ship ▁by ▁the ▁magazine ' s ▁edit ors ▁and ▁those ▁published ▁sometimes ▁caused ▁off ended ▁letters ▁from ▁readers . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁G AL ▁was ▁a ▁guest ▁in ▁the ▁political ▁talk show ▁De ▁Ze ven de ▁D ag ▁on ▁the ▁F lem ish ▁national ▁TV ▁station ▁V RT , ▁in ▁a ▁special ▁transmission ▁live ▁from ▁the ▁F lem ish ▁Parliament . ▁When ▁he ▁showed ▁some ▁cart o ons ▁critical ▁of ▁the ▁then ▁popular ▁far - right ▁party ▁V la ams ▁Blo k ▁( today ▁V la ams ▁Bel ang ) ▁all ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁party ▁left ▁the ▁building ▁in ▁off ense . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁G AL ▁tempor arily ▁lost ▁his ▁eyes ight ▁due ▁to ▁an ▁em bol y . ▁After ▁a ▁while ▁he ▁discovered ▁a ▁hand y ▁method ▁to ▁continue ▁his ▁work . ▁ ▁On ▁ 2 ▁April ▁ 2 0 1 9 ▁Gal ▁will ▁receive ▁a ▁honor ary ▁doctor ate ▁from ▁the ▁Free ▁University ▁in ▁Br uss els . ▁ ▁Status ▁ ▁G AL ' s ▁social ▁eng agement ▁as ▁a ▁cart oon ist ▁is ▁not ▁restricted ▁to ▁sole ly ▁drawing ▁and ▁painting . ▁The ▁past ▁dec ades ▁he ▁participated ▁in ▁many ▁public ▁demonstr ations . ▁He ▁also ▁devoted ▁his ▁talent ▁and ▁energy ▁to ▁many ▁political ▁and ▁social ▁causes , ▁including ▁Ox f am , ▁Am n esty ▁International , ▁and ▁made ▁cart o ons ▁and ▁illustr ations ▁for ▁mag az ines ▁like ▁Hum o , ▁De ▁N ieu we , ▁Pan or ama