If not now...when?

So, I have had several conversations lately with friends and family about the current state of the state. I have realized that ties to the traditional parties are very strong. Even to the educated or well informed. I have come to a few conclusions of my own...

I believe we have come to a point in this country where the political structure has, if not completely broken down,  reached the point of "when" not "if". We have reached a point where the government is completely out of touch with a majority of the population. It is impossible to make decisions in regards to the welfare and and best interests of a population you do not understand. Not only do they not understand, they do not care. They are to focused on scoring political points for their party to use in the next election  to make any kind of rational choices. But the politicians are not the only ones to blame here. They are the end point of a much larger problem. The huge private and corporate donors give money to the parties. The parties use that money to field candidates. Along with the fundraising the candidate does on his own. This automatically shapes a large part of the candidates priorities. Raise taxes? Lose party money. We all know that without money you cannot win an election. The parties are buying the candidate that will serve their purpose. This leaves little room for any creative problem solving or original thought. The result....GRIDLOCK. The system is broken.
Once the election cycle is over the real fun begins. Highlighted by the farcical debt crisis. We have reached a point where one side will automatically denounce or reject the others ideas just for the fact it came from the other side. There is no longer any room for compromise or debate. Small radical factions of parties have managed to dictate to the rest what will be the message. They have no interest in what anyone else has to say, let alone the people of this country that put them there.
The people that put them there...let's talk about the voting public for a second. First, only a little more than half of us take the time to vote in presidential elections. But that is not the real problem. Most of the that 50 percent are so biased toward one party or another, they walk into the booth and vote straight down the left or straight down the right. I would say these people are at least aware of politics going on around them but would never dare speak against their party of choice at all costs. The most disgusting are the ones that watch FOX news every evening taking in whatever tripe is being served. As with the ones that will only watch CNN or MSNBC (all two of you MSNBC fans out there :-)) That leaves a small percentage of that original 50 that actually take the time to to think about what they are doing. But it really doesn't matter, the numbers are to small. Sounds like a hopeless situation.
There is hope! On September 24th and 25th at Harvard Law School, A Conference on the Constitutional Convention will take place.  Here is an excerp from the site.

From the Right and the Left, citizens are increasingly coming to recognize that our Republic does not work as our Framers intended. Reform of any kind is stalled by a status quo that profits from blocking change. No side in the political debate benefits from this inertia.

The Framers created a method for escaping from captured government—an Article V Constitutional Convention. If two-thirds of the states pass resolutions calling for a convention, then all sides will have the opportunity to argue for the changes they believe will restore our Republic. Any amendment proposed must then be ratified by three fourths of the states to become law.

It is time, we must do something to restore some sanity in our government. This event will be debated and discussed by people who care about this country and not their own re election. Who want to see government work towards the betterment of this great nation not just the betterment of their bank accounts. Who are not to donors, parties, or special interest groups but only beholden to their own ideals and a hope that we can save our country from ruin. 


See you in Boston.

.

Najib Mikati- March 8th- STL-New Cabinet

I cannot help but get the feeling things are coming to a head in Beirut these days. It would only seem fitting that as soon as a cabinet is formed, as questionable as it may be, that something would come along and blow any progress all to hell.  Prime Minister Najib Mikati came out with statements proclaiming Lebanon's respect for UN resolutions and the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. This must have been a wee bit painful for certain  parties to hear. Even if it is just lip service.

I do not think anyone is kidding themselves and thinks there will be no unrest when the STL comes out. Whenever that is...it could very well be within the next month. I almost feel silly making that last statement consider the delays already put on by the tribunal. But the relative progress gives me more reason than anything other development to think it just may be handed down. That, in itself, is testament to how things work in Lebanon.

So we have mentioned Mikati, March 8th, and the new cabinet.....what is missing...ahh the other Hariri. Saad that is. He has been nearly invisible in the past few months. I think he is simply waiting for the STL to release it's fury in Beirut. He may be simply trying to stay alive to see the STL come out. If he can muster just an ounce of the passion he put into his speech February 14th....well who knows. Maybe it is due to my not residing in Lebanon but I view Hariri the younger to have truly honorable intentions in regard to the people of Lebanon. Naive? Maybe, but sometimes viewing things from the outside looking in gives a unique perspective.

