I wasn’t there and I have no right to comment. I’m just another person on the other side of the world trying to keep up with events in Egypt from what I see in the media. So why am I writing this? I feel the urge because of the rush of emotion it has created in me. I’ve been to Egypt. I love it. In fact I love a lot of northern Africa. I’ve always been made to feel very welcome there by the people. Perhaps I’ve just been lucky. It’s often easier to believe what you’re told on the nightly news. The place is full of terrorists, the people hate westerners and would really rather you weren’t there. I’ve always found the opposite to be true. I think the bedouin spirit still thrives. The people are respectful to their guests and go out of their way to welcome you. Of course I am only talking from my own experience, but more often than not my encounters have been with honourable people. And it was this honour and pride of self that came through in the Egyptian protests. Many of the protesters were educated……doctors, lawyers, IT executives. All were articulate, patient and believing. There was passion but not exercised in a negative, violent way. There was frustration, but it didn’t explode into crazed action. It was measured. And this behaviour from a people handcuffed by a dictatorship under short-term emergency laws that lasted 30 years. These were not people in power, they were individuals who usually just go about their daily tasks of earning a living and protecting their families. But when pulled together under a banner of united purpose, they were unstoppable. Such fierce determination whilst retaining their dignity is to be applauded. It’s rarely seen but hopefully a new trend in how we as humans can go about making positive change. And I really do hope that Egypt will go forth in a positive direction. Yes, there is room now for all types of unsavoury parties to seep into Egypt’s being, but if what we’ve seen from the people so far is anything to go by, I feel that everything will be ok. But not just ok, extraordinary. They have created for themselves a massive opportunity. I hope it doesn’t go to waste. Side by side with the frustration and anger in Tahrir Square, there was also a lot of love. Love of a people for each other and for their country. Let’s hope this can now continue it’s spread across the world.
The military also conducted itself in exemplary fashion. Isn’t this how a country’s protection unit should behave? It is there to protect the countryman, not the politician in power. I guess you could argue that the politician is also a countryman, but it seems that they all too often forget this once they receive that alluring title, so attractive to the ego. The country must come first. The people must come first. And here we saw what happens when you kick the dog too many times. It bites back.
Egypt has always been a civilisation to look up to, from the dawning of time. A proud, intelligent people in a fascinating geography. Here they welcome in a new era, an era that for the first time for 7000 years does not include a Pharaoh. It seems strange. But it also seems right. Time will tell.
bo dietl spoke about the same subject matter a few months ago on a recent Don Imus program. Strange how everybody doesn’t seem to feel the same way.