Under the Dome

Shawn Murinko

Shawn Murinko

Shawn Murinko is the state Department of Transportation's ADA compliance officer and serves as a commissioner on the state Human Rights Commission. A member of The Olympian's Diversity Panel, Murinko, who has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair, can be reached at smurinko@comcast.net.

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Around South Sound Blog

11 Things to Do this Weekend, May 17-19 05/17

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This Just In

Olympia police arrest suspect in downtown stabbing 05/22

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The Politics Blog

Gov. Inslee signs bill giving adoptees more access to birth records 05/22

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South Sound Sports Blog

State golf: Olympia's Brendan McCauley aces No. 13 hole at Camas Meadows, places fifth; other state golf highlights 05/22

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The Business Blog

Owners’ health issues mean dessert shop will close 05/20

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Chris Chau

Chris Chau

He can be reached at: sideoutchau@gmail.com.

Lucius Daye

Lucius Daye

He can be reached at: lucasdaye@comcast.net.

Seth Kirby

Seth Kirby

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Shawn Murinko

Shawn Murinko

He can be reached at: smurinko@comcast.net.

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Robert Nakamura

He can be reached at: sgtmilehibob@yahoo.com.

Stephen Roldan

Robert Nakamura

He can be reached at: roldasj@dshs.wa.gov.

  • Equality is about civility and how we should treat one another

    This is my final column as a member of The Olympian's Diversity Panel, and what an experience it has been. Sharing my thoughts on issues for which I have strong convictions is an opportunity that a wordy and opinionated person, like me, can only dream of.

  • Lots of questions linger about justices' racial stance

    The constant barrage of political ads that filled the airwaves and our mailboxes has ceased for a while, only to return much quicker than most of us would like.

  • Being in a wheelchair doesn't take away impactful choices

    It might be hard to believe, but for the first 10 years of my life, it didn't even occur to me that I was any different than my peers.

  • Each of us has the ability to be a bridge to equality

    Before writing this month's column, I made a pledge to myself. This month's column was going to be different. I'm not going to point fingers or lecture. I'm not going to exploit this space in order to expose all of the many societal ills that seem to pervade our culture. Lastly, and perhaps most significant to me, I'm going to avoid altogether the quicksand I have come to know as political correctness.

  • ADA is meaningless without action to follow words

    July 26 marks the 20th anniversary of the signing of The Americans with Disabilities Act. I'm constantly amazed by the parade of bewildered looks I get when I remind folks how old The ADA is. I'd like to think this response is a symptom of the fact that as we get older, time's ever-present gap gets shorter. While this may be true in some cases, I've also come to realize that it's an often all-too-convenient excuse to plead the cause of ignorance in exchange for equality.

  • Children pay the price when faith and politics are blurred

    I think we all have a little of Goldie Locks in us. We're looking for the porridge to be just right and I am no exception. In fact, looking, at the calendar these days doesn't help me much in fighting against my penchant for complaining - I feel deceived.

  • Plenty of ways to find positive change in new health care law

    I've been thinking a lot about my grandpa lately.

  • Disability community has universally decried use of the 'R' label

    My cursor blinks as though it is a window into the future. With each topic I've addressed in this column, I've been able to predict, with astounding accuracy, the volume of online comments, which will be posted on The Olympian's Web site in response.

  • King's dream of equality is still that - a dream

    Myths are convenient. They often tell the kind of story which either helps us explain the unexplainable or give us a hero to believe in. Our history books are littered with these illustrations.


Under the Dome