VOA – CONNECT
EPISODE 56
AIR DATE 02 08 2019
TRANSCRIPT
OPEN ((VO/NAT))
((Banner))
Opioids in America
((SOT))
((Animation Transition))
((Banner))
One Man’s Faith
((SOT))
((Animation Transition))
((Banner))
Puppies!
((SOT))
((Open Animation))
BLOCK A
((PKG))
Chief Bashore: The Final Chapter
((Banner:
Living America’s Opioid Nightmare))
((Popup Banner
More than 115 Americans die each day from opioid overdoses.
VOA looks at three stories from the epidemic))
((Producers: Chris Simkins, Jeff Swicord, Jacquelyn De Phillips))
((Camera: Jeff Swicord, Chris Simkins, Zak Ciotti, Marcus Harton))
((Map: Nashville, North Carolina))
********
((Locator: Hope Initiative Meeting))
((Thomas Bashore, Police Chief, Nashville, North Carolina))
((Michelle Parrish, Volunteer Coordinator))
((NATS))
Michelle: Okay, so you have to tell Kerry your news.
Kerry: So I need to sit down?
Michelle: Yes.
Bashore: Have you seen the news? Any news?
Bashore: You don’t watch the news?
Kerry: No.
Bashore: You weren't watching WRAL last night at 10 o'clock?
Kerry: I don't have cable.
Bashore: Well that's good. Apparently, there was an announcement last night that I'm retiring on December 31st. And it’s true.
((NATS))
((Thomas Bashore, Police Chief, Nashville, North Carolina))
Change is difficult for some people. I, on the other hand, thrive on change but it's always difficult to say goodbye. I remember when I left Rocky Mount it was hard to say goodbye over there. I'm a type of person that, you know, I'm not going to stop working. I always want to be able to do something and so, new opportunities are a way to kind of reinvigorate myself in doing things for larger groups of individuals so that’s really where my emphasis is going to be.
********
((Locator: Hope Initiative Rally))
((Thomas Bashore, Police Chief, Nashville, North Carolina))
((NATS))
((Thomas Bashore, Police Chief, Nashville, North Carolina))
Bashore: Are they in recovery now or are they still struggling?
Man: They still struggling.
((Thomas Bashore, Police Chief, Nashville, North Carolina))
The community in Nashville has been extremely supportive. I've been here a good long while now. A lot of people know of me or have seen me in and around town. Most of all I think that notoriety comes from the Hope Initiative but the small town police departments, I think, do a really good job of connecting with the community.
Bashore: Hello, how are you?
Little Girl: Hello.
((Thomas Bashore, Police Chief, Nashville, North Carolina))
I think the future of the Hope Initiative is bright. I really do and I feel that those individuals that want to get into recovery will still be able to find that in the Hope Initiative, no matter who's kind of driving the bus.
********
((Thomas Bashore, Police Chief, Nashville, North Carolina))
((Michelle Parrish, Volunteer Coordinator))
((NATS))
Bashore: The announcement is that I'm going to retire December 31st. So that's three weeks away and you all have been working on having the Hope Initiative kind of become its own entity.
Other Volunteer: Dumped at Christmas time.
Bashore: Dang! That’s horrible.
Michelle: I know, right!
Bashore: It's better than a Dear John letter.
Michelle: True.
((Thomas Bashore, Police Chief, Nashville, North Carolina))
They have been concerned for quite some time now about what would happen if I did leave and what would happen to the program. All of them are very passionate about helping individuals and so obviously they don't want it to disappear and so, I really was there to reassure them that it wasn't going to disappear.
Michelle: We, I guess, can fill your shoes.
Bashore: It's a size ten. It is not that big.
Michelle: So….
Bashore: You will be fine. If I didn't think you guys could handle this I wouldn’t, I would come up with some alternative. Trust me it will be fine. As long as you keep focused on the whole reason we're doing it, is to help somebody get their life back together, and if you're willing to do whatever it takes for them because they can't do it for themselves or they don't know where to turn or who to call, then you're doing everything you can.
Michelle: Right.
********
((Locator: Governor’s Mansion; Raleigh, North Carolina))
((Governor Roy Cooper, North Carolina))
((Thomas Bashore, Police Chief, Nashville, North Carolina)).))
