Duane Shank was Associate Editor for Sojourners magazine and was on the staff from 1995 to 2014.
Duane has been active as an organizer and administrator in the peace and justice movement for 35 years, beginning as a draft resistance and antiwar organizer during the Vietnam war. He has worked as a community organizer in the rural south, in interfaith coalitions, and in the nuclear weapons freeze and Central America solidarity movements of the 1980s. His positions have included Associate for the National Inter-religious Service Board for Conscientious Objectors; National Coordinator for the Committee Against Registration and the Draft; Deputy Director and Acting Executive Director for SANE/Freeze; and Research Fellow for the Institute for Policy Studies.
Duane attended Eastern Mennonite University. He is a Anabaptist/Mennonite, and currently an active member and serves on the worship leadership team of the Community of Christ ecumenical congregation in the Mt. Pleasant neighborhood of Washington, D.C. His views on faith and politics have been shaped by (among others), John Howard Yoder, Abraham Joshua Heschel, Martin Luther King, Jr., Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and Oscar Romero.
Duane is married to Ellen Kennel. They have a daughter, Celeste, a graduate of Goshen College, IN, the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University, and the University of Chicago Divinity School.
In addition to family, church, and work; his passions are baseball (Washington Nationals), blues (Buddy Guy and Stevie Ray Vaughan) and bluegrass music (Ralph Stanley), and barbecue.
Posts By This Author
The latest news on the Republican Agenda, Immigration, Tax Cuts, Health Care, "Obama's War", Campaign Ads, "Rally to Restore Sanity", Iran, Israel-Palestine, India Floods, and Select Op-Eds.
Afghanistan. All nine troops killed in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan this week – the worst for the coalition forces in four years – were American, the Pentagon confirmed today.
Global development. President Obama urged wealthy countries Wednesday to maintain development assistance to poor nations out of self-interest, even as he argued that aid should be delivered in smarter ways.
“Rally to Restore Sanity.” Stewart's event — for people "who think shouting is annoying, counterproductive and terrible for your throat," according to the rally website — is the comedian's latest gambit to send up today's overwrought political discourse.
Quote of the day. “All of the animals, plants, and microbes we use in our food system, our agricultural system, are genetically modified in one way or another. That or they’re wild.’’ Bruce Chassy, of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, on genetic changes in food due to selective breeding and hybridization. (Boston Globe)
The latest news on Religion, Immigration, School Integration, Arms Smuggling, AIDS, United States, Haiti, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen, Sudan, UK Liberal Democrats, and Select Op-Eds.
Dream ACT. In a maneuver that combines election-year posturing with legislative hardball, Senate Democrats will try to add a long-stalled immigration provision that would put hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants on a path toward U.S.
Oil Spill. The federal government declared BP’s Macondo oil well dead on Sunday, nearly five months after it blew out of control, unleashing an environmental calamity in the Gulf of Mexico.
Millenium Development Goals. Sub-Saharan Africa will not reduce poverty and hunger and improve child and maternal healthcare to meet the goals set a decade ago by the United Nations unless African and Western leaders do much more, several recent reports suggest.
Quote of the day. “There are these fears in the background, and they are suppressed. I have had nightmares about becoming a bag lady. It could happen to anyone. So many people are so close to it, and they don’t even realize it.” Patricia Reid, one of 2.2 million unemployed people over 55 years old, who worry that they may never find a job again. (New York Times)
The Massachusetts Bible Society Got it Right
Football and Ramadan
The latest news on Religion, Global Warming, Secret War, Pakistan Flood, Afghanistan, Iraq, Darfur, Mideast Peace Talks, Iran, and Select Op-Eds.
Immigration. Hundreds of Tea Party activists converged on the border fence here in what is typically a desolate area popular with traffickers to rally for conservative political candidates and to denounce what they called lax federal enforcement of immigration laws.
Oil spill. The pile of soiled boom sitting more than four feet high and cooking under the summer sun at an abandoned shipyard here will be a part of the oil spill that endures.
Campaign finance. A conservative advocacy group Monday will kick off a huge ad campaign in 11 states and two dozen of the most competitive congressional races, slamming "wasteful federal spending."
Quote of the day. "We caused great damage and suffering to many nations during the war, especially to the people of Asia. We feel a deep regret, and we offer our sincere feelings of condolence to those who suffered and their families." Prime Minister Naoto Kan Kan of Japan, at a ceremony marking the anniversary of the end of World War 2. (USA Today)
Living By Faith in Afghanistan
The latest news on Immigration, Oil Spill, Primaries, Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan Flood, Iran, Lebanon Military Aid, Darfur, Gaza Inquiry, Venezuela-Colombia, and Select Op-Eds.
China Landslide. Heavy rain has hit the county in north-western China that was devastated by landslides, as the death toll from Saturday's disaster continues to rise.
