Whats the significance of people rallying to keep Al-Jazeera on the air?
FIRST, I should say I’m not a spokesperson for Al-Jazeera, but I work there, and I obviously have tremendous respect and regard for the network. Al-Jazeera English is a refreshing change from what we’re offered here in this country, and it’s really encouraging to be in the one city in the United States that actually offers the network. I think it’s great that people turned out in support of it–in support of free speech and also the opportunity to be exposed to more than one perspective. I hope that more cities in the U.S. follow that lead and insist that their cable companies provide Al-Jazeera, because how can we say we live in a democracy when we can’t even get a TV station? HOW SERIOUSLY should we take right-wing, anti-Muslim groups like the “Vermont’s Defenders Council,” which has very few members but almost succeeded in suppressing Al-Jazeera? I THINK we should take them very seriously. Even though they’re small in number, they’re very vocal, and they have a lot of influence. In