It is with my most heartfelt sincerity and hope I say what I say. In the end I only want the people of Lebanon to win. Not one party or sect or politician. I say this with the people I care about in Beirut and the acquaintances I have come across in the foremost of my mind.

Osama Bin Laden and Beyond

I had a somewhat more reserved reaction to the death of the number one terrorist in the entire world. At least compared to my co workers and most of my family. I think it was mostly because I tend to follow matters such as these closer than most of the people mentioned above. I would agree with a lot of the talking heads that his death was mostly symbolic, all be it a very strong statement that will anger and upset a lot extremist around the world. Some will no doubt get to work wanting to avenge the death of their dear figure head.
My attention was more focused on the reaction not at home in the states, but more importantly in the near and middle east. I turned to my middle eastern friends and contacts to carefully dissect what was being said. As it turns out, the thoughts and opinions did not take any careful thought or consideration. They were extremely well stated and very clear.  There was a very marked difference in the tone ans overall message of the response. I will generalize the two.

The private citizen response went like this: We are glad Bin Laden is dead. He was a horrible person that murdered 3000 innocent people. The US has been obsessed with finding him, sending thousands of service men to our country as well as launching drone attacks at will that sometimes resulted in our our own innocent people dying. We are tired of living in fear in our own homes for something none of us did. So the real question is, now that he is gone...does this mean the US military will be on their way out? We all hope so. We are tired and war weary.

The talking heads in the middle east went more like this:  Congratulations to the US government for finally getting Bin Laden. He was a horrible person that murdered 3000 innocent people. We understand your obsession and even the decision to send thousands of your servicemen to our country(s) in search of him. Although we are sad to see and condemn more innocent people dying in the name of your search, we will tolerate your presence. Especially if it means the flow of millions of dollars in aid to our country. Please do not think the killing of one man means you are done here, if you leave we are fearful that our country will fall into civil war.  Plus we are pretty sure the money will stop.

Of course these statements are extremely general. So if you find yourself in one of these categories and do not agree, no harm intended. They are simply my unscientific observations from the many responses I read. I believe these general statements are the sort of thing causing general frustration here in the US. I believe this is especially true in the largest demographic here in the US. The die hard FOX news watcher and the die hard CNN/MSNBC news watcher.

The ardent CNN/MSNBC fan reads or hears the middle eastern talking head and takes offense. This mostly because these viewers have been calling for a withdraw and end to the wars for years now.

The steadfast FOX news viewer reads or hears the average citizen response and is highly offended that anyone would hold anything less than undying gratitude to the country (USA) that came to their aid in such a time of need.

This rather large gap in opinion puts the US government in a very tough spot. It is so split and the feelings run so high on this issue, it really cannot make the right choice. This is where we stand. I believe the US needs to make take a stand one way or another. Either go all in or all out. I am convinced that straddling the fence will not solve the problem but make this horrible chapter in our history stretch beyond what any of us can imagine.









 

Oversimplification of Wealth Distribution

Since the election of Mr.Obama there has been a lot of talk of income redistribution. I think a better way to frame the conversation is to talk about the issue of income distribution. I decided to write about this because I have been seeing an increase of the conservatives making the same old statements. Let me go ahead and throw a few out there.

"What incentive is there to work hard if my money is going to be taken away and given to others?"

"Well, I'll just quit working and let others pay for me if we are going to redistribute wealth."

"Why should rich and successful people be punished for making a lot of money?"

These are just a few of my favorites. I'm sure a quick google search would reveal a few more gems. Ok, here is the problem with statements such as these. They are a gross oversimplification of the issue. 

Nobody and I say NOBODY that supports income distribution is under the allusion that there will be people sitting around raking in the cash of others and not lifting a finger. That is just silly. Because that would not give anybody an incentive to work and be productive. Nobody and I say NOBODY that supports income distribution sees it as an alternative to working and making a living. That is just silly. Lastly, nobody that supports income distribution sees it as any kind of retribution or punishment to people making a lot of money. So in order to have a grown up discussion on a complicated issue can we please stop with statements such as referenced above?

