In just a few days, we will mark the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Sandy that rocked the east coast just days shy of the 2012 election.
Sandy was the deadliest storm to the hit the United States in 40 years and was the second costliest hurricane in the nation’s history. While Sandy was dubbed “Super Storm” by meteorologists, the political fallout that ensued was a super storm in and of itself. On Sunday, host Melissa Harris-Perry will draw the line directly from Sandy to the 16-day government shutdown.
Ever been to a Chipotle? We have! Not only is the Mexican eatery a favorite lunch spot for the Nerdland staff, it is also an establishment that has managed to be socially responsible while remaining profitable. Harris-Perry will have a conversation with Mark Crumpacker, the Chief Marketing Office at Chipotle, on the restaurant’s mission to use sustainable, organic, locally sourced and antibiotic free ingredients whenever possible – even if it costs a little extra. Looks like it’s not “where’s the beef?” but “what’s the beef?” that really matters.
This week, a rape case in Maryville, Missouri received renewed attention when Robert Rice – the county prosecutor who originally dismissed the case – re-opened it, requesting that it be tried by a special prosecutor. Daisy Coleman’s original case was dropped in March of 2012 because Rice claimed the family was being uncooperative. According to the Colemans that was not the case. On the contrary, there have been claims of attempts to protect the 17-year-old boy accused of raping Coleman at a party and leaving her outside her house in sub-zero conditions. What is more, as many in Maryville rallied behind the accused boy, the Colemans felt so harassed that they left town. Their home was burned down shortly after. On Sunday’s MHP we will discuss the ongoing rape culture in the US where victims are stigmatized and denied justice.
Steve McQueen’s 12 Years a Slave opened this week in theaters across the nation. Based on the 1853 autobiography by Solomon Northup, a free man who was kidnapped in Washington and sold into slavery, McQueen’s adaptation is being hailed as the first of its kind. Though American cinema has produced movies that explore slavery in the United States, never before has a film been made from the perspective of a slave or made with such visceral detail and emotion. On Sunday’s show, Melissa and her guests will take a deep dive into the landmark film exploring all of the components that make it so important.
Be sure to read what we’ve linked above, and watch Melissa Harris-Perry Sunday at 10 a.m. EST on MSNBC! Also, don’t forget to join us on Facebook and Twitter with the hashtag #nerdland.
Rachel Zuckerman