argument against it is in racism. let s talk about it with jason nichols. he lectures african american studies at the university of maryland. gentlemen, welcome. thank you, shannon. shannon: okay. so more to the point, a piece in g.q., the senate is broken. washington statehood can save it. why do d.c. residents like us languish a second class while the senate goes further and further to the right without a popular mandate? well, it s racism. it s nothing racistic at all. the late john dingell from michigan who is white said he was opposed to d.c. statehood. he said nobody in d.c. is chained to the columns of the capitol and can leave when they want. nobody accused him of being racist. there s a partisan concern that you d have two democratic senators added to the u.s. senate certainly.