Passing-Former Sen. Ted Stevens. Former senator Ted Stevens of Alaska, 86, who funneled billions of dollars to his home state over six terms in office and became one of the most powerful and combative federal legislators of his generation, died of injuries suffered in a plane crash Monday in southwest Alaska.
Jobs Bill Passed. President Obama approved a final spurt of spending Tuesday to shore up the sluggish recovery, signing into law a $26 billion plan to save the jobs of thousands of teachers and other government workers.
Quote of the Day. "One was rubbing a peach along his face, and I said, 'It's supposed to feel like that.' Another was breathing into the peach, and I said, 'It's supposed to smell like that.' Another was biting into the peach, and the juice was running down his face and arms, and I said, 'It's supposed to taste like that.' In a country of plenty, everybody should have the experience of tasting the bounty." Chef Tony Geraci, director of food and nutrition for Baltimore City Schools, on the reaction of second-graders eating fresh peaches for the first time in their lives after he brought in 40,000 pounds of tree-ripened, Maryland-grown peaches for school lunches. (USA Today)
A World Free of Nuclear Weapons
The latest news on Unemployment, Oil Spill, Proposition 8 Decision, States & School Lunches Cut Food Stamps, Forced Military Extensions, Hiroshima, Terror Attacks Down, Iraq-Tariq Aziz Interview, Iran, Canada-Unemployment, Nicaragua, and Select Op-Eds.
Justice Kagan. The Senate confirmed U.S. Solicitor General Elena Kagan on Thursday as the 112th justice to the Supreme Court, making her the fourth woman to sit on the court.
Pakistan. The worst monsoon rains in 80 years are continuing to sweep from the north-west to south and central Pakistan. Rivers in Sindh province, home to Karachi, Pakistan's biggest city and business hub, are bursting their banks.
Afghan Civilians Killed. As many as “a dozen or more” Afghan civilians died during a nighttime raid by U.S. troops hunting for Taliban commanders in eastern Afghanistan, military officials acknowledged Thursday.
Quote of the Day. “Together, we are on a journey from ground zero to Global Zero -- a world free of weapons of mass destruction ... Let us realize our dream of a world free of nuclear weapons so that our children and all succeeding generations can live in freedom, security, and peace.” U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony commemorating the 65th anniversary of the atomic bombing of that city.(UN News Centre)
The latest news on War Support Drops, Jobs and Economy, Immigration, Economy-Election Issue, Health Care, Congressional Ethics, Iraq, Afghanistan, Mideast Violence, Pakistan Flood, Sudan, North Korea Sanction, Cuba-Economy, China-Energy, and Select Op-Eds
Oil Spill. The BP spill is by far the world’s largest accidental release of oil into marine waters, according to the most precise estimates yet of the well’s flow rate, announced by federal scientists on Monday.
Gaza Flotilla Inquiry. Israel has announced it will cooperate with a UN investigation into its raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla in May.
Violence Against Women. Bipartisan legislation that would mandate a comprehensive plan to combat violence against women worldwide is poised for a potential congressional vote, marking tough new action by the United States on a problem that's commonplace across the globe.
Quote of the Day. "What they find there helps me understand who we were then. How can you know who you really are if you don't know from whence you came?" Mary Weston, 74, who lives near the remains of Timbuctoo, NJ, a town founded in the 1820s when Quaker abolitionists sold land to free black men, including her great-great-great-grandfather, who bought a lot in 1829.The abandoned site is now being excavated by archeologists. (Washington Post)
Op-Eds Worth Reading
The Careful (and Necessary) Work of Journalism
The latest news on Kagan Nomination Approved by Committee, Finance Reform Targets Congo, Oil Spill, Feature: Top Secret America, Part 3, British PM in U.S., Clean Energy, Afghanistan-U.S. Congress, Afghanistan, Iran, and Select Op-Eds.
Unemployment Aid Extension Passes. The Senate cleared the way Tuesday for more unemployment pay to reach millions of Americans who have been out of work for six months or more as the Democratic-led Congress pruned one more item off the list of issues it hopes to tackle in an intensely polarized election year.
Immigration. On a patch of asphalt outside the White House this week, Renata Teodoro, Maricela Aguilar and scores of other students are risking deportation simply by sharing their full names and immigration status with anyone who asks.
North Korea. The U.S. announced new sanctions on North Korea today in an effort to throttle its nuclear weapons activities and apply further pressure on Pyongyang to end its international isolation.