((NATS))
Bashore: Governor Cooper is from Nash County.
Cooper: Good morning, Chief. It’s great to see you.
Bashore: He grew up here in Nashville. He's got very close ties here.
Cooper: Thank you so much for looking after my home town.
((Thomas Bashore, Police Chief, Nashville, North Carolina))
My agenda with him was to try to let him have an understanding that a lot of the programs that, like the Hope initiative, that are popping up around the state of North Carolina, are grass roots and access to funding can be a stumbling block.
Bashore: I just wanted to talk about some of the things in reference to the opioid epidemic in the state of North Carolina and what are some of the initiatives that are being done by this state.
Cooper: You know just like most of the rest of the country, the opioid epidemic has been a scourge on our people. Death after death after death. As chief of the police force, you see this problem on the front line and we've had a lot of issues with substance use disorder in the past but the way opioids grip someone and how long of a process it is to be successfully treated, this was unlike anything that they had ever seen before. And probably the most important thing is prevention and treatment.
Bashore: Is the federal government helping us any in North Carolina as far as funding sources?
Cooper: We've been able to get a waiver in our Medicaid program to use more of our Medicaid dollars both for inpatient and outpatient treatment for people with substance use disorder but our state has shot itself in the foot in that our legislature has refused to expand Medicaid. What we have to do is to find that happy medium of making it easier for groups like yours but at the same time being responsible with taxpayer money because there is not enough of it to go around.
Bashore: Sure.
Cooper: And we’ve got to make sure that it gets to the places that are making a difference and that are working.
Bashore: Well, you definitely have my support.
Cooper: Let's go get it.
********
((Locator: Healing Transitions Recovery Center))
((Sherry Vann, Recovering Addict))
((Thomas Bashore, Police Chief, Nashville, North Carolina))
((NATS))
Sherry: Hi.
Bashore: Hi.
Sherry: How are you?
Bashore: Good. How are you?
Sherry: Good.
((Thomas Bashore, Police Chief, Nashville, North Carolina))
It's always nice to be able to go back and check on individuals that are in programs. I went to visit Sherry she talked about how she had had almost five months of good time there and then she used again.
Bashore: So, then what happened?
Sherry: So, I had an appointment downtown and I rode on the bus with another girlfriend. While we were on the bus, there was a guy that pulled out a huge knot of heroin and once he found out that we were from this rehab, so people like that prey on the weak.
Bashore: Exactly.
Sherry: For sure. I got off two stops down the road to a McDonald's and he got off right behind me and my girlfriend. She went to the bathroom. I ordered our coffee and I had like ten, eleven dollars left over in change and I was like look I'll give you ten dollars.
((Thomas Bashore, Police Chief, Nashville, North Carolina))
Statistically, individuals that have a substance use disorder, will return to use four or five times before they get into a long term sustained recovery. People think 'Oh, we got you help and you went and used again. Why did you do that?' So, the more you understand about the disease, you kind of understand a little bit better about, yes that is a possibility but that doesn't make the person not want to get into recovery.
Sherry: I don't know if it was the combination of me being clean for so long or it just being straight Fentanyl but I didn’t have any recollection of me going out.
Bashore: Wow.
Sherry: As they were getting ready to carry me back into the ambulance, I started to come to from the oxygen.
Bashore: Did they have to use Narcan?
Sherry: They did. She was able to tell me I'm going to have to hit you with this Narcan and I looked at her and I said, can we wait 20 or 30 minutes? and she said, ‘I can't let you do that.’ And so just as soon as she hit me with that Narcan, she was pulling out a nausea pill, but as, right before the needle came out of me, I threw up everywhere. It was terrible and I just looked at her and I said, no more, no more, you know.
Bashore: Well, I'm glad you made it through.
Sherry: Me too.
Bashore: I'm expecting big things out of you.
Sherry: I know. I can't wait, a year from now, just to see where I'm at and how I feel because I feel absolutely blessed beyond words.
((Thomas Bashore, Police Chief, Nashville, North Carolina))
There was no disappoint whatsoever. I mean I was more elated and happy about her self-reflection and how it happened and that she stuck it out and was serious about continuing her recovery.
