The State We’re In, 26 December 2009: our producers pick their favourite stories for this year’s show on the theme of giving gifts. Gifts like the song a boss in Texas got after chewing out her wayward, and then repentant, employees and after Rwandan singer Jean Paul Samputu discovered his best friend murdered his whole family in the genocide there, he gave him the gift of forgiveness.

Listen to this week's show in full:

We're always searching for personal stories about human rights and how we treat each other. Do you have a story to share with us? If so click here.
  
OR - You can visit our Facebook page where you can discuss the program and send in ideas.
 
I was a bad boss, briefly
Elaine Pondant of Nacogdoces, Texas, had a terrible supervisor and swore she would never be a bad boss. Then one day, she did just that. Elaine explains what pushed her over the edge and how she climbed back. Chosen by Dave McGuire.

Collaborative divorce - a personal story
Cathryn and Peter Merten were brought together by destiny and a couple of errant cases of chicken pox.  They married, had two kids and a life that seemed to be going according to plan… except that it didn’t. A portrait of a love story where boy gets girl, boy marries girl, boy splits up with girl and then they become friends. Chosen by Dheera Sujan.
 
Personal loss in Rwanda
Jean-Paul Samputu is a Rwandan musician whose family was slaughtered in the genocide of 1994. He tells Jonathan about forgiving the murderer of his family, who happened to be a childhood friend. Chosen by Eric Beauchemin.

Forgiveness in Rwanda
Jonathan continues the discussion with Jean-Paul Samputu and Vincent Ntkirutimana about their reunion nearly a decade after Vincent murdered Jean-Paul’s family.
 
Down’s but not out
Otto Baxter is 22 years old and has Down’s syndrome. He also wants to have sex. But that’s not so easy in a culture which marginalizes people with disabilities. He and his mother, Lucy, talk openly about why it’s his right to do what other people his age are doing. Chosen by Chris Chambers.