**Just a quick disclaimer, this is only one opinion of what benefits income redistribution would have. There are many schools of thought on the subject. Remember this is a complicated grown up issue.** 

Most of us get up everyday and go to work to feed and support either ourselves or our families. Due to a myriad of circumstances and life events we all earn on different levels. We all have differing levels of education and aptitude. Some make incredible salaries and even fewer still bring in incredible amounts of money all by themselves (entrpenures, sports figures, entertainers, ect.)

Now, the idea is that the top income brackets (this is where there is an obvious bone of contention) contributed a percentage to help the people in the lower income brackets. This does not mean the lower brackets actually get cash payments from anybody. The money could be used in many different way to aid these people. Services such as reducing the cost of higher education or technical training. Programs to teach effective money management and so on and so on. The top helps the middle and the top and the middle help the bottom, by a sliding percentage. By no stretch of the imagination does this even come close to meaning that EVERYBODY gets the same amount of money at the end of the day. There will always be have and have nots. The idea is closing the gab between the two for the overall betterment of society.

I feel like our society has went away from giving two cents about where we are going as a nation and a society. That we are more concerned about only ourselves and have lost the notion that our country can only be strong if we are in this together. I fear we are not...

Breaking News: U.S. wants to pretect it's interests

I have seen many news articles and Twitter posts recently slamming the US for acting in Libya to protect its interests...namely the oil fields. Well...pardon my language but, no shit Sherlock.

I know it is cool and the "in" thing to bash the United States at every turn. But to slam them for acting in Libya is just plain dumb. Yes, the US is in a precarious spot concerning all the Arab activity in the past few months. Yes, it is largely no fault but our own. But to slam a country for protecting their own interests makes no sense to me. That is the primary responsibility of a state. Off the top of my head I would say that responsibility goes like this: Safety and security of it's citizens, to provide opportunity and financial prosperity (you know, things like oil) Then somewhere down the line is providing international support for struggling countries. Let's not forget the billions of dollars that the US government spends around the world. Not even counting the millions if not billions that US non-profits and citizens (Bill Gates) spends around the world helping people. We are not ALL bad.

So, I understand we are an easy target to slam for anything and everything we do. Especially because you are almost guaranteed to face no opposition to whatever statement you make. Can we please keep it rational. I know it is asking a lot, but maybe even give credit where credit is due...once or twice.

The sanctions on Libya?

It looks like the U.S. is set to impose some economic sanctions on Libya. From what I have read they include Gadhafi and his four children. I suppose it is something, but who are we kidding. As crazy as he may be, I'm sure he has found a way to hide most of his loot. We have to remember Gadhafi has been at this for a long time. I can only assume these sanctions were put in place for a couple reasons. First, to show the U.S. is doing SOMETHING. Two, because we also know it will really not do much.

So while this is going on:

I guess they can take comfort in knowing we have frozen his assets...

My only guess to the way the U.S. has reacted to the situation is it feels the people are doing a pretty good job on their own. The less the U.S. has to get involved the better. Seeing what a rock and a hard place it finds itself these days concerning the ongoing popular revolutions. After having backed these horrible rulers for so long, the hypocrisy is the 900 pound gorilla sitting in the room.

Even with the horror that has already taken place in Tripoli and Benghazi, the United States worst nightmare is if Gadhafi takes this to the next level and starts mowing down row after row of protesters. Something he has already vowed to do.

God be with these people while they fight for their freedom. As the most powerful nation in the world sits by freezing bank accounts. Not because they cannot do anything, but because they are the ones who has kept the murderer in place for years and does not want to lose any more face.

The disconnect

With the remarkable events that transpired in Egypt and the ongoing protest in Iran and other places I am struck by the anti American sentiment that seems to have coincided with these events. I understand that  the success in Egypt may give people the momentum to make bolder statements, and hating on USA seems to be a popular target. I am an American, but I do not blindly endorse the actions of my government across the board blindly.

I do think there is a disconnect in understanding the wants and desires of a people and the function of a state. People want, need, deserve to be free. Nobody deserves to live under the rule of a tyrant. I believe that, as a people, we Americans believe very strongly in the democratic process and very much want to see other countries escape poverty and bad government. These beliefs are central to what our country was founded on. To doubt the sincerity of Americans that express these ideas is a mistake. Here is the complicated part.