Bashore: Thank you again, Sherry.
Sherry: You’re so welcome. Thank you.
Bashore: I appreciate the time you’ve given us.
****
((Locator: Candlelight Vigil))
((Thomas Bashore, Police Chief, Nashville, North Carolina))
((NATS))
We light these candles for our loved ones.
((Thomas Bashore, Police Chief, Nashville, North Carolina))
The individuals that we've lost that have come through the Hope initiative, through this disease. It has kept me up at night sometimes. To go to a funeral and be there with so many young people that are still struggling with the disease who are there to support their friend who has passed from an overdose, it's hard to watch sometimes because you just want to reach out and touch all of them and you know you won't be able to. The program wasn't about me. It was about helping other individuals and so it's just a matter of having a good solid understanding and mission about what it is you want to do and anybody can do it.
********
((Thomas Bashore, Police Chief, Nashville, North Carolina))
((Michelle Parrish, Volunteer Coordinator))
((NATS))
Michelle: I think there's always going to be a need for this.
Bashore: Oh absolutely.
Michelle: I mean, its heroin right now.
Bashore: That’s right.
Michelle: You know next year is Fentanyl, Cocaine.
Bashore: The big swing is going to be probably Benzos.
Michelle: Right.
Bashore: Xanax and that kind of stuff. And so….
Other volunteer: Meth seems to be making a comeback.
Bashore: Meth is making a comeback. Alcohol is always going to be around.
Michelle: Right.
Bashore: So this program was opene`d up so that it hits everything, any drug of choice, not just opiates.
Michelle: Right. That just happened to be the big thing going on right at the time.
Bashore: There’ll always be a need.
Michelle: Right.
((Banner
Living America’s Opioid Nightmare continues on VOA Connect in the weeks to come))
TEASE ((VO/NAT))
Coming up
((Banner))
On His Terms
((SOT))
BREAK ONE
BUMP IN ((ANIM))
BLOCK B
((PKG)) LIBERAL MUSLIM
((Banner: Islam Beyond Sects))
((Reporter/Camera: Arturo Martinez))
((Map: Los Angeles, California))
((NATS))
((Zaman Stanizai , Professor, California State University))
We have to understand the institution of marriage. In the modern times it’s not the same as in the time of the Prophet. In fact, it wasn't even the same 100 years ago.
((Zaman Stanizai , Professor, California State University))
My name is Zaman Stanizai. I consider myself more of a freelance Muslim as far as sectarian differences are concerned. So, I attend different mosques and IMAN Center is one of those. I was invited to participate in the Quranic forum here.
((NATS))
((Zaman Stanizai , Professor, California State University))
What people do in most Muslim societies is that they take the exception as the law and the law as the exception.
((Zaman Stanizai , Professor, California State University))
I'm neither Shia nor Sunni. When Afghanistan was invaded, about a year after the Soviet invasion, I had to leave, like most everyone else who feared for their life. That brought me back to the United States.
((NATS))
((Zaman Stanizai , Professor, California State University))
The stigma that is attached to Islam these days was not there. Everything was wonderful until the 9-11 and the rest of the story which turned everything upside down.
((NATS))
((Zaman Stanizai , Professor, California State University))
I can't take responsibility for the action of someone else simply because they look like me or they come from the part of the world I come from or they share a, say, religious identity with me.
((NATS))
((Zaman Stanizai , Professor, California State University))
Why I chose Los Angeles? I think it's because of this cosmopolitan nature. Here I can go to a church, to a synagogue, to a mosque, to a gurudwara. I could go to any temple and the doors are open.
((NATS))
((Zaman Stanizai , Professor, California State University))
Long time no see. How are you?
If I'm driving, and it's time for prayer, I pray while I'm driving. I can have perfect concentration. When you're worshipping a God that does not have form, then why should we stick to the form?
((NATS))
((Zaman Stanizai , Professor, California State University))
I am a professor. I've taught for a little over half century in Afghanistan and in many institutions of higher learning here in the United States and Southern California.
((NATS))
((Zaman Stanizai , Professor, California State University))
For one, if they had them so meaningfully before the war, there will be no war, right?
