Commentary and Op-Eds

The first piece I ever got on the air was DC has No Food. I will always be grateful for the trust that David Furst and WAMU 88.5 FM placed in me. The greatest danger of commentary is not offending, but getting it wrong. I think sharing our thoughts is essential, but an act that needs to be done respectfully, seriously, and with a sprinkle of humor.

Below  are some commentaries of mine that have aired on NPR, The Health Show, WAMU 88.5 FM, and elsewhere:

You can also see my commentaries in print. Here are two pieces that appeared in the Washington Post. You can find others by visiting Observations.

Why I’ll Miss…

In 2007, I was approached by the Washington Post’s Dan Steinberg to write a response to the murder of Redskin safety Sean Taylor in his Florida home. This was my first op-ed in the Washington Post and I tried to express not only the tragedy of a celebrity, but about the lost potential of youth and the power of community identification.

 

Choosing Not to Let Hate Win

In 2009, a gun man entered the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum intent to kill many. In this response to that event, I spoke not only about mass shootings and hate, but also delved into the angels we can find among monsters including a personal story of how a German soldier saved my grandmother’s life in Poland during World War II.