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Turning points
14 years ago
The opinions expressed on this page are my own and do not reflect those of Fur Affinity or of any other.
"Si quid per iocum dixi, nolito in serium convertere."
("If I have said anything in jest, do not turn it into a serious thing.") -Plautus
"Si quid per iocum dixi, nolito in serium convertere."
("If I have said anything in jest, do not turn it into a serious thing.") -Plautus
The following happened on this day, Febuary 11th:
32 years ago: The Iranian Revolution overthrows the Shah, they gain freedom and democracy from a [unfortunately US backed tyrant], but shortly looses it to a tyrany that's even worse.
21 years ago: South African human rights activist (and later President) Nelson Mandela is freed from prison, ultimately paving the end of Apartied and bringing democracy in SA.
Present day: "Egyptian Revolution." President Hosni Mubarak overthrown in a silent coup ("resigns") following two weeks of protests by the Egyptian people.
Many in the news today call this a "Berlin Wall" moment, and call this a triumph of Democracy. It's not, this is only the beginning, and a very uncertain one. The Egyptian people today have rightfuly earned their freedom, now they have to work hard and try to keep it, or else they risk loosing it again to another tyrant like their brothers and sisters in Iran, a country which also had a popular uprising that lead to a theocratic dicatorship which had sucessfully squelched a similar uprising, not unlike those that put them in power, or what we see now. As I have said in a recent pic post, Revolutions don't always end well, most of them fail to deliver what the people hope for. The Iranian people failed twice in their bid for freedom. The Egyptians should remember that lesson and keep this from happening to them. Even as I write this, an new dawn begins in the land of Ra, and his children have two choices: continue of the hard work twoards freedom and democracy, or descend into chaos and despotism. The party's over. The real work begins now!
I am cautiously hopeful that they'll make the right choice, but history is not on my side.
When our Constitution was signed (on my birthday, coincidentally), someone asked Ben Franklin "What have you given us?"
He answered: "A Republic,....if you can keep it."
We may be loosing ours, but my question to the Egyptian People is: You have your republic back, can you keep it this time?
32 years ago: The Iranian Revolution overthrows the Shah, they gain freedom and democracy from a [unfortunately US backed tyrant], but shortly looses it to a tyrany that's even worse.
21 years ago: South African human rights activist (and later President) Nelson Mandela is freed from prison, ultimately paving the end of Apartied and bringing democracy in SA.
Present day: "Egyptian Revolution." President Hosni Mubarak overthrown in a silent coup ("resigns") following two weeks of protests by the Egyptian people.
Many in the news today call this a "Berlin Wall" moment, and call this a triumph of Democracy. It's not, this is only the beginning, and a very uncertain one. The Egyptian people today have rightfuly earned their freedom, now they have to work hard and try to keep it, or else they risk loosing it again to another tyrant like their brothers and sisters in Iran, a country which also had a popular uprising that lead to a theocratic dicatorship which had sucessfully squelched a similar uprising, not unlike those that put them in power, or what we see now. As I have said in a recent pic post, Revolutions don't always end well, most of them fail to deliver what the people hope for. The Iranian people failed twice in their bid for freedom. The Egyptians should remember that lesson and keep this from happening to them. Even as I write this, an new dawn begins in the land of Ra, and his children have two choices: continue of the hard work twoards freedom and democracy, or descend into chaos and despotism. The party's over. The real work begins now!
I am cautiously hopeful that they'll make the right choice, but history is not on my side.
When our Constitution was signed (on my birthday, coincidentally), someone asked Ben Franklin "What have you given us?"
He answered: "A Republic,....if you can keep it."
We may be loosing ours, but my question to the Egyptian People is: You have your republic back, can you keep it this time?
I concur: with luck and effort, they'll keep what they worked so hard to achieve, and I hope they do. It would be terrible to see them fall down again, though it seems so many groups in the middle east look at freedom as apostasy
Such are Revolutionary Tyranies.
"It's not power that corrupts but fear; fear of loosing power corrupts those who wield it."
-Ang San Suu Kyi.
Also, Hi.