Talk:District of Columbia Voting Rights Amendment

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1979 fundraiser

I removed the following from the article:

Fundraising by city officials
On June 7, 1979, D.C. mayor Marion Barry, city council president Arrington Dixon, Representative Walter Fauntroy, and city councilman Jerry A. Moore appeared at a "rollicking gong show"^[1] in Ward 1 intended to raise funds to lobby for the amendment's ratification. Among performances from citizens, school groups, and others, Barry danced the rock, Dixon performed the twist, Fauntroy sang "a ballad about the deaths of Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr., John F. Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy",^[1] and Moore sang "Waterboy". Judges for the event included David A. Clarke, Charlene Drew Jarvis, and John L. Ray, who ultimately awarded 38 out of 40 points to both Fountroy and a D.C. citizen who recited a poem; the poet took home the trophy.^[1]

This material is trivial and its inclusion in the article would give it undue weight. Also, it has nothing to do with what the proposed amendment would have done, why it was proposed, why it was defeated, or anything else of relevance to this article. If it's allowed to be in the article, will we look for an event that was held opposing the proposed amendment? SMP0328. (talk) 05:19, 4 October 2020 (UTC)[reply]

I'm the author of this section and think it should be included. The idea that mentioning the fundraiser is biased because the fundraiser itself supports something doesn't really hold together. This section mentions several notable people and provides historical insight. Just because something is a detail doesn't automatically make it trivial. And yes, any other events, whether in support of or opposed to the amendment, should also be included. Brad (talk) 07:10, 4 October 2020 (UTC)[reply]

I'm sure there were many gatherings in support of or opposition to the amendment. Why does this specific gathering, and in such detail, belong in the article? The focus of the removed material is a competition held during the event; the amendment is barely mentioned. I continue to maintain that the removed material gives undue weight to an insignificant event in the history of the District of Columbia Voting Rights Amendment. SMP0328. (talk) 18:48, 4 October 2020 (UTC)[reply]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c Norman, Lucy Starr (7 June 1979). "D.C. 'Gong Show' Aids Voting Rights Drive". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2 October 2020.

[dc-gong-show-1979-1] Norman, Lucy Starr (7 June 1979). "D.C. 'Gong Show' Aids Voting Rights Drive". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2 October 2020.

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