The perp walk; Persecution of the Baha'i faith; Treasurers for the poor: Spoon River; Papal progress report

The perp walk - Michael's essay: (00:00:26) Why the police seem to be in love with handcuffs.

The persecution of the Baha'is of Iran: (00:04:27) Iran, the birthplace of the Baha'i faith, now seems intent on burying the religion. That is the story Maziar Bahari tells in a new documentary film called To Light a Candle.  The Iranian-Canadian journalist and filmmaker is perhaps best-known as the subject of Jon Stewart's film Rosewater, chronicling his wrongful incarceration in Iran's Evin Prison.

Listener mail: (00:26:27)  Response to  last week's interview with Barbara Taylor, author of The Last Asylum

Treasurers for the poor:  (00:31:03) A growing number of city treasurers across the U.S. have become anti-poverty activists, championing programs to help residents who are having trouble paying their taxes. Michael talks to Heidi Goldberg, program director for the National League of Cities.
  
The graveyard comes alive: (00:44:14) In Edgar Lee Masters' poetry cycle, The Spoon River Anthology, the stories of the dead in one small town come back to life - and sing! Four members of Soulpepper Theatre's production team will join me to talk about their new musical adaptation, and to perform songs from the production.

A Papal progress report: (01:28:25)  It has been two years since Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, a relatively unknown prelate from Argentina, was elected as Pope. Pope Francis's humble personal style, his pastoral focus and his vow to clean up the corruption and cronyism that plague the Catholic church, have excited the faithful around the world. But Pope Francis has powerful enemies. How much progress has he made?  Michael Higgins of Sacred Heart University gives us his score-sheet.