Issues in Egypt
Walking out the front door, most of us would like to see the sun, admire nature, and feel the beauty of freedom and safety all around us. Most of us call this natural rights, or, sometimes, our own rights, and take them for granted. But what would you do if you were in a country, where the government willfully goes against everything you and your country stand for, and suppresses the ideas and talents of millions of bright minds, for its own benefit? When you walk out the door, what would you do if you saw blood, bathing the streets that you had called your own? What would you do when you see people walking up and down with looks of despair on their faces that used to gleam of hope of a brighter future, and faith in a better tomorrow?
On the 25th of January, 2011, this became reality. Tens of thousands of Egyptians marched down the streets of Cairo and many other cities, to show their anguish and disapproval toward the corrupt government of Egypt. This protest started as a peaceful protest, but soon escalated into a violent one, not due to the citizens, but to the government that issued troops to attack the innocent. The government placed curfews throughout Cairo, which, in the end, were ignored by the citizens. The police left the streets, and prisons were opened. The people of Cairo were forced to create their own army to defend them selves, and their families. A day in February, a couple of weeks later, showcased “The Scene of Camels.” On this day, many camels and horses were released into Tahir square, where the protesters were staged. Hundreds of citizens were brutally trampled on and murdered. On the 10th of March, Hosni Mubarak declared that the Vice President would become the next ruler, and that he would still be its head of state. The people were still enraged by this notion, and started to revolt like never before. The next day, the VP announced that the Army would be leading the state. The Army dissolved the parliament and ended the constitution. The army will stay in power for another 5 months, or until the elections are held.
So how did all this start? A young man named Khaled Mohamed Saeed was taken out of a cyber cafe and beat and disfigured by the Egyptian Police. A Facebook group, later found to be made by a Google executive, attracted many followers, who disagreed with the way Saeed was treated and murdered. The followers spread the word about the page, and soon, hundreds of thousands of people were bringing attention to this injustice. So why am I posting this? Many of the readers now are probably saying, we already know all this. But I have come to realize that there is always a difference between KNOWING and UNDERSTANDING. Like, for example, all of us know that helping people is a good thing. But how many of us understand why it’s a good hing, or why it’s important? Same notion here; we all know what started the revolts, but do we understand the impact of the scale it started on? One Facebook page… and as a teenager, I can say that the most important thing I used my Facebook for is chatting my best friend to see who won the latest soccer game, or what my pen pal in Germany is having for lunch. This same base was just used to liberate country from, technically, a dictatorship. This is like saying that your mothers tuna casserole, which you saved a lot, just saved a stranger from robbing your house. Some people don’t see this metaphor. It’s that thought that counts, right? Haha. So what am I trying to point out here? I’m saying that everything around us has potential. EVERYTHING. From a paper bag that could stop someone from hyperventilating, to a bottle of Tylenol, which might save someone from dying of a cold. And as time goes on, and the world comes closer together, we all need to realize the potential of the things around us. So open your eyes, readers, and pick up the nearest pair of clothes you have. Go out and make a difference. Live the post.
-Nizar♦
Nizar
Shayan Pirani
Live the Post 
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