Dear Friends,
The recent Bad Bunny Super Bowl halftime show, and its suggestion that Puerto Ricans should enjoy a seat at the American table, has helped a great number of Americans (including myself) discover the music of Bad Bunny and begin to research the history, the strengths, and the valid complaints of the people of Puerto Rico.
Residents of Puerto Rico, like those who live in the American territories of Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands lack voting representation in Congress. They also generally do not pay federal income tax on locally earned income. That question of representation, whether it be who matters, who votes, and who is heard, has shaped American political life since our founding.
People who live in in Washington, D.C., where I grew up, also have no voting representatives in the U.S. Congress, but unlike residents of those other parts of America, Washingtonians pay federal income taxes. Many D.C. license plates remind locals that they live under the sort of rule that led colonialists to rebel: “TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION.”
The Reverend Jesse Jackson knew this well, for he sought to speak for and amplify the voices of those who were not otherwise heard or heeded. In his rousing “Rainbow Coalition” speech at the 1984 Democratic Convention, Jackson said that “My constituency is the desperate, the damned, the disinherited, the disrespected, and the despised. They are restless and seek relief.”
Jackson’s words resonated deeply with me. As a young D.C. resident, I welcomed his concerns and was stirred by his oratorical zeal. I was not alone. After delivering his “Rainbow Coalition” speech in 1984, Jackson entered the presidential race, propelled in part by crowds in Washington and elsewhere who responded to his speeches with chants of “RUN, JESSE, RUN!” His message landed with growing and diverse audiences. By the time he ran again in 1988, his margin in the D.C. Democratic primary exceeded Ronald Reagan’s 1984 margin in Wyoming, an extraordinary measure of how fully the voters of the District embraced him.
Jesse Jackson didn’t win, but neither did he forget the constituency that he represented back in 1984. In 1990, he ran for and won the office of the (unpaid, non-voting) Shadow Senator from Washington, D.C. During his time in office, he advocated strongly for the people of my former hometown, arguing that those Americans should be represented equitably in Congress. The District has about as many citizens as Alaska, and more than the populations of Wyoming and Vermont, both of which have had Senators representing them since the 19th century. But still, they continue to be taxed without being represented.
As someone who named his first son Jackson (my son Jukie’s given name), I can say that I have always admired Jesse Jackson. A towering figure in civil rights and progressive politics, he represented coalitions that look much like the people who I call my friends, both when I lived in Washington, D.C. in the 1980s, and where I live now in Davis, California, in the 2020s.
From the islands of the Caribbean to the streets of Southeast D.C., the fight for a vote and a voice continues. In naming my son, I chose to remember the man who told us with his typical rhyming cadence that “red, yellow, black, and white, / we are all precious in God’s sight.” May the memory of Jesse Jackson, Sr. be a blessing, and may we all keep hope alive during dark times.
According to the weather report, we are done with rain for a while, and the temperatures will warm in the coming weeks, so I hope you can join me outside for the pub quiz this evening. Come early to reserve a table. The regulars and irregulars will meet for the social event of the week featuring 31 questions on a variety of topics you should know something about, this week with questions on music performed in your lifetime. Today’s pub quiz comes in at a svelte 939 words, with 9/39 corresponding to the birth month of Lily Tomlin, whose telephone operator Ernestine I can’t help but think of when I hear an actual telephone ring.
In addition to topics raised above (hint) and below, expect questions tonight on the following: vampires, dancers, hidden storks, huts, otters, elements, ringtones, declarations of independence, French people in conversation, heroes, 10th grade symbols, Latter Day Saints, baskets, happiness, horses, space ships, evolving bands, kill counts, universities, electrodes, fish, Mays, families, eyes, laziness, snow, substitutes, heaths, unlikely breakfasts, metaphorical bread, families, people named Anita, infamous cities, composure, freedoms, colors, dance crazes, pop charts, U.S. states, geography, current events, and Shakespeare.
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Thanks to all the new players joining us at the live quizzes and to all the patrons who have been enjoying fresh Pub Quiz content. Certain friends have upgraded their memberships recently, which I really appreciate.
We are almost to 100 Patreon members now, including people who have upgraded their paid memberships! You know who you are, and I salute you! I also incidentally salute Christine, Bobby, Esther, James, Damian, Jim, and Meebles! Thanks also to new subscribers Prescott, Bill and Diane, Tamara, Megan, Michael, Janet, Jasmine, Joey, Carly, The X-Ennial Falcons, and The Nevergiveruppers! Every week I check the Patreon to see if there is someone new to thank. Maybe next week it will be you! I also thank The Original Vincibles, Summer Brains, Still Here for the Shakesbeer, The Outside Agitators, John Poirier’s team Quizimodo, Gena Harper, the conversationally entertaining dinner companions and bakers of marvelous and healthy treats, The Mavens. Hello to Bill and to Jude’s dad. Thanks in particular to my paid subscribers on Substack. Thanks to everyone who supports the Pub Quiz on Patreon. I would love to add your name or that of your team to the list of pub quiz boosters. Also, I sometimes remember to add an extra hint on Patreon. I appreciate your backing this pub quiz project of mine!
I also want to recognize those who visit my Substack the most often, including Michael (thanks Michael!), Luna, Jean, Ron, Myrna, Maria, to whom I send sustained compassion.
Best,
Dr. Andy
Three questions from last week:
- Countries of the World. In 2025, just over one in five residents of what NATO country with a population of almost 70 million named immigration as their number one concern, statistically tied with mentions of the economy. Name the kingdom.
- American Cities. What is the only American city to have reached a population of one million people and then drop below one million?
- Science. Starting with the letter E, what is the term for animals that maintain a constant internal body temperature?