((NATS))
((Zaman Stanizai , Professor, California State University))
Currently I teach Islamic traditions and political science. If you can analyze issues facing them on the human behavior, a lot of these world conflicts could be solved diplomatically, peacefully, instead of resorting to wars. So, that's how I use the Islamic dimension in the political science courses.
((NATS))
((Zaman Stanizai , Professor, California State University))
Understand confusion, right? It's the name of your best teacher in life.
((NATS))
((Zaman Stanizai , Professor, California State University))
I approach Quran analytically. I study it. When I've questions, I go there. Sometimes people may not see me as their "ideal” type of Muslim and I don't care because my faith in God is between me and God, not between me and anyone else. Any level of identifying yourself with a smaller group, we are narrowing that window of seeing the universal divine.
((NATS))
TEASE ((VO/NAT))
Coming up
((Banner))
Walking the Dogs
((SOT))
BREAK TWO
BUMP IN ((ANIM))
BLOCK C
((PKG)) PUPPY MILLS
((Banner: Ending Puppy Mills))
((Reporter/Camera: Zahid Khattak))
((Map: Washington, D.C. area))
((NATS))
((John Goodwin, Director, “Stop Puppy Mills” Campaign, Humane Society of the United States))
In the United States, we love dogs. Dogs are standard parts of our family and yet, we still have millions of dogs who end up homeless for some reason or another and end up in animal shelters. And so, there's a large movement to adopt those dogs, to go to a shelter first to find a homeless animal who's had bad luck and needs a good place to go, because these are good animals.
((NATS))
((John Goodwin, Director, “Stop Puppy Mills” Campaign, Humane Society of the United States))
You see puppies for sale, or you see a website selling puppies. Remember, these are places that require a large volume of puppies to meet their demand. These are the kinds of places that go to puppy mills, but they're never going to tell you that. You can't walk into a pet store and know where the dogs came from because they try to hide that.
((NATS))
((John Goodwin, Director, “Stop Puppy Mills” Campaign, Humane Society of the United States))
Larger operations that keep the mother dogs in cages, oftentimes their paws never touching a blade of grass and sometimes these dogs are even killed when they're no longer able to produce enough litters.
((NATS))
((John Goodwin, Director, “Stop Puppy Mills” Campaign, Humane Society of the United States))
Puppy mills are still widespread throughout the United States. There are at least 10,000 puppy mills in the United States alone, producing over two million puppies a year.
((NATS))
((John Goodwin, Director, “Stop Puppy Mills” Campaign, Humane Society of the United States))
We get a lot of tips from people in the general public, who go to humane society.org, to contact us and let us know about a puppy mill that they're suspecting is operating in their community. And we will take that information to law enforcement and if a law is being broken, then law enforcement can get a search warrant and go in and see the cruelty or the neglect, and hopefully seize the dogs and take them to an animal shelter.
((NATS))
((John Goodwin, Director, “Stop Puppy Mills” Campaign, Humane Society of the United States))
When a group of dogs are rescued from a puppy mill, the first thing is that they need to be evaluated by a veterinarian. Some of them are going to have medical conditions that need to be treated immediately. After that, we put them in a temporary animal shelter, if it's a small area that doesn't have a nice facility for them to go to, or if it's an urban area, there may already be a good shelter and take them to. And eventually, the city or the community is able to take custody of the dogs and they can then be given to new homes where they can get a second chance at life, hopefully living in a loving atmosphere instead of a tiny cage.
((NATS))
((John Goodwin, Director, “Stop Puppy Mills” Campaign, Humane Society of the United States))
My dog was in an animal shelter and rescued, and she has rewarded me with so much love and attention and affection. She's really made my life better. It makes me question who rescued whom?
((NATS))
((PKG)) DOG WALKER
((Banner: On the Job: Dog Walker))
((Reporter/Camera: Lisa Vohra))
((Map: Fairfax, Virginia))
((NATS))
((Heather Rice, Owner, HCC Pets))
Recently one of my friends shared this meme on facebook is, describe what you do for your job without stating what it is and so I said, I go into people’s homes, remove precious items for 30 minutes and then return them with a note to state what I do.
