Revolution In Egypt
Egyptian protester kisses a young riot officer. Via
The system is completely fucked. The people revolting in Egypt are completely going around politicians, around the United States, around the ‘international community’, around Human Rights Watch, around Amnesty, because those are all part of the system. The people who are revolting were born as Mubarak’s regime began and they are breaking the system by simply ignoring and going around it. What’s most exposed here is both the paucity and the value of hypocrisy. The US and international media and international orgs have not really practiced what they preached, but young people have listened anyways. They’ve listened to the language and freedom of democracy and ignored the compromises that adults have made to maintain stability. This is, in many ways, youth remaking their society in the Middle East. It is them applying their hypocritical education, to uncertain results.
It’s a beautiful thing to watch. The people of Egypt are fighting oppression without terrorism, without violence, without even politicians or ideology. In the same way, random leakers pierced the veil of American diplomacy with WikiLeaks and generally the veil that the adults are in charge and know what’s going on is falling around the Arab world. Just as humanity itself must be restored with youth, so must human institutions. So, Middle Eastern networks like Al Jazeera are covering the revolution, Arab people are leading it, and people power is pulling conservative media and politicians unwillfully forward in its wake.
In the past people had to trust other people with their interests, politicians, journalists, or freedom fighters. Personally I think the system needs to change even more dramatically, I think representative democracy itself has to evolve beyond periodic votes to technologically taking constant feedback from the people. But not quite yet. But for now, this is the form it takes, a shapeless mass, asking for change, loosely networked, but ultimately peaceful, powerful and just.
The danger is that after the revolution there will be nothing to replace it, but that is a chance the Egyptian people want to take. They are not concerned about stability that benefits other states (primarily the US and Israel) but about making a dramatic change to improve their own lives. It’s an amazing thing to watch. I’m hooked on the Al Jazeera live feed right now.
Other great sources:
The Egypt Tumblr feed
The Daily Dish
Global Voices
lol, what bunch of dumb fucks. In Egypt the people who are pulling the strings is the radical Islamic element. until that gets crush no amount of middle class protests will resolve anything
When the people revolt against the tyrants on behalf of secular freedom and justice, not on behalf of religion, You (hypocrites) are deeply concerned. Why concern, why not joy that freedom is given a chance??
so how about we all hold hands and dance in circle am sure that will convince the hardcore islamists to support a secular government
1. This is the very popular comment by western pundits – creating a fear about Islamist although no Islamist group is behind this protest,and, then, they say Obama should back Mubarak, that the US should increase “aid” to the Egyptian military !! What is clear is this fear is not sincere.
2. Still, if you see the active Islamist group in Egypt, “Muslim Brotherhood” (Remember, they are not behind this protest) they are not radical like Al-Qaida (which is created by US). They are non-violent and law-abiding.
3. The actual problem is not the religion but equal rights, atonomy, having access to wealth etc.
4. If current puppet regimes in middle east can be toppled then this extreme radical Islamic groups will disappear.
5. Remember, that, U.S. actively promoted Islamic fundamentalism as a counterweight to Arab nationalism.
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Indi Samarajiva, Thameera Senanayaka. Thameera Senanayaka said: Revolution In Egypt http://t.co/a4tLspA via @indica [...]
Often quoted quotes by Sun Tzupaksha modified to suit the present day Sri Lanka, Tunisia, Egypt etc
“You must listen to the words of Sun-Tzupaksha. If you will not listen to the words of Sun-Tzupaksha, one third of your army will die, one third of your army will desert you and one third of your army will sell vegetables in the market.”
“There is no victory unless you scream ‘maathrooboomeyaa’ bang your chest and kiss the airport tarmac.”
“The general who heeds the words of Sun-Tzupaksha shall be victorious. The general who does not heed the words of Sun-Tzupaksha shall be defeated. The general who has never even heard of Sun-Tzupaksha and just spends his time writing to groundviews about paradigm shifts and semantics shall be made Ambassador of France.”
“To win, you must know yourself, know your enemy, know your weapons, and know how to blow those people who don’t agree with your point of view from the face of this earth.”
“Victory cannot be achieved by writing to groundviews about paradigm shifts and semantics, unless you are fighting an enemy that gives up or simply dies outright upon being exposed to paradigm shifts and semantics on groundviews.”
“Know what your enemies are afraid of. They will retreat, and you will destroy them without fighting any lawsuits.”
“Know your enemy, know yourself, know your girlfriend’s ex Pradeshiya Saba husband’s abusive temperament, know his work schedule, and most importantly know the fastest way to get the hell out of there if he decides to come home early.”
“Make war, not kola kenda.”
“When fighting an enemy that insists on taking constant toilet breaks, take advantage of the breaks to catch up on your favourite teledramas.”
“For one to be successful in war, one must yell ‘JAYA WAY WAA’ every time one kills an enemy”.
“All men can see the tactics whereby I conquer, but there’s no way I’m letting them see my wife naked.”
“The high ground is easier to defend, and easier to attack from. The low ground, on the other hand, is often wet and full of dengue mosquitoes.
“When your enemy has the high ground, it’s all over, so never wage a Humanitarian war in Nepal.”
“All warfare is based on deception. Hey Mahinda! What’s that behind you?”
“Enemies are bad, we are good – therefore nobody will mind if we do horrible things to them except ‘International Conspirators’ and other such people.”
“You shall not win a war by reading The Art of War alone. You must also assemble an army, do some fighting, kill a couple of thousand enemies, call it a ‘Humanitarian Operation’ with ‘Zero Casualties’ that sort of thing.”
“A victory is only made official by a celebration involving kiribath, kavun and fire crackers.”
“To win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the greatest skill. The greatest skill is to win one thousand victories in one thousand battles with ‘zero casualties’ and call it the asschariya rai of asia.”
“Winning the war and losing the peace is the acme of skill.”