The role of the state is to provide security and prosperity to its people. These things are first and foremost. Let's take Egypt for example. I see a lot of negative comments about the American support for Mubarak during his tenure as President. From a personal perspective, yes it is despicable. But it made sense from a political standpoint. For most of those 30 years the Egyptian people were mostly quiet. The US took a stance of "if the people are under control, everything is ok"  The peace treaty Egypt signed with Israel solidified the complicit attitude we took. It is in our best interest to keep relative peace in the Middle East for a number of reasons. When the Jan25th revolution took place in put US foreign policy in the middle of this disconnect. Yes, we want to promote freedom and peoples rights, but from a foreign policy standpoint we had to sit on the fence

I, as an American, do not like the reality of the situation.  It fills me with joy to see what the Egyptian people have done. I pray the transition is left to complete its mission of free elections. I also believe it would be a grave mistake to dismiss any aid or support from the US. Yes, we make mistakes and our policy may not represent everything you believe in but it can be advantageous to your goals. Politics are not what should be, there are what is. It is a dirty self serving enterprise. It is up to the people to keep the government from running completely foul.

Stay strong and keep fighting for what is right. The American PEOPLE are behind you. Let us pray that in the future all of our politicians make better choices and act on the the side of Justice.

Saad Hariri Speech February 14th 2011

Below is the speech given by Saad Hariri on the anniversary of his fathers assassination. It had all the hallmarks of a well polished politician. But I felt it went above the hollow words that so often come out of politicians these days. Having followed Lebanese politics for the last couple years and studying the years before that, the speech seemed especially sincere. It was a stirring speech. He has many political walls to fight through and I believe that is what kept him from getting to issues that really matter to Lebanese citizens. In the end it is a speech from a son wanting to carry and complete the legacy of his Martyred father.

“Dear Lebanese, brothers and sisters, friends,

Peace be upon you.

 

Six years ago, fate made me enter Lebanese political life. This would never have happened and I wouldn’t be speaking to you today and to all the brothers and friends in the world if a terrorist crime which claimed the life of martyr Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and his righteous companions had not taken place.

 

I have taken, with my family, the decision to enter this arena in order to work on two lines: first, maintain the national legacy of martyr Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and prevent the parties who planned this crime from achieving their goals by uprooting Rafik Hariri’s legacy from Lebanese national life, and second, uncover the truth and achieve justice in the terrorist assassination and all of the political crimes that targeted a number of Lebanese leaders and intellectual, media and military figures.

 

Preserving the national legacy of the martyr prime minister is not less important than being committed to the cause of justice. They are both part of the same cause, which is the protection of Lebanon. It is the cause that I dedicated myself to defend, and swore before God Almighty and all the Lebanese not to abandon, regardless of the circumstances and challenges.

 

Today, we are facing a new, crucial period in Lebanon’s history. I announced 10 days ago that the dignity of my people and compatriots is more precious than any position or power. This position is not for political or emotional consumption, because it lies at the heart of my national convictions and the education on which I was brought up, and which makes me renew this covenant to all the Lebanese.

 

Any drop of blood that falls from any Lebanese is more precious to me than all positions in power. For me, no power can be more important than my commitment to coexistence between the Lebanese and my attachment to the parliamentary democratic system as a way to regulate relations between Lebanese groups.

 

When we say that Lebanon is facing a crucial turning-point, this means that we have to define the choice: in which direction to move and take the responsibility of directing Lebanon.

 

The political and spiritual leaders of Lebanon hold in our hands the destiny of Lebanon. It is not true at all that outside schemes are drawing a road map toward the abyss. If Lebanese leaders decide to move Lebanon toward the abyss, then Lebanon will inevitably fall in this hole. But if Lebanese leaders decide to move Lebanon away from the abyss, then the country will remain safe. Threats of using the street are not part of our national upbringing.

 

We will not resort to the street, because from the start we chose the country’s institutions. We will not resort to the policy of threats, because we chose to resort to the Constitution and we will accept the political results of any democratic course, even if these results are the outcome of successive pressures.

 

Over the last months, I have struggled, and God knows, to ward off discord in Lebanon, through good words, and through responsible political practice, and I chose the road which was chosen by the custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah bin Abdel-Aziz, since the Kuwait summit two years ago.

 

I put forward one initiative after the other, and one sacrifice after the other, and found in the Saudi-Syrian efforts a way out from the political and sectarian disputes and a bridge toward a new phase in our national relations.

