The people in Egypt protested for eighteen days to try to get Hosni Mubarak to step down as president, in addition to having the Constitution rewritten. Mubarak came into power after the assassination of Anwar Sadat in 1981. He ran uncontested in multiple elections and won all of the other elections, as well as amended the Constitution several times. In the eyes of the Egyptian people, he had become like a dictator. Protests started on January 25th, and just a few days ago, Hosni Mubarak finally resigned as president of Egypt. This was one of the demands of the protestors, as well as establishing a new constitution.
This event can be inspirational to American teenagers. Social media, such as Facebook and Twitter, is used everyday, and these tools helped to create a revolution. “In Egypt, every one is ecstatic and celebrating the departure of a hated dictator, except of course the few people who benefited from his regime. Step by step there will be a new modern constitution, parliamentary and presidential elections," continued Mr. Elshazly. "Of course there are fears that the military which considered Mubarak as one of their own might stifle the democratic reforms.”
The inspiration lies in the fact that anyone can change a system with which they are displeased. Even against all odds, anything can be done by anyone, especially in this emerging age of communication and connection. With more protests starting in the Middle East and North Africa against oppressive governments, it will be interesting to see how social media impacts these events.
Special thanks to Mr. Mahmoud Elshazly for his wealth of information and input on this article
Special thanks to Mr. Mahmoud Elshazly for his wealth of information and input on this article
If there is one thing that the world has learned, it is that simply because a movement is Democratic, it does not mean that it is just. One of the largest organs of political influence in Egypt is the Muslim Brotherhood. The Brotherhood's stated goal is to instill the Qur'an and Sunnah as the "sole reference point for ... ordering the life of the Muslim family, individual, community ... and state". Since its inception in 1928, the movement has officially opposed violent means to achieve its goals. The Council on Foreign Relations says: "At various times in its history, the group has used or supported violence and has been repeatedly banned in Egypt for attempting to overthrow Cairo's secular government. Simply because an organization plays the peace card it does not mean that its true goals are peaceful. Even if they are peaceful they still support a Muslim approach to government and that approach, no matter its intentions, is detrimental to American Policy. Democratic Islamic fundamentalist-inspired uprisings against a “dictator” in once-secular Middle Eastern countries have given rise to states that threaten world security. The best example is the Iranian revolution that ousted the secular government. On these grounds it is not wise to rush to the conclusion that a newly-founded Egypt is better than the one under a “dictator.”
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