After learning about this story on Democracy Now https://www.democracynow.org/2011/11/18/headlines#16 , I Googled the web for more information. I was astounded to discover that no matter which keywords I used for my search, NOTHING about this incident appeared on the internet.
It is imperative that we as freedom-loving people recognize the significance of such a thing. We are being censored with alarming frequency. (See the post on ACTA: http://www.gatheringspot.net/topic/take-action-now/house-hearings-sweeping-internet-censorship-legislation-week-and-its-censoring)
With this post, I am doing my part to support free speech. ~ Noa
National Press Club Suspends Journalist After Questioning of Saudi Prince
A veteran journalist is accusing the National Press Club of censorship for suspending him in response to his questioning of a member of the Saudi royal family at a news conference earlier this week. The journalist, Sam Husseini of the Institute for Public Accuracy, questioned Prince Turki al-Faisal al-Sa’ud.
Sam Husseini: "There’s been a lot of talk about the legitimacy of the Syrian regime, I want to know what legitimacy your regime has sir. You come before us, representative of one of the most autocratic, misogynistic regimes on the face of the earth. Human Rights Watch and other reports of torture detention of activist, you squelched the democratic uprising in Bahrain, you tried to overturn the democratic uprising in Egypt and indeed you continue to oppress your own people. What legitimacy does your regime have — other than billions of dollars and weapons?"
Peter Hickman, National Press Club: "Sam, let him answer."
Prince Turki al-Faisal al-Sa’ud: "Would you like to come and speak here? Would you like to come and speak here?"
Husseini: "I’d like you to try to answer that question."
Turki: "I will try my best sir. Well sir, I don’t know if you’ve been to the kingdom or not?"
Husseini: "What legitimacy do you have, sir?"
Turki: "Have you been to the kingdom?"
Husseini: "What legitimacy does your regime have, other than oppressing your own people?"
William McCarren, Executive director of the National Press Club: "Put your question and let him answer, we have a whole room of people."
Husseini: "He [Turki] asked me a question. He asked me and I responded.
Turki: "No you did not respond."
Hickman: "Go ahead —"
Turki: "Anyway ladies and gentlemen I advise anybody who has these questions to come to the kingdom and see for themselves. I don’t need to justify my country’s legitimacy."
Days after that exchange, Hussein received a letter from the National Press Club informing him he would be suspended for two weeks. In response, Husseini said: "I engaged in tough journalism with a powerful government official from an autocratic regime that is allied with the U.S. government. This apparently warrants suspension from the National Press Club."
I had to dig for it, but I found the video documenting this incident. Watch it before Youtube takes it down.