 

Unfortunately, however, movement in this direction stopped; we then moved to a new phase of efforts by Arab and friendly states, based on the efforts of French President Nicolas Sarkozy, and then to the joint initiative of the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani and the Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, with the blessing of the custodian of the Two Holy Mosques.

 

The Lebanese and Arab brothers have been aware of this initiative, which started in Damascus, and reproduced a new diplomatic movement on the basis of commitments reached by Syria and Saudi Arabia, and this resulted in the visit of Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem and Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu.

 

Integrity requires me to be frank with all the Lebanese and not just one political party. It also requires me to address all Lebanese, regardless of their political affiliation, to say that in our dealings with all of these efforts, especially the Saudi-Syrian efforts and then the Turkish-Qatari efforts, we reached the level of the great martyrdom of martyr Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

 

This means that I decided to endorse the settlement to the maximum and I responded to the directives of the custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and committed to the articles reached by the joint Turkish-Qatari efforts to preserve coexistence. But once again the solution was halted, and they returned at dawn to inform the Qatari and Turkish envoys of one sole demand: The return of Saad Hariri to the post of prime minister is unacceptable. They put the items of solution aside and didn’t submit any comment or observation. They only requested that Saad Hariri be excluded from the prime minister’s post.

 

The Lebanese have the right to recall the experience of 1998 and remember the black campaign that targeted martyr Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and the voices that called for removing Rafik Hariri from power. The same scene is repeating itself, with the same voices, with parties blinded by the lust for power. And the goal is one: Put martyr Prime Minister Rafik Hariri on trial and drive Saad Hariri out of the national equation and announce his political assassination.

Dear brothers and sisters,

Dear friends,

 

I do not feel that we are facing a dead-end during these hours. Instead, I feel that my patriotic responsibility requires me to work on locating a big hole in the wall of this impasse. If what is being asked is to exclude Saad Hariri from the prime minister’s post, this is not a problem.

 

There is a constitutional path, and we abide by any decision that results from it, irrespective of the climate of intimidation surrounding this path in the street, and out of the street.

 

We will participate in the parliamentary consultations that will be undertaken by the president of the republic next Monday and we will offer our opinion according to our principles, and remain committed to my candidacy for prime minister, on behalf of the Future bloc of MPs and other allies.

 

It is important for us to abide by the Constitution and constitutional institutions, as a basis for everyone to act upon, and not unequal treatment, which will render the democratic process hostage to the will of the street.

 

I was 3 years old when the Civil War erupted in Lebanon, and I am now 40. This means that I have lived for 37 years, and 90 percent of my life, in a country struggling between war and peace, between division and unity, and between safety and anguish.

 

Today I look back in time and I see myself in all the young Lebanese men and women; I aspire to salvation from this historical ordeal, which has invaded the homes, regions and communities of all the Lebanese, with no exceptions. During this time, I accompanied a father longing for the progress of his country and his nation.

 

In my position in the political arena, I have faced circumstances, challenges and changes similar to those that confronted my father, the martyr prime minister, and prompted him to uphold reason, and choose public interest over narrow personal interests.

 

We belong to a national, political and moral school, called the school of Rafik Hariri, which chose in the darkest hours of anger to seal off the path of revenge and retaliation, and instead follow the path of truth and justice.

 

And you all know Rafik Hariri, as a man of Arab dreams, who made strides in the fields of national and humanitarian success and excelled in the fields of economy, reconstruction and politics; he enjoyed a fine reputation when it came to joint Arab action, and launched great vitality in Lebanese national life, until God Almighty chose him to be a martyr for his nation, his country and the dignity of his people.

 

He rejected the game of blood, while in and out of power, and dedicated his life to the cause of peace in his country. He fought against civil war, until he defeated it, with the help of his brothers and partners in his country, through the Taif Accord; afterward, he drew up a road map to renew confidence in Lebanon and return it to its natural position in the world.

 

They killed him, and assassinated with him, and later on, an elite of Lebanese, but they could not assassinate the spirit of coexistence among the Lebanese. Because the blood of Rafik Hariri was not, and will not be, the arena in which the national unity equation will be destroyed, and because the cause of Rafik Hariri will not be a storm they use in order to gamble with the fate of Lebanon.

 

And discord is not the price requested for truth and justice. May God damn discord and he who causes it.

 

Dear brothers and sisters, we have not come all this way, offered all of these sacrifices, led the effort to rebuild the country and supported the foundations of socio-economic growth, as well as the steadfastness of Lebanon and its people in the face of the Israeli enemy, for us to give all of this away to discord.

 

Our political system, based on the rotation of power and on coexistence, will not mean anything if we hand our children’s future over to further conflicts and wars.

We are guardians of a national process, and we shall remain with God’s help, loyal to it and to its martyrs.

 

We will remain loyal to Lebanon’s unity, Arab identity, and the dignity of its people, and the people’s social, economic and development priorities shall remain at the forefront of our concerns, whether we are in or out of power.

 

We will not abandon our responsibilities and obligations, not in the Parliament, nor in the political life, nor in the Future Movement, nor at work with all the friends and allies, in order to reach a developed, modern, sovereign, Arab, free and independent state.

 

Injustice will not stop me from pursuing the march, as long as God wants me to continue this march.

 

“In the name of God all Merciful,

 

Do not think that Allah is unaware of the wicked but he delays revealing them for a day when eyes will stare.” (I love this sentence)

 

May God’s peace be upon you, long live Lebanon.”

Egypt 2/11/2011

This video is worth a post all to itself. It is a great reprisal of the events that lead to the exit of a 30 year reign of oppression. Parts are painful to watch, but there is no victory for the weak willed. The Egyptian people are a model for perseverance.

Cairo Egypt True courage, an incredible account of events

After my trip to Lebanon about a year ago I came home and signed up on Twitter. I found that Twitter served as a great tool to follow events over seas since a lot of things are not mentioned here. One of the people I followed was BloggerSeif. He is a student at Lebanese American University in Beirut studying political science and journalism. He went to Cairo to support the Egyptian people in their protests against a brutal dictator. This is a fascinating time line:

This list compiled by NOW Lebanon :


BloggerSeif
Tahrir is packed!! Literally packed. All ages, all faiths.
BloggerSeif
My pendants are for everyone to see, so Lebanese can learn from Egypt! Cross and crescent side by side
BloggerSeif
Definition of love? The people here and how they are treating each other
BloggerSeif
Men staying back in neighbourhoods to protect from looting while ppl go to protest is STILL IN EFFECT. Working in shifts #Jan25
BloggerSeif
We are now 13 Lebanese people together here. Staying in tight group for now. Tahrir is still very scary. #Jan25
BloggerSeif
Still in Tahrir square, protesters still here angry over Mubarak speech #jan25
BloggerSeif
Can't sleep well, I just have a weird feeling. Keep waking up. Most of us are like that. #Jan25
BloggerSeif
Morning everyone, currently not in Tahrir. Our camp hasn't eaten in 16 hours. Rushdi and I are joining lines to buy food #Jan25
10 hours ago Favorite Retweet Reply
BloggerSeif
undercover cop demanded my phone, when I said no he swung at me, and I pushed back.
BloggerSeif
Army wanting us in homes!! All over! This will be a violent day. Feel it. #Jan25
BloggerSeif
@SarahKaram1 MEET ME NOW! Say ur my fiance and we got separated if anyone asks! NOW! #Jan25
BloggerSeif
Feeling defeated. I want to leave #Egypt now. Really, things have flipped. #jan25
BloggerSeif
Pro mubarak man asking me for my phone, threatening me and Lebanese here. Telling us he will attack me #Jan25
BloggerSeif
Stop saying there are no clashes media, ppl are attacking us! North side of Tahrir!! #Jan25
BloggerSeif
Stones falling our way, we will throw back. #Jan25 @SarahKaram1 and pro mubarak girl on floor. Women are in serious clashes #Jan25
BloggerSeif
THERE ARE CHILDREN HERE, STOP TEAR GAS #Jan25
BloggerSeif
CHILD TRAMPLED #Jan25
BloggerSeif
Army you will cause a massacre here tonight! We’re peaceful protesters, u let them in here!! #Jan25
BloggerSeif
Horses are here, horses trampling. Man off horse being beat by anti mubarak men, horse running wild #Jan25
BloggerSeif
These are thugs, not protesters!! We were peaceful ppl!! We were peaceful! #Jan25
BloggerSeif
Keep in mind most anti mubarak ppl are low on food, our energy isn't well... The army, this is your fault #Jan25
BloggerSeif
MOLOTOV COCKTAILS? Can someone verify? #Jan25
BloggerSeif
I can't tell if they are aiming for us or pro mubarak ppl?! :S #Jan25
BloggerSeif
BOILING WATER BEING THROWN FROM BALCONIES AROUND TAHRIR, BRICKS DROPPED DOWN #Jan25
BloggerSeif
HOW DO WE GET OUT, SOMEONE TELL US!
BloggerSeif
We are trying to find way out, we are blocked from all sides. Please, mubarak stop, mubarak stop them!
BloggerSeif
Screaming, crying, injured, burned, they will kill us, I swear we will die. Omfg! #Jan25
BloggerSeif
Pro mubarak protesters broke into square!!! Entrance broken! OMFG there's blood, omfg OmFGf
BloggerSeif
:'( omg I have someones child, I have a child. 2 yrs max, green eyes, says his name mahmoud. Tweet it for me
BloggerSeif
PEOPLE LEAVE TAHRIR VIA OMAR MAKRAM, SEMIRAMIS THEN VIA NILE! #jan25
BloggerSeif
Another entrance down... Omg there's dead people. There's dead people...
BloggerSeif
Lebanese united with us, all 14 of us. All staying at Rushdi's place tonight. Dunno what tommorow holds. Will be back at it tom (1/2)
BloggerSeif
Other than bruises, unable to stand, starved, and panic, were all fine. Feeling betrayed, all of us are. Massacre in square, please watch em

