbate the problem, driving students to these charter schools rather than other conventional public schools.

However, DCPS says it believes the plan will ultimately prove to be advantageous, as funds and resources from the under-enrolled schools can be reallocated and more efficiently utilized.

“We’ve spent the last two months combing over every single comment, data point and proposal,” Henderson said in a Jan. 17 statement. “Now, it’s time for us to look to the future, for us to plan for the best ways that we can support our students.”

Take Unwanted Furs to Coats for Cubs
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With the temperatures dropping and winter in full swing here in D.C., new winter coats are being purchased and old ones are being thrown out. Before you toss the fur that either you no longer want or is in bad shape, take it over to Buffalo Exchange to contribute to its Coats for Cubs drive.

The annual drive aims to collect furs and redistribute them to wildlife rehabilitation programs across the country. Rehab centers use the donated furs as bedding for wild animals, such as raccoons, foxes or even cubs, that have been orphaned or injured. Your unwanted furs can make a natural bedding more suitable than blankets for wild animals.

Buffalo Exchange, the family-owned and -operated fashion resale retailer, took over the program from the Humane Society of the United States in 2006, when financial cuts forced it to discontinue the program. Since then, Buffalo Exchange and the Humane Society have collected more than 7,500 furs.

Donations of real fur coats, accessories, trims and shearlings can be dropped off at Buffalo Exchange’s Georgetown location at 3279 M St., NW, or at its 14th Street location. The drive runs through April 22, which is Earth Day.

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Nats Fest Introduces President Taft, Brings Back the Love
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Hometown fans of the Washington Nationals got a chance to play some baseball, see and meet some players and the newest racing president, William Howard Taft, Jan. 28 at the Washington Convention Center during the team’s annual Nats Fest.

If you were a doubter, you could not help but feel the love of baseball by the fans and the players — and of each other. All this for the Washington Nationals, who won the National League Eastern Division and seemed a few games away from their first World Series last October.

This season, the team is getting ready for spring training and then for the home opener April 1 against Miami. At least 20 players met with media to talk about the new season. With their great showing last year, many know that they have raised the bar for the expected success of the team. Shortstop Ian Desmond said, “The [Eastern] division is stacked,” and added that he does not expect the team to win as many as it did last year. The Washington Nationals had the best record in baseball in 2012.

The introduction of President Taft as the fifth racing president was the news of the day. The Racing Presidents, a tradition since 2006, are 12-foot mascots who make their run every fourth inning at a Nationals home game. Taft is the first to become a regular with the original four presidents. The Teddy Roosevelt mascot had never won a race until September 2012. It remains to be seen how Taft will use his heft during the race.

It was not all baseball talk at Nats Fest. Bryce Harper talked about his 1969 Camaro — and, no, he was not driving it to spring training. Ross Detwiler, who lives in D.C., said he likes Clyde’s Restaurant. Second baseman Steve Lombardozzi said he enjoys shopping in Georgetown and found the new ice skating rink at Washington Harbour “impressive.”
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Weekend Round Up January 31, 2013
• February 4, 2013

“Authors on Deck” – Churchill and Sea Power by Christopher Bell

January 31st, 2013 at 12:00 PM | Free | Tel: 202-737-2300 | Event Website

As part of the United States Navy Memorial’s “Authors on Deck” book lecture series, author Christopher Bell will present his latest work, Churchill and Sea Power (Oxford University Press, 2012). Bell addresses a surprisingly neglected aspect of Winston Churchill’s career: his attitude to sea power.

Following his presentation, Bell will be available for a Q&A session and book signing.

Address

United States Navy Memorial, Naval Heritage Center; 701 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Parish Gallery Georgetown: “Through the Years” Group of Gallery Artists

February 1st, 2013 at 06:00 PM | parishgallery@bigplanet.com | Tel: 202 944 2310 | Event Website

This opening reception entitled “Through the Years” features a group o gallery artist that at one point had shown at The Parish Gallery. Over the past 21 years, The Parish Gallery have shown so many exciting and talented artist. This exhibition the gallery will be showing both mid-career and masters.