((NATS))
((Heather Rice, Owner, HCC Pets))
Just kidding. I really just watch dogs for a living. I’m a dog walker.
((NATS))
((Heather Rice, Owner, HCC Pets))
I’m now in my 3rd year of being my own business owner.
((NATS))
No peeing on plants or mailboxes, that’s my rule.
((Heather Rice, Owner, HCC Pets))
I start off with Gretl, who is a puppy. She’s feisty and spunky and sporadic and so I have to be full on hands on deck when I’m with her.
((NATS))
((Heather Rice, Owner, HCC Pets))
From there I go to Axel who’s a little tough guy. He’s got two new baby humans in his life and so I give him a little bit of extra attention.
((Heather Rice, Owner, HCC Pets))
The world is my bathroom. Okay, hey hey hey, privacy, privacy!
((Heather Rice, Owner, HCC Pets))
From there I see Butters. She’s my oldest client. She’s going a little blind so we’ve slowed down a little bit on how we take the stairs, but, all in all, she’s a good girl.
((NATS))
((Heather Rice, Owner, HCC Pets))
Okay that’s enough. That’s enough. I think they’re secretly in love. That’s my story. That’s her boyfriend. They had a bit of a tiff. So, they’ve got to work it out through the window. They could absolutely hate each other, I have no idea, but I’m sticking with this star crossed lovers thing.
((NATS))
((Heather Rice, Owner, HCC Pets))
Where’s my girls at?
((Heather Rice, Owner, HCC Pets))
Then I go see Mitzy and Moose and sometimes Daisy. So, I see three dogs at once and they’re little ankle biters and they bark and they scream and they yell but they’re really the sweetest little pooches ever.
((NATS))
((Heather Rice, Owner, HCC Pets))
Well, I didn’t know I knew I could juggle until I started walking three dogs at once.
From there, I sometimes go see Jen’s dogs.
((NATS))
((Heather Rice, Owner, HCC Pets))
I have to take this. Hey Jen what’s up?
Yeah, 1 or 1:30, but that’s fine. If you’re going to be home, I’ll just skip them today. All right, I’ll see them tomorrow. All right, bye. And see, like right there is further proof. I mean its’s classic. People cancel on a dime. That’s my 1:30 client, now I don’t have to do them.
((Heather Rice, Owner, HCC Pets))
And next, we’ll go see Ovee who’s a little yellow lab. She’s had some issues. She likes to eat things and so she’s been dissected a few times.
((NATS))
((Heather Rice, Owner, HCC Pets))
She does not like going on walks. So, we chase the little red ball.
((NATS))
((Heather Rice, Owner, HCC Pets))
Working with animals is therapeutic. The way they see and view the world, from a very innocent and unexperienced eyes, even though you’re going around the same block you took them around two days ago. They see things way different than we do. Experimentation and exploration and I really find that animals are constantly being scientists and it’s fascinating.
((NATS))
((Heather Rice, Owner, HCC Pets))
Another thing great thing about animals is they don’t judge. Best co-workers ever.
((Heather Rice, Owner, HCC Pets))
They don’t talk back and if they do, you just give them a treat and they’re fine. They just give the love. They give love. Period.
((NATS))
((Heather Rice, Owner, HCC Pets))
She just wants belly love. Belly love. And we are learning the leash which we’re not very fond of. Nobody likes being on a string, but she is a good girl.
((NATS))
((Heather Rice, Owner, HCC Pets))
When I get off work, I like to hang out with my daughter and my wife, spend time with my own pets. We just do normal family things like talk about school and work.
((NATS))
((Heather Rice, Owner, HCC Pets))
I think a lot people just don’t give credit to what people of my field do. People are trusting you with their most precious thing, being their pet, and inside their second most precious thing, being their homes.
You have to have self-motivation. You have to have self-worth, and you have to have some pride in the people you work for and with.
((NATS))
NEXT WEEK / GOOD BYE ((VO/NAT))
((BANNER: Exploring Tennessee))
((SOT))
CLOSING ((ANIM))
voanews.com/connect
BREAK THREE
BUMP IN ((ANIM))
SHOW ENDS
