The People of Egypt Have Taugh Us Something About Liberty & Democracy

The People of Egypt Have Done It! They Have Driven Mubarak Out! | Common Dreams

They have indeed done it. And it is more than just a victory for themselves. In doing so, they teach us an important lesson about liberty and democracy. These are lessons which should inform and inspire. There are in fact 4 important lessons which we as Americans should take to heart as we consider how view the world, how we act here at home, and how we fulfill the American Dream:

1. The Nature of Arab & Muslim Societies & Cultures

For some time -- and especially after 9/11 -- our media, entertainment, and culture has generally portrayed Muslim and Arabic peoples and cultures in a negative light, as extremists and terrorists. It is emphasized on a daily basis by political pudits and in action movies. It was evident in the comments of news reporters in their analysis of the days recent events, in their words of surprise that the demonstrators had not erupted into violence rebellion.

Now, the people have Egypt, in a profound and powerful way, have demonstrated the inappropriateness of those comments, the inaccuracy of those words, the offensiveness of those images, and the untruth in those portrayals. (Hopefully it will bring to light a history that stands in contrast to the negative characterizations: http://www.davidswanson.org/content/nonviolent-activism-middle-eastern ). They have shown not just incredible courage and resilience, but restraint and savvy. In fact, their movement has not only done us one better in terms of rejecting violence, but also in effectiveness.

2. The Nature of Leadership & Democracy

From almost the beginning, media also kept looking for a leader for this movement. Oft heard was the refrain "there is yet to be a face of this movement." On the contrary, there was a face. Or rather, a multitude of faces. They have shown not only the possibility, but the power and benefit, of movements which are democratic and decentralized, leaderful and not simply led. Their power was in their number and their commitment, and not simply in the speeches of visages of a single individual.

3. The Power of Nonviolence

Over and over again, we demonstrate how we believe that political change against oppressive regimes and illigimate dictators is accomplished through clash of arms and military force. It was a message that our country's "leaders" repeated ad nauseum as we invaded Iraq, and continue to do so as we continue the war in Afghanistan. But as the nonviolence revolutions demonstrated in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union two decades ago -- and Gandhi before them in India -- the Egyptian people remind us of the power of nonviolent action to effect real change. And it is change much preferable to that which comes from war, as we compare the dignity and hope of recent days in Egypt with the death and destruction of recent years in Iraq and Afghanistan. In truth, this contrast shows that the idea that real peace can come from war, that democracy can come from the decision of the few to invade, that justice can come from unjust conflict, is a big lie.

4. The Power of the People

We look to leaders and military might as the impetus and force for change. That, when the true power lies within ourselves as citizens. The people of Egypt reminds us how there is nothing that the people cannot accomplish if they unite together, with courage and determination, organized and committed.

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These are the lessons for us. The only question is: will we heed them? Will our elected officials do so? I have real hope that the American people will be inspired. Unfortunately, I have less faith in our elected "leaders." It begins with the policies that lead us to (once again) support self-aggrandizing oppressive dictators and brutish police forces using American-made tear gas. It continues with the belated and hesitant support of the protestors by our government, the ongoing billions to a military that stood by and watched peaceful demonstrators were killed by molotov cocktails, and the government support for a Patriot Act that commits into law some of the very trappings of tyranny that we decry in the Egyptian authoritarian rule (http://www.commondreams.org/view/2011/02/11-2).

We are now faced with a choice: are we going to be on the side of independent peoples striving for justice, liberty, opportunity, democracy, and self-determination, or are we going be compelled by militarism, fear, nativism, empire, and selfishness. Are we going to be guided by the values of the American Dream, or the perverse American Nightmare that