Late last year, a Tunisian street vendor set himself on fire to protest police harassment. Within days, that horrific act of defiance, sparked a protest movement across the Middle East that has come to be known as the "Arab Spring". Demonstrators in many countries have challenged authoritarian governments --- in some cases, toppling long-standing leaders.
Beirut-based journalist Rami Khouri came to Cleveland yesterday to give his take on those dramatic events at a special City Club forum at Saint Ignatius High School, sponsored by the Northeast Ohio Consortium for Middle East Studies.
Ideastream's Rick Jackson spoke with Khouri before his lecture...
Their conversation began with Khoury speaking about why should the average person from here in Northeast Ohio care about what's happening now in the Middle East...
