Ten days ago, my wife and I attended a screening of “Iron Jawed Angels” in celebration of Women’s Equality Day. Filmed in Virginia in 2004, it tells the story of Alice Paul and her efforts to gain universal suffrage for American women in the early decades of the 20th century. … [Read more...]
Legislative Impasse on Redistricting
In 2011, the Republican-controlled General Assembly passed a redistricting plan designed to disadvantage Democrats by concentrating substantial numbers of African-American voters into fewer districts, thereby diluting their strength in other surrounding districts. After years of … [Read more...]
Reflections on Immigration, Race, and the Week of the 4th of July.
Almost every year since I arrived in Charlottesville in 1981, my wife Nancy and I have attended the annual July 4th naturalization ceremony at Thomas Jefferson's Monticello. Last week, another 67 people born in countries as diverse as Iraq and Ghana took the oath of U.S. … [Read more...]
Six Highlights from the 2018 Session
My constituents continue to ask me if the House of Delegates is different in light of the dramatic change in composition brought on by the Blue Wave Democratic victories last fall. The answer is both a resounding “yes” and a more complicated “no.” Six highlights from this session … [Read more...]
The Fight of Our Lives—Time to Bend the Arc
We are, simply put, in the fight of our lives. The values that we consider important— social equality and economic justice, diversity and inclusion, tolerance and civility— and the opportunities that everyone should have— the chance for our family members, children, and … [Read more...]
