The Price of Parking

I do not live or go to church in DC, but I have visited enough churches in various cities to know that parking is a serious matter on Sunday morning. It has gotten so serious in DC that 1) the mayor wanted to fine church attendees for double parking and 2) churchgoers and church leaders staged a protest.

At first I thought, if we can stage a protest about parking, then maybe we could go on to protest other, more pressing issues.

Then I started listening more to what people were saying, and saw that the streets of DC on Sunday morning are yet another place where race, class, and religion intersect. Churchgoers feel they are being pushed out in favor of the newly-gentrified DC. When the 'hood was rundown, no one cared who parked where, but now that it is
up-and- coming, recent transplants resent the traditional Sunday morning parking arrangements. The city saw an opportunity to appease newcomers, who presumably have money, and make some ca$h at the same time.

Mayor Postpones Church Parking Crackdown:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/23/AR2006042300948.html