Quote of the Day. “It would not have been someone I would have chosen, but the person who did choose, President Obama, I think chose wisely.” Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), explaining his vote to confirm Elena Kagan for the Supreme Court. (Washington Post)
Top Secret America
A Matter of Integrity: Richard Blumenthal's Vietnam Controversy
The latest news on Finance Reform, Immigration, Oil Spill, Health Care, Child Care Cuts, Injured Vets, Afghanistan, Israel and Nuclear Weapons, Brazil, and Select Op-Eds.
Child Deaths. Death rates in children under 5 are dropping in many countries at a surprisingly fast pace, according to a new report based on data from 187 countries from 1970 to 2010.
President at West Point. President Obama previewed a new national security strategy rooted in diplomatic engagement and international alliances on Saturday as he essentially repudiated his predecessor’s emphasis on unilateral American power and the right to wage pre-emptive war.
South Korea. South Korea has suspended all trade and investment with North Korea and banned the North's ships from passing its waters, Seoul announced today, saying Pyongyang had to pay for its brutality over the torpedo attack in which a warship was sunk.
Quote of the Day. "I've bled for my country, I've sweated for my country, I've cried myself to sleep for my country -- which is a lot more than some people who are passing judgment on me have done. I would rather go sit in prison than go to Iraq." Patrick Hart, U.S. Army sergeant with almost 10 years on active duty, who went to Canada rather than face a second deployment to Iraq. (USA Today)
The latest news on Election Analysis, Mexican President Visits, Finance Reform, Climate Change, U.K. Government, Afghanistan, Mideast Talks, Iraq, Thailand, Pakistan, and Select Op-Eds.
North and South Korea. Tensions between North and South Korea escalated dramatically today following the publication of an international report which concluded that a South Korean warship was sunk by a torpedo from a North Korean submarine in March.
Oil Spill. The first oil from the Gulf of Mexico spill has entered an ocean current that could take it to Florida and up the east coast of the U.S., scientists say.
Pakistan. Pakistan blocked access to YouTube today because of "growing sacrilegious content" on the video-sharing Web site. It is the latest twist in an escalating international row over Islam and freedom of speech online.
Quote of the Day. "Unfortunately people are so wrapped up in this anti-government thing right now; I don't know why ... People neglect to recognize how government helps." Phil Glover, Johnstown, PA, on why the "tea party"-affiliated Republican was defeated in a special Congressional election. (Washington Post)
The latest news on Finance Reform, Oil Spill, Mexican President Visits, Arms Reduction Treaty, Kagan Nomination, Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, Darfur, and Select Op-Eds.
Primary Election. Delivering a powerful message of discontent, voters Tuesday swept out veteran Sen. Arlen Specter in Pennsylvania, nominated a "tea party" movement founder for a Senate seat in Kentucky, and forced Sen. Blanche Lincoln into a runoff for the Democratic nomination in Arkansas.
Thailand. Buildings across the Thai capital, Bangkok, have been set ablaze by red shirt protesters after the military stormed a protest camp in the center of the city.
Israel-Palestine. U.S. President Barack Obama's Middle East envoy George Mitchell and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas discussed possible outlines of a future Palestinian state on Wednesday.
Quote of the Day. “The 8 p.m. hour in cable news world is currently driven by the indomitable Bill O’Reilly, Nancy Grace, and Keith Olbermann. Shedding my own journalistic skin to try to inhabit the kind of persona that might co-exist in that line-up is simply impossible for me. It is not who I am or who I want to be.” Prime-time anchor Campbell Brown explaining why she’s leaving CNN. (New York Times media blog)
The latest news on Finance Reform, Immigration, Kagan and Abortion, Military Spending, Tuesday Primaries, Health Insurance, Iran Nuclear Program, Afghanistan, Israel Rocket Defense, Darfur, and Select Op-Eds.
Oil Spill Disaster. The gulf of Mexico oil spill may be many times larger than realized, with vast amounts of oil spilling out in deep undersea "plumes" which cannot be seen from the surface, scientists suggested yesterday.
Mexican President Visits. President Felipe Calderón arrives in Washington this week for a two-day state visit that was supposed to be a celebration of U.S.-Mexican cooperation in his drug war. Instead, it is likely to showcase Mexico's frustration over Arizona's tough new immigration law, which Calderón has described as anti-Mexican.
Chomsky Barred from Israel. Noam Chomsky, whose withering critiques of political establishments have earned him the wrath of regimes of all persuasions around the world, was today forbidden by Israeli immigration officers from entering the Palestinian West Bank.
Quote of the Day. “Who’s tired of the bloodshed? Who’s going to get out in the streets and make a difference in the lives of young people? ... We’ve got to stand together. Bottom line is, police need to do their part. Preachers need to do their part. Politicians need to do their part. Parents, schools, everybody needs to do their part.’’ Rev. William E. Dickerson II in a fiery sermon yesterday morning at Greater Love Tabernacle in Dorchester, on a new outbreak of youth violence in Boston. (Boston Globe)