The Audacity of Mubarak!

It's been a while... every now and then I get ideas about things I really want to write about, but seeing as how things are these days, I am just too busy to do it.

But then, every once in a while something happens which really really ticks me off... It's actually pretty amazing that this only happens every once in while because there are plenty of things to tick one off....

This time, I couldn't hold back! This is one of those entries that should have been written in Arabic, but this is kind of challenging for me when the keyboard doesn't have Arabic letters for guidance.. so here we go.

I refer you to today's Ahram newspaper, first page. Here's the link to the article I am referring to:

http://www.ahram.org.eg/Index.asp?CurFN=fron17.htm&DID=9559

If you don't know Arabic, the article is basically a futile attempt by the state-run newspaper to discredit the internet as a medium. The reason is obvious: the recent call for a strike that originated in Facebook!

A basic summary of the article is as follows:

"Internet is bad because a few evil youths use it to publish porn, false accusations, and calls for social instability. Even though these youths are minority, they're flooding the internet with their content to the point that requires a stance from the majority of internet users before the governement's security forces intervene. Even though Egypt prides itself on having the largest internet user base in the region, the medium has now become infested with porn, and profane language, which taints this advanced technological medium which the West has used for the purposes of advancement of their societies, and for which we use for calls for violence promoted by people hiding behind pen-names and others looking for fame and thrill. So you find sourceless calls for strike and for pharmacies to close, in a manner unmatched by any society in the world. Others yet call for writing anti-government messages on monetary notes, while others make accusations that surpass the limit of what's acceptable, in a manner that breaks any civil law in the world. There aslo vidoes on Youtube with two-way accusations between Christians and Muslims regarding abuse. One person even dared to publish the Dutch movie against Islam via email!"

This is an inexact translation... feel free to correct me if anything has been mistranslated.

What do I say? Of all the silliest, most ridiculous attempts to brainwash people, this is by far the silliest. Over and above being silly, it is insulting and infuriating for all of us who have found a way to express our minds through the internet. As such, I would like to address this article point by point:

1. The attempt of our respected government of Egypt to band together porn, obscentiy, religious unrest and political protest is unacceptable and insulting. The call for the strike was a direct result of our government's failed economic policy which has left millions of Egyptians below the poverty line, while our "elected" government officials find ways to divide up the pie. Position this any way they liked, our people are fed up and afraid. Civil disobedience was the only way to go... protestors are beaten and leaders of protests are sent to jail. A strike was an attempt on the part of these youths to send a message to our government, which seems bent on shutting its ear. The calls for a strike are not obscenity and not porn - it is a right that people of free will can try to exercise when they're fed up. Which we are, in case the government has not noticed. Mixing the bad with the good is a cheap trick that no one will fall for!

2. Accusations? How about evidence? Why are people like Yousif Waly and Ibrahim Nafe'e still free? Who is responsible for their getting away with everything they've committed? Are bloggers and facebook writers the enemy or men of the likes of these people? When an average citizen sees that people of low moral values can get away with anything, this basically shifts the whole value system of our society. The corruption of our government has led to the mainstreaming of corruption, and now it's just become a way of life. Are these false accusations? Are we imagining the corruption? Are we all crazy and our governement the only sane entity in Egypt?

3. Let's run a comparison between the West and us in terms of internet and other things. First of all, everything which the government tries to paint as traits of our internet users exists in the West and to a much larger scale. I do not condone porn or obscenity. But any attempt by our government to paint its people as backwards in comparison to the west is deconstructive and insulting. The internet is uncensored media, so naturally everything appears on it... in our world, as much as in the west. But some key differences include that the West's bloggers can write whatever they want and critisize whomever they please without fear of being jailed. And for that matter, Western countries lead their countries into better standards of living. In addition - and this is just a cherry on the cake - they actually have elections, not a shameful act of theater. So basically, both the west and us similar content publishers (bad and good), but the west has better governements for their people, while we're stuck with this rotten government that unable to provide the least expecations of humanity to its people!

