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Jul. 4th, 2007 10:31 amNever mind the latest Who news.
BBC's Alan Johnston has been released.
I know he was only one man; I know that he was far more fortunate than others in that he wasn't tortured or really harmed in any significant physical way; I know he was lucky because everybody knew him and he had thousands of people working to free him for the 16 weeks he was in captivity.
It still matters to me, because I was, like everyone else, shocked and horrified when he was taken. Call him stupid for staying there when all the other Western journalists had left, and I'll defend your right to that opinion - but I don't agree. In my eyes, he was incredibly brave, staying there, forging links and friendships with the locals, and making sure that Gaza didn't just become a media black hole. Maybe it was just the case that he would always be taken eventually, but it doesn't change the fact that he was brave - braver for knowing it, and also standing the risk of being killed in fighting - and deserved people working to set him free, just like everyone deserves it.
Like I say, for me this outshadows any announcements about s.4 of Who (no, I'm not even going to link, I'm too scared of being lambasted for spoilers...) but you're entitled to disagree (/disclaimer)
BBC's Alan Johnston has been released.
I know he was only one man; I know that he was far more fortunate than others in that he wasn't tortured or really harmed in any significant physical way; I know he was lucky because everybody knew him and he had thousands of people working to free him for the 16 weeks he was in captivity.
It still matters to me, because I was, like everyone else, shocked and horrified when he was taken. Call him stupid for staying there when all the other Western journalists had left, and I'll defend your right to that opinion - but I don't agree. In my eyes, he was incredibly brave, staying there, forging links and friendships with the locals, and making sure that Gaza didn't just become a media black hole. Maybe it was just the case that he would always be taken eventually, but it doesn't change the fact that he was brave - braver for knowing it, and also standing the risk of being killed in fighting - and deserved people working to set him free, just like everyone deserves it.
Like I say, for me this outshadows any announcements about s.4 of Who (no, I'm not even going to link, I'm too scared of being lambasted for spoilers...) but you're entitled to disagree (/disclaimer)
