Former Evangelical Christian Minister
Former Evangelical Christian minister, divorced and now openly gay; writer and performer
PROFILE
Peterson Toscano
Guest
FROM Peterson Toscano
To the Point
Homosexuality: Nurture or Nature? Homosexuality is an issue in churches, state legislatures and even presidential elections--especially with anti-gay Christian conservatives in the Republican Party. Last year, Pastor Ted Haggard was fired from the 14,000-member New Life Church for admitting a three-year relationship with a male prostitute. Now, Haggard says, three weeks of intensive therapy have him on what he calls "the road to recovery." One friend says Haggard is "completely heterosexual." Such claims raise a lot of questions. We discuss a personal and scientific question with political implications.
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To the Point
Venezuela spirals into economic and political chaos Venezuela, a country whose potential for prosperity is unmatched, finds itself on the verge of civil war. What sustains the repressive government? With time running out, guest host León Krauze looks at what the international community can do to pull the country from the edge of collapse.
To the Point
Human Rights in the era of Donald Trump President Trump’s UN Ambassador, Nikki Haley, said today the US might pull out of the United Nations’ Human Rights Council. Serious violators of human rights are members of the Council itself–and a US resignation could make things worse. Later on today’s show, now that he’s into his second term, comedian turned US Senator Al Franken is telling jokes again.
To the Point
Terrorism and tweets, hate speech and murder Just days before an election, Britain is coping with a rash of deadly terrorism, and Prime Minister Theresa May is on the defensive. And again today, President Trump has tweeted criticism of the Mayor of London. Later, a double murder in Portland, Oregon has revealed the ugly past of a supposedly “progressive” city. One immediate question: is “hate speech” protected by the First Amendment?
To the Point
Trump plays scolder-in-chief with NATO allies At the opening of NATO’s dramatic new headquarters in Brussels today, President Trump acknowledged that Article 5 — promising that “an attack on one nation is an attack on all” -- has only been invoked one time: in the aftermath of September 11. But the President failed to provide what 27 other Alliance members have been waiting for: a re-commitment by America’s new leader to Article 5. Instead, they got a scolding.