4. No where in the call for the strike was there a call to close pharmacies. I checked the text, and I could not find anything related to pharmacies. That's simply a twisting of the truth that attempts to paint this strike with the color black. Does the governement think we're idiots? People of Egypt have the sense to discern that if they are doctors or pharmacists, then the strike does not include them. (I know first hand because both of my siblings are doctors who went to work even though I suspect they may have otherwise joined the strike). Similary, the people of Egypt are smarter than this futile attempt to disgrace the only attempt at an honorable action by the people of Egypt.

The bottom line is: Mubarak, if you had any dignity you would resign. Politcally, I have no agendas. But societally, we need a government that takes better care of its people. Whatever illusions you may have about what you've done for Egypt, I (and alot of others) can tell you that you've failed. The only decent thing to do now is to step down, and let people who are capable and committed to making this country better step up.

But then who am I kidding

Questions...

Everytime I go to downtown Cairo, I get a bit nostalgic. I try to imagine that part of Cairo 50 years ago when it was still shining... and I can't help but wonder what happened to us? When you're downtown the next time, try to imagine the streets without the crowd of cars and people and pollution. Try to imagine the buildings in brand new form, the streets clean, and the air crisp and fresh. For me, this transformation exemplifies what has happened to us as a people.

I can't help but wonder about the so many things I always wonder about. I have so many unanswered questions - and what's worse, I have so many people who feel they're already found the answers.

Why can't we agree, as a people, to bring about positive change?

Why do we accept, as a people, to be humiliated every day in a thousand ways, the least of which the pollution in our air and water?

Why is that the death of thousands in a ship wreck has become something for us to get angry about for a few hours (or even a couple of days) and then forget about completely and go on with our everyday lives as if nothing has happened? (I, too, am guilty).

Why is it ok for us to remain oppressed by a regime that has been refuted by the intelligentia after turning the majority of the country into followers?

Have we become insensitive to oppression? Was that the plan from the start? To get the majority of a nation to get used to being oppressed such that it becomes a fact of life?

Why are we not calling for our rights with enough force to be heard?

When can we get our country back - get our society back?

When will we retain the respect of the world in a manner that prevents abuse and disrespect of our sacred symbols?

When will we accept our responsibility as a people towards others who have been placed in the line of fire while we sleep safely in our homes? When will we be men (in the philosophical sense) to accept our responsibility towards our daughters, sisters and mothers who get raped everyday in those places of the world?

When will we wake up from the opium being fed to us from every direction?

What will it take? What will it take?

I have asked before what can we do - the best reply I got was to shut up and forget about it.

I don't want to remain a cynicist, but when that's the only response I get - I have to remain a cynicist.

I call again upon those who want to make a difference... what can we do for this society?

Why We MUST Destroy the Sphinx!

Have you ever noticed how long it takes for people to disappear in Egypt? Off course, by disappear I mean those who have appeared. As everyone knows, we all don't really exist in this country. The sole purpose of our existence is to provide the filling for those who are eating Egypt up. What I mean is people who have had the good fortune (and misfortune for us) of making it to our public life. As soon as they get there, they become a fact of life that we have to cope with for ages.

This phenomenon spans many fields... it's not any one field in specific. But for instance, when does anyone expect Nadia Al-Guindy or Nabila Ebeid to stop acting - or at least stop doing seductive roles at the age of 10,000? How about Adel Emam (with all due respect - anyone can over do it). Hussam Hassan! When will I stop hearing his name in association with soccer and perhaps in association with.. I don't know.. perhaps a home for the elderly (he IS elderly). Off course, our beloved governement is finally changing somewhat, but you still hear names that seem to be coming from the Pharaonic ages such as Amal Osman or Safwat Al-Sherif... I mean, I can hardly believe that there an earthly power actually exists to remove someone like Kamal Al-Shazely, but still most of our ministers (even the new ones) have overstayed their welcome.

