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> Tues., Dec. 9, 2003
FSRN
FREE SPEECH RADIO NEWS
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Today's lead stories:
Florida Democratic Convention
Hypocrisy in the Commonwealth?
CAFTA to be Finalized
Case of Captain Yee
Black’s Demand Gay Marriage Rights
Free Speech Radio News Headlines by Randi
Zimmerman
AIDS Activists Block D.C. Road
AIDS activists blocked a main artery of downtown D.C. this
afternoon hoping to bring attention to what they call the
negative impact the Central American Free Trade Agreement,
or CAFTA will have on AIDS drugs. Jenny Johnson reports from
D.C.
Former Nicaruaguan President Guity of Corruption
A former Nicaraguan president was found guilty of corruption
while he was in office. In Mangua, Nan McGurdy reports.
Gore Backs Dean
Today Presidential candidate Howard Dean received a huge nod
from Democratic Party insider, former Vice President Al Gore
at a Harlem fundraiser. Josh Chaffin reports from New York
City.
Skinhead in Portland Sentenced
The leader of a gang of skinheads has been sentenced in Portland,
Oregon to 3 years for his part in the city’s race based
violence. From KBOO in Portland, Andrew Stelzer reports.
TX Lethal Injection Cruel
The Texas state sponsored execution by lethal injection causes
painful and protracted death according to new lawsuit. Renee
Feltz reports from KPFT in Houston.
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Florida Democratic Convention (3:58)
The Republican chair of the House Ethics Committee said
today he would consider an investigation if a formal complaint
is filed into an alleged bribe of 100,000 dollars for an affirmative
vote on the Medicare bill. Republican Congress member Nick
Smith said after the contentious and close vote that unnamed
GOP aides offered his son’s Congressional campaign money
if Smith changed his vote. Smith said he did not accept the
money and he did not change his vote, but under heat from
his own party, Smith has since backed down from the bribery
allegation. Democratic Congressional leaders however are still
urging for an investigation. Meanwhile, as former Vice President
Al Gore has endorsed Howard Dean for the Democratic Presidential
nomination, the democratic candidates are readying themselves
for tonight's debate in New Hampshire. Over the weekend many
of the candidates spoke and fielded questions at Florida's
state democratic convention. Mitch Jeserich reports.
[top]
Hypocrisy in the Commonwealth? (3:50)
President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe has announced his country’s
withdrawal from the group of nations called the ‘Commonwealth’.
The move is to protest a decision made at the weekend’s
Commonwealth Summit in Nigeria to suspend Zimbabwe indefinitely
for human rights violations and lack of political reforms.
But human rights groups say the Commonwealth is acting hypocritically
by targeting Zimbabwe, adding that the summit should not have
been held in Nigeria on account of Nigeria’s poor human
rights records. Sam Olukoya reports from Lagos.
[top]
CAFTA to be Finalized (3:54)
Amid much controversy the Central American Free Trade Agreement
is scheduled to be finalized this week in Washington, DC.
Selina Musuta reports from Washington DC.
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Case of Captain Yee (4:36)
The case against US Army Chaplain James Yee, like many in
the post-911 environment, has been one of "guilty until
proven innocent". The US Army levels highly inflammatory
charges against the Muslim Chinese-America chaplain yet is
withholding evidence of the charges. The accused has been
denied access to legal counsel and visits with his family.
Chaplain Yee, who ministered to detainees at Guantanamo was
initially charged in September with espionage. He was shackled
in leg irons and held in solitary confinement for 76 days.
The charges were later changed to mishandling classified material
and then changed again upon Yee's release. Martha Baskin reports
that this week a military judge will hear Chaplain Yee’s
case.
[top]
Black’s Demand Gay Marriage Rights
(3:23)
People across the country are following the actions of the
Massachusetts State Assembly, which was ordered by the State
Supreme Judicial Court to recognize the rights of gay and
lesbian couples to marry. Black members of lesbian, gay, bisexual,
and transgender communities are mobilizing to express their
perspectives with the National Black Justice Coalition initiating
a new campaign yesterday to highlight and increase support
in black communities for marriage equality. From the DC radio
co-op Darby Hickey reports.
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