Address

Parish Gallery

1054 31st Street, NW

Choral Evensong

February 3rd, 2013 at 05:00 PM | Free | diana@christchurchgeorgetown.org | Tel: 202-333-6677

Christ Church, Georgetown, continues its Choral Evensong series on Sunday,February 3 at 5 p.m. with the music of Philip Radcliffe, Herbert W. Sumsion, and Edward C. Bairstow. Sung by the professional Choir of Christ Church, this series is free and open to the public as a gift to the community.

Address

Christ Church, Georgetown

31st and O Streets, N.W.

Turn Up the Heat! Annual Gala

February 4th, 2013 at 06:30 PM | Tickets start at $275 | ocna@ovariancancer.org | Tel: 202-331-1332 | Event Website

Join the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance for an evening of delicious food that helps raise awareness of ovarian cancer and support programs for women with the devastating disease. We are once again teaming up with dozens of celebrated women chefs from the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia. Our 8th Annual Gala highlights the best of these chefs’ talents and raises funds for ovarian cancer.

Address

Ritz Carlton, 1150 22nd St NW

14th Annual Washington DC International Wine & Food Festival

February 5th, 2013 at 04:00 PM | $75-$125 | sgregory@webportglobal.com | Tel: 202-312-1300 | Event Website

With our increasingly knowledgeable consumer base, the 2013 Festival will be extended over several days and will include seminars, tastings, food pairings, dinners, and a signature event each evening. Our goal is to provide guests with multiple, focused opportunities to sample high quality food and wine, meet and greet winemakers, chefs and tastemakers, and continue our tradition of sharing the art, culture and fun of food and wine.

Address

1300 Pennsylvania Ave., NW

Straight Talk With Liz Ann Sonders

February 6th, 2013 at 06:00 PM | Free | john.welch@edelman.com | Tel: 800-750-9539 | Event Website

Liz Ann Sonders, Schwab’s Chief Investment Strategist, takes a look at what she sees on the horizon for the markets and economy in 2013. She will share her perspective on changes coming out of Washington and the impact they may have on individual investors, especially for those nearing or in retirement. This video presentation will be followed by a branch-led discussion.

Address

7401 Wisconsin Ave, Suite #100; Bethesda, MD 20814

CAG: 4th Annual Georgetown Art Show

February 7th, 2013 at 06:00 PM | Tel: 202-368-5878 | Event Website

CAG (Citizens Association of Georgetown) invites all to celebrate and view the talent and creativity of Georgetown resident artists at CAG’s 4th Annual Georgetown Art Show. Free to the public, the show will launch with an opening reception on Thursday, February 7th from 6 to 9 p.m. and will be open from Friday, February 8th thru Sunday, February 10th from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the House of Sweden (2900 K Street, NW). CAG’s unique show will feature artwork by local Georgetown residents and artists who have studios in Georgetown. Media will include oil and watercolor paintings, prints, sculpture and photography. Most works will be for sale, with a few on loan from private collections. Click here for more about the show.

Address

House of Sweden

2900 K Street NW

‘House of Cards’: Familiar D.C. Backdrops, New Way to Pay and View
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Washington D.C. has long provided great location backdrops for films and TV series, whether it be “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,” “National Treasure” or “West Wing.”

The latest series located in D.C. to watch is the new Netflix original series, “House of Cards,” which premieres Friday, Feb. 1, exclusively on the online streaming service. It may be familiar ground but the way viewers see the series is innovative.

Netflix is releasing all 13 episodes of the first season at one time so that viewers can watch them at their own leisure. The success of the House of Cards could change the how people watch television.

The remake of the BBC miniseries follows House Majority Whip Francis Underwood, played by Academy Award-winning actor Kevin Spacey, on his quest for revenge against the newly inaugurated president after being passed over for Secretary of State. The cast also includes Robin Wright as Spacey’s wife, along with Kate Mara and Corey Stoll. Behind the scenes, David Fincher (“Girl With The Dragon Tattoo”) and Beau Willimon (“Ides of March”) portray the darker side of Washington.

Filmed in Maryland, “House of Cards” reportedly cost Netflix $100 million to produce, and the company has already guaranteed 26 episodes of the gripping political thriller. The aim is to draw subscribers in with exclusive, original content they can’t view anywhere else as opposed to paying for more expensive premium cable channels.

As with many TV shows or films set in D.C. there was the obligatory social scene premiere with stars, local politicos and media — this time at the Newseum Jan. 29.