28 November 2006
Interview With Saint Thomas University Journalism Student Mayya Assouad Concerning the Proposal of a Wet Shelter
:Mayya Assouad: Wet Shelters Interview Script:
Host intro:
“When homeless alcoholics go through withdrawal and get desperate, they can become dangerous to themselves and others. The executive director of the Fredericton shelter, Pat Carlson, recommends the creation of Wet Shelters, a controversial solution. Mayya Assouad has the story.”
Shot of Men's Shelter:
V/O: “Providing homeless people with a shelter is something most people support, but providing them with a wet shelter sparks controversy.
Pat Carlson on the Phone taking her Messages:
V/O: “Pat Carlson is the executive director of the Fredericton shelter, and she believes giving homeless alcoholics a little bit of alcohol is just as important as giving them a hot meal or a warm bed.”
Shot of Pat Carlson:
SOT: “The idea of somebody taking a small amount of alcohol as to satisfy their craving plus to keep them from becoming very sick and going into seizures and also to keep them from getting drunk so they don’t get into that negative social behavior. So it’s two fold, to protect the individual and to protect society.”
Stand-up in small room:
O/C: “Pat Carlson explains that a wet shelter is a small room with a few tables and chairs just like this one. People go in every hour to drink 6 to 8 ounces of either beer or wine, before heading back to the main shelter. Carlson says it’s just like medication.”
Shot Pat Carlson:
Shot of Michael McKay:
SOT: “It’s that simple. It’s really not a complicated thing at all. I guess the biggest complication is what’s in people’s mind.”
Shot of Michael McKay:
SOT: “I think part of her idea is an excellent idea. Yes they need to get them off the street, no they don’t need to feed them this stuff.”
Shot of Michael McKay still talking, low volume:
V/O: “Michael McKay is a St. Thomas university graduate, but also a former addict and alcoholic. And although one might think that considering his past, McKay would support the idea of wet shelter, he strongly opposes them.”
Shot of Blog on computer screen:
V/O: “McKay expresses his opinions on wet shelters in his online Blog: McKay’s Corner, where he even compared the "Wet Shelters" to a form of euthanasia.”
Shot of Michael McKay:
SOT: “If I had been allowed to continue to receive the alcohol beverage of choice in a program like this, to receive rationed portions of it, and not to be weaned off of it, then I would have never graduated.”
Shot of Pat Carlson:
SOT: “Good for you if you’ve been able to do this, but we’re still dealing with another group of people who have never been able to do it. So do we ignore them as saying oh well you’re just a poor worthless soul till you figure out how to do abstinence, or do we say, well you know what, there just could be some people who are not prepared to go psychologically, mentally, physically, spiritually, they can’t do the dry thing.”
Shot of Michael McKay talking, low volume:
V/O: “Michael McKay agrees that not everyone can go dry without some help, but he says this program isn’t helping alcoholics get passed their addiction.”
SOT: “I’m not down on Pat, I think the world of her, I really do, but in this area, because it’s close to home for me, I just think there should be resources for getting people off it. Right now, she told me directly that’s not what this program is about.”
Shot of Pat talking, low volume:
V/O: “Although the public response hasn’t been very encouraging, Carlson is not giving up, she sees the wet shelter being built in the near future.”
Shot of Pat Carlson:
SOT: “When the environment is stirred enough and the right mix has been- It will happen. So I just plant the seeds and see where the trees grow.”
Shot of Pat nodding:
V/O: “For STU Journalism, I’m Mayya Assouad.”
(C) Copyright Saint Thomas University Journalism 2006
Host intro:
“When homeless alcoholics go through withdrawal and get desperate, they can become dangerous to themselves and others. The executive director of the Fredericton shelter, Pat Carlson, recommends the creation of Wet Shelters, a controversial solution. Mayya Assouad has the story.”
Shot of Men's Shelter:
V/O: “Providing homeless people with a shelter is something most people support, but providing them with a wet shelter sparks controversy.
Pat Carlson on the Phone taking her Messages:
V/O: “Pat Carlson is the executive director of the Fredericton shelter, and she believes giving homeless alcoholics a little bit of alcohol is just as important as giving them a hot meal or a warm bed.”
Shot of Pat Carlson:
SOT: “The idea of somebody taking a small amount of alcohol as to satisfy their craving plus to keep them from becoming very sick and going into seizures and also to keep them from getting drunk so they don’t get into that negative social behavior. So it’s two fold, to protect the individual and to protect society.”
Stand-up in small room:
O/C: “Pat Carlson explains that a wet shelter is a small room with a few tables and chairs just like this one. People go in every hour to drink 6 to 8 ounces of either beer or wine, before heading back to the main shelter. Carlson says it’s just like medication.”
Shot Pat Carlson:
Shot of Michael McKay:
SOT: “It’s that simple. It’s really not a complicated thing at all. I guess the biggest complication is what’s in people’s mind.”
Shot of Michael McKay:
SOT: “I think part of her idea is an excellent idea. Yes they need to get them off the street, no they don’t need to feed them this stuff.”
Shot of Michael McKay still talking, low volume:
V/O: “Michael McKay is a St. Thomas university graduate, but also a former addict and alcoholic. And although one might think that considering his past, McKay would support the idea of wet shelter, he strongly opposes them.”
Shot of Blog on computer screen:
V/O: “McKay expresses his opinions on wet shelters in his online Blog: McKay’s Corner, where he even compared the "Wet Shelters" to a form of euthanasia.”
Shot of Michael McKay:
SOT: “If I had been allowed to continue to receive the alcohol beverage of choice in a program like this, to receive rationed portions of it, and not to be weaned off of it, then I would have never graduated.”
Shot of Pat Carlson:
SOT: “Good for you if you’ve been able to do this, but we’re still dealing with another group of people who have never been able to do it. So do we ignore them as saying oh well you’re just a poor worthless soul till you figure out how to do abstinence, or do we say, well you know what, there just could be some people who are not prepared to go psychologically, mentally, physically, spiritually, they can’t do the dry thing.”
Shot of Michael McKay talking, low volume:
V/O: “Michael McKay agrees that not everyone can go dry without some help, but he says this program isn’t helping alcoholics get passed their addiction.”
SOT: “I’m not down on Pat, I think the world of her, I really do, but in this area, because it’s close to home for me, I just think there should be resources for getting people off it. Right now, she told me directly that’s not what this program is about.”
Shot of Pat talking, low volume:
V/O: “Although the public response hasn’t been very encouraging, Carlson is not giving up, she sees the wet shelter being built in the near future.”
Shot of Pat Carlson:
SOT: “When the environment is stirred enough and the right mix has been- It will happen. So I just plant the seeds and see where the trees grow.”
Shot of Pat nodding:
V/O: “For STU Journalism, I’m Mayya Assouad.”
(C) Copyright Saint Thomas University Journalism 2006