The examples are many - and I tried to find out why this phenomenon exists in our society. Off course, it was easy to note that our biggest role models are in heads of state: Abdel Nasser: 16 years in power; Sadat: 11 years in power; Mubarak: 24 years in power (this is the energizer bunny of Egyptian presidents).

But an ideal so ingrained in our psyche can only originate from something more ever-lasting. I was walking around Giza, hands in my pocket, wondering where the inspiration for this permanence may come from. Then suddenly, I looked up and saw the source of inspiration. For 5000 years, the great Sphinx has provided inspiration for thousands of fame-seekers. There he sits, in all his majesty, with a smirk on his face that promises ages of presence in our midst.

We MUST destroy the Sphinx.

My take on Egypolitics - better late than never!

OK maybe I am late, but I had to say it!

For quite some time, I'd been wanting to participate in the on-going talks on the streets of Cairo regarding the political scene. Presidential elections, parliamentary elections, opposition solidarity… seems so much is going on. I'd been abstaining from venturing my humble opinion because I didn't want to seem like the party pooper amidst all the excitement. But in the wake of the disappointing parliamentary elections, where religion was an instrument for politics, I feel I need to blurt it out (may not feel better anyway but will do it!)

I think I'd be echoing opinions already ventured by many others who are probably much more expert at political science than me when I say that this whole excitement about the political scene is a farce. A sound political system requires many things – an educated populace and equal access to media to name a couple. Whether over 80% of the votes did go to Mubarak or not is the not the issue; the percentage basically represents nothing except the extent of the problem.

So am I personally disturbed by the fact that we don't have a real political scene? Not one bit. As far as I am concerned, I am not bleeding my heart over any of the political movements in Egypt. As a 30 year old Egyptian male who is moderately intelligent and educated, I am simply unconvinced with the ability of the leaders of any of the political movements in Egypt to lead this country into a new renaissance (and for many, I don't even trust their intentions). Secondly, being unaffiliated with any specific political ideology (I have one of my own). I am not blindly following slogans raised in fervor ("Islam is the Solution" and such).

Hence, being free of the need to politicize, I can say that as an average Egyptian citizen, I don't care one bit who rules this country. I am totally indifferent to their backgrounds, ideologies, and leaders. It's not that I am apathetic; I just think that this simply is not the issue. I don't care how the rulers of Egypt come to power, I don't care if I agree with their ideologies, I don't even care for their level of integrity (Does it get any more desperate than that?). So what is it that I am looking for? Just my rights as a citizen. Any political party or leader who provides me with these rights has my support to own the country as far as I am concerned. What are these rights? Here are some of the most important ones:
The right to a good education
The right to a generally acceptable level of municipal and civil services.
The right to be respected in my own country.
The right to good medical services.
The right to express myself without fear of persecution (as long as this expression does not infringe upon the rights of others)
The right to breathe clean air and drink clean water

I could name a thousand others: the right to drive on well-paved streets, the assurance that these rights won't be violated by someone with the necessary clout, the right to a working judicial system - the list never ends. In my mind, this is the social contract that gives the government real legitimacy. I will pledge eternal allegiance to any government that embraces this social contract.

And before I forget, I must retain the right to boot the government that's not doing a good job (not personally off course).


In short, I want a government that guarantees all citizens the tools necessary for them to reach their full potentials, to be hampered only on accord of their own will and drive. I will not pledge allegiance to any political party or movement until I am convinced that they can get the job done. For now, I will remain the apathetic abstainer from the current political scene.

I want everyone to participate in forming this social contract. If you have ideas or suggestions or interjections, please send post them. Together, we can build the Book of Citizen Demands, and then wait patiently for the first glimmer of hope that any of the participants in the political scene will pick up on this country manual and work diligently towards fulfilling it.

The way it looks right now, we will have to have a lot of patience.

But then again, patience is all we've ever had.

Mubarak's caricature courtesy of http://www.opdebeeck.com/.