AL JAZEERA 11/13/12 By Michael Shank Of the two rivers that cup our nation’s capital – the Potomac and the Anacostia – the latter of the two is, perhaps, the most apt reflection of where America is at socio-economically. The Anacostia River – the Anglicised namesake of which was first […]
Author: Michael Shank
The District’s Divide: Classism, Racism and the Re-Election of Marion Barry
POLITICO 11/09-11/12 By Michael Shank Of the two rivers that cup our nation’s capital – the Potomac and the Anacostia – the latter of the two is, perhaps, the most apt reflection of where America is at socio-economically. The Anacostia River – the Anglicized namesake of which was first officially […]
How To Stop The Stone-Throwing in Anacostia
Washington Post 11/08/2012 By Michael Shank The Post couldn’t be more right in reproaching Metro for its proposal to cut back bus service in parts of Anacostia [“The wrong route,” editorial, Nov. 6]. The given reason for the possible change is people throwing stones and bricks at buses. While this […]
Why We Heart Hurricanes: The Climate Change Connection
POLITICO 11/02-04/12 By Michael Shank Watching television this week, as Hurricane Sandy descended on Washington D.C. and meteorologists scurried to remain atop the latest forecasting, myriad presidential election campaign advertisements were met with one major marketing competitor: the American Petroleum Institute and its various oil, coal and gas bedfellows. It […]
Hurricane Sandy: Time to Do Something About Climate Change
AL JAZEERA 11/01/12 By Michael Shank Watching television this week, as Hurricane Sandy descended on Washington, DC, and meteorologists scurried to remain atop the latest forecasting, myriad presidential election campaign advertisements were met with one major marketing competitor: the American Petroleum Institute and its various oil, coal and gas bedfellows. […]
Our Love-Hate Relationship with Frankenstorms and Hurricane Sandy and Why We Must End It
Huffington Post 10/30/2012 Al Jazeera 11/01/2012 By Michael Shank Watching television this week, as Hurricane Sandy descended on Washington D.C. and meteorologists scurried to remain atop the latest forecasting, myriad presidential election campaign advertisements were met with one major marketing competitor: the American Petroleum Institute and its various oil, coal […]
Folly of Freedom is Plaguing the US Right Now
FINANCIAL TIMES 10/09/12 By Michael Shank Sir, It is confounding that America’s presidential candidates, in their first debate, failed to address one of the growing epidemics killing our countrymen and women, that of gun violence (“Gun lobby pours millions of dollars into campaign to unseat Obama”, October 4). Sadly, they […]
‘Free Speech’ on the DC Metro
AL JAZEERA 10/09/12 By Michael Shank If someone got physically violent on the Metro in Washington, DC, they would get kicked off the train or bus. Similarly, if someone indecently exposed him or herself (as noted in the new Metro ads threatening action against indecent exposure) or yelled incendiary, racist […]
Boycotting Muslim ‘Savages’ Ad on DC Metro in Protest of Hate Speech
Huffington Post 10/07/2012 Al Jazeera 10/09/2012 By Michael Shank If someone got physically violent on the Metro in Washington DC, they would get kicked off the train or bus. Similarly, if someone indecently exposed him or herself (as noted in the new Metro ads threatening action against indecent exposure) or […]
Hill Climbers: Aide Sees a Future in Congress
ROLL CALL 10/01/12 By Emily Cahn Michael Shank is driven by his commitment to progressive values. The returning communications director and senior policy adviser in Rep. Mike Honda’s (D-Calif.) office was raised in an Amish-Mennonite community in Kidron, Ohio, where the ideas of helping the downtrodden, sustainable development and nonviolence […]