OST Third Anniversary: Best Of Show Pt. 2

George Takei, conspiracy theories, debate

This week "On Second Thought" celebrates three years on the air. The show launched October 20, 2014. To celebrate, we’re re-airing a few of our best segments. Do you have a favorite segment or episode? Let us know.

Actor George Takei first came to fame as a young Sulu in the original Star Trek series. But he’s since become an active voice in promoting equal rights for LGBT people. We spoke to Takei earlier this year when the play “Allegiance,” was showing in Atlanta movie theaters. The play is inspired by Takei’s experiences in a U.S. internment camp during World War II.

Belief and fact don’t always line up. An Emory University class dives into the convoluted world of conspiracy theories, and how they influence American politics. In April, we talked with instructor Felix Harcourt and two of his students, Carolyn Koehnke and Laura Marquez, about the seedy world of conspiracy theories.

Last year, the U.S. Universities Debating Championship was held at Morehouse College, the first historically black college to host the tournament. Debate in this context is more than an argument. It's a formal contest with rules. We brought in some experts to walk us through those rules. Ken Newby is the Director of the Forensics Program at Morehouse College. We also spoke with two members of the debate team with him, Da'Von Boyd and Keith Matier.