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The Case of Terri Schiavo: A Debate Between a Bioethicist
and a Disability Rights Activist
Rep. Barney Frank: "Clearly Politics Was a Factor"
in Terri Schiavo Legislation
World Water Day 2005: Water Privatization in Stockton and
Detroit
The Case of Terri Schiavo: A Debate Between a Bioethicist
and a Disability Rights Activist
A Federal Judge has refused to order the reinsertion of
Terri Schiavo's feeding tube after an unprecedented action
by Congress to allow her case be reviewed by federal courts.
We host a debate between a bioethicist and a member of a disability
rights group, Not Dead Yet.
A Federal Judge has refused to order the reinsertion of Terri
Schiavo's feeding tube.
U.S. District Judge James Whittemore wrote that Schiavo's
"life and liberty interests" had been protected
by Florida courts. He wrote that despite "these difficult
and time strained circumstances," this court is "constrained
to apply the law to the issues before it."
Terri Schiavo's feeding tube was disconnected last Friday
on orders from Florida circuit court Judge George Greer. The
ruling was supported by Schiavo's husband - but not her parents.
It marked the third time the courts have ordered the removal
of the tube in the last two years.
But late Sunday night Republican lawmakers approved legislation
to allow a federal judge to consider reversing the decision
of the state court. The bill won the backing of virtually
all of the Republicans and almost half of the Democrats in
the House.
In a rare Sunday session, members of Congress were called
back from their Easter recess to tackle the case. President
Bush also interrupted his vacation at his Crawford Texas ranch
to sign the bill. Speaking in Tuscon yesterday, Bush applauded
the dramatic legislative maneuver by Congress to get the case
before a federal court.
- President Bush, speaking in Tuscon, Arizona:
"Democrats and Republicans in Congress came together
last night to give Terri Schiavo's parents another opportunity
to save their daughter's life. This is a complex case with
serious issues, but in extraordinary circumstances like
this, it is wise to always err on the side of life."
After the legislation was approved, Terri Schiavo's husband
- Michael - spoke out against the extraordinary session by
Congress.
- Michael Schiavo, husband of Terri Schiavo:
"Right now I am very outraged. This is a sad day for
Terri and this is a sad day for everybody in America because
the government is going to trample on all of your personal
and private matters. This is an outrage, they have no business
in this matter. Terri made her wishes, it has been adjudicated
in a state court over the last seven years. Eighteen judges
have heard this. Appeals have been heard. The Supreme Court
justices have heard this, and now the House of Representatives
and the Senate are saying that they are wrong. They are
thumbing their nose up at the constitution."
Following today's decision by the federal judge to refuse
to order the reinsertion of Terri Schioavo's feeding tube,
attorney's for Schiavo's parents said they will file an appeal
at the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta, Georgia.
This is Republican Congressmember Trent Franks of Arizona
speaking on the House floor Sunday night.
We host a debate on the case of Terri Schiavo with a bioethicist
and a member of a disability rights group, Not Dead Yet and
we speak with Democratic Congressmember Barney Frank of Massachusetts
- Stephen Drake, research analyst for Not
Dead Yet, a disability rights group organizing opposition
to assisted suicide and euthanasia.
- Ken Goodman, Director of the Bio-Ethics program at University
of Miami.
Rep. Barney Frank: "Clearly Politics Was a Factor"
in Terri Schiavo Legislation
We speak with Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) who voted against
the Terri Schiavo legislation. Frank says, "It is clearly
wrong for the congress of the United States, this body of
elected officials, driven more by ideology and by self-electoral
considerations and advancement to other offices and re-election,
shouldn't be trying to cancel out the decision made by the
State of Florida."
- Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA), democratic congressmember from
Massachusetts. He voted against the legislation on Sunday.
World Water Day 2005: Water Privatization in Stockton
and Detroit
To mark World Water Day 2005, we take a look at the issue
of water privatization in this country in California and Michigan.
We speak with activists from Stockton and Detroit and an independent
filmmaker who produced the documentary, "Thirst."
Today is World Water Day 2005.
- "Thirst",
excerpt of documentary on global water issues.
The United Nations says more than 1.1 billion people around
the world lack safe water and 2.4 billion have no access to
sanitation - leading to over 3 million deaths every year.
Almost one fifth of all children - lack even the bare minimum
of safe water they need to live.
Water issues extend to indigenous people's rights, global
warming and boundary issues. Today, we focus on the issue
of water privatization in Detroit and Stockton, California.
In mid-2003, a 600 million dollar utilities privatization
contract handed operating control of the Stockton water, wastewater
and stormwater systems to international conglomerate OMI-Thames.
The Stockton City Council voted on the contract amid public
outcry. This is an excerpt from the documentary "Thirst."
It begins with OMI president Don Evans speaking in front of
the Council.
- "Thirst",
excerpt of documentary.
Following the city council vote, the Concerned Citizens Coalition
of Stockton, the Sierra Club, and League of Women Voters filed
a lawsuit to stop the privatization of the city's water, wastewater,
and stormwater utilities. They argued that under California's
Environmental Quality Act the city should have completed an
environmental impact statement before approving the contract.
In an extraordinary ruling, Superior Court Judge Robert McNatt
threw out the privatization in December 2003, writing that
approval of the contract was "an abuse of discretion
by the City Council."
The City has appealed the ruling and also asked Judge McNatt
to order a new trial. The Concerned Citizens Coalition of
Stockton have appealed that ruling and now both appeals are
pending.
- Alan Snitow, independent filmmaker. He is the co-producer
and director of the documentary "Thirst"
with Deborah Kaufman.
For a copy of today’s program, call 1 (800) 881 2359.
Our website is www.democracynow.org.
Our email address is mail@democracynow.org.
Democracy Now! is produced by Mike Burke, Sharif Abdel Kouddous,
Ana Nogueira, Elizabeth Press, Jeremy Scahill and Parvez Sharma.
Mike Di Filippo is our engineer.
Thanks also to Uri Galed, Angela Alston, Orlando Richards,
Simba Russeau, Johnny Sender, Rich Kim, Joe Murgio, John Randolph,
Chris Zucker, Karen Ranucci, Denis Moynihan, Eric Rweyemamu,
Jenny Filipazzo and Isis Phillips.
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