Traveling to Washington, D.C., to take advantage of a last-minute ticket, Wertheim only planned to take a story and some great photos back to his classroom. But in the crowds, he had an experience that showed him the day's political significance was not only found on the Capitol steps.
A representative of the D.C. Statehood Party engaged Wertheim in the crowd, imploring him to sign a postcard supporting national representation for Washington residents. This was a cause Wertheim had been sympathetic to for years.
"I think it's ludicrous that this many people, who live in this place that's so integral to government, have virtually no say," said Wertheim.
Although previously unaware that non-D.C. residents could work on behalf of D.C. Statehood, he now plans to take the postcards, and the call to action, to New Jersey.
"If people from other states can tell the federal government we are willing to give up a percentage of our representation so that the half million people in Washington can be represented, I'm all for it," he added.
Wertheim saw the inauguration as an opportunity for other groups to get their message out and engage a wider audience to advance their ideas.
"This was part of the way that the political process works, which is awesome," he said.
-- Josh Rogin
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