Civil Rights and Wrongs for August 24, 2021

In the face of the most contagious phase of the COVID-19 pandemic so far, not a few people have chosen to forgo vaccination.  And government officials in Texas (and elsewhere) even oppose mask mandates which could reduce contagion.  This week we consider the ethics of vaccination and mandates.  Our guest is James Marroquin, M.D., board-certified in internal medicine and palliative medicine, and faculty member at the Dell Medical School.  He is also certified in medical ethics and has served as co-chair of the task force designing medical ethics and humanities themes in the Dell Medical School curriculum.  We are also joined by regular guest Jim Harrington, retired founder of the Texas Civil Rights Project.  Michelle Manning-Scott, associate producer of this program, is with us as well.

In the second half of the show, we’ll hear from Austin Sanders, Staff Writer for the Austin Chronicle.  Austin tells us about the three finalists for the position of Chief of the Austin Police Department, as well as the state of curriculum revision at the Police Training Academy.  In addition, he provides updates on the Save Austin Now ballot initiative, the approval of the 2021-22 city budget, and the state of homeless encampments and arrests.