It’s probably synchronicity that we acknowledge FBA’s June 30 celebration of Dorothy Miller days before July 4 and the FBA’s 50th anniversary. Dorothy’s motivation has always been about community service, and always putting herself ‘out there’ to call politicians and bureaucrats to task–to enforce the rules to preserve our system of voting and civil rights here in FB and the District.
If you had a question on just about anything having to do with District politics, tenant protections, or institutional encroachment and eventual assimilation of the historic FB community by these institutions, Dorothy Miller would be the first to call to direct you to answers.
To follow the rules you have to know the rules– Dorothy’s overarching lifetime mantra. Election day you could count on finding Dorothy – no matter how cold or wet, early or late you chose to vote – she was stationed on a canvas folding stool outside St. Mary’s Court, DC voting Precinct 3, poised to chide any car attempting to park in the voting-day-designated “handicap” parking spot without the required license plate or shooing away the candidate supporters who were electioneering too close to the poll entrance.
Her strident concern often attracted roaming voting proctors who, predictably unschooled in “the rules,” thought “she” was fomenting trouble and often threatened her with calling the police. Dorothy held her ground and often did her own calling-in of the authorities and was invariably supported in her concerns.
There is a huge lesson in Dorothy’s zealous activism: the less regard government has for its rules, the less requirement for transparency and the “free” society we take for granted fades away in front of our eyes. While distracted or assuaged by all the “pretty messages,” and mumbo-jumbo about public-private partnerships (which always include handing off our public assets for a pittance), FB and the District is losing our rich and lengthy history as well as our future.
Dorothy Miller has stood vigilant watch over “our” democratic system to protect liberties in our corner of the Republic. Those of us too busy or too uncomfortable to risk popularity and to stand up for rules and protocol for fear of retribution, or those lulled by the hollow promises and shocked by the reality of actions will awaken one day, perhaps soon, without a voice.
Dorothy has never held back her views and among her memorable quotes was one from a 2007 FBN interview upon her ANC retirement, “D.C. stands for destruction and corruption. It’s unbelievable and unacceptable.” How fitting that Dorothy’s goodbye tribute this past Saturday precedes the July 4th holiday.
Thanks for your immeasurable service and example Dorothy!