You can read his blog here. We all hope for his safe return to Lebanon. 

Cairo Egypt #25Jan

 Having only heard grumblings of unrest in relation to Egypt before the events of January 25th I was a little shocked to start seeing the reports start rolling in on my Twitter feed about what was happening on the ground in Cairo. As an avid follower of Middle East politics it was clear pretty quick this was not just a run of the mill protest.
My two best friends through out the last six or seven days have been Twitter and Reddit. It has been quite stunning getting to read first hand accounts of fellow Redditors and Tweeters form Tahrir Square and other locations around Cairo. To help in getting information out when the Egyptian government shut down almost all forms of communication. To get to listen to exactly what the people marching were calling for. It has been an incredibly inspiring experience. Then......
I caught what was being reported and said on the US news. On CNN, FOX and MSNBC. As well as what was coming from the White House. It was almost like two completely different events. I was appalled. So I have spent a lot of time trying to come to terms and come to an explanation for this. 
First, here is what I am getting from the actual people in Cairo taking part in the revolution. They are marching because Mubarak has increasingly become a ruthless dictator with a strong police presence in the country. 40 percent of the country lives below the poverty line. 45 percent live on little more than 2 dollars a day. The government had made it clear that dissent and protest will not be tolerated. It was seriously wrong.
Here in the US a completely different take on things. The protests were being reported as a violent uprising and that the government was working to get things under control. I do not think that was ever an option. I think it scared governments around the world, including here in the US. It needed to at least pretend that the, established and US backed government for 30 years, would soon regain control. Now, there are several reasons for this. Egypt has been a key ally in the Middle East for the US concerning affairs related to Israel. Cairo has been very friendly to Israeli causes. We need that in place. We now fear losing it. So the media starts inserting questions about organizations like the Muslim Brotherhood in the revolution. Worries about the pretests being anti American. I do not think they are anti American, but more like, thanks but no thanks America. The sentiment is we can keep our aid money if that means we will butt out and let the Egyptian people settle this. What has out money done for those 40 percent in poverty? They have watched a US government choose support for Mubarak ant the cost of wide spread suffering of the people.

I could continue to try and characterize this unfolding event in my own words but two pieces of media, one a picture taken by a fellow redditor. The other is a video by Tamer Shaaban. First the photo from Tahrir Square.

 One of the most powerful videos I have ever seen. Especially the guy at :45. You can hear the heartbreaking passion and resolve in his voice. It sent chills up and down my spine. Still does.


"we will not be silenced, whether you are a christian, whether you are a Muslim, whether you are an atheist, you will demand your goddamn rights and we will have our rights, one way or the other! We will never be silenced" ----such powerful words. our prayers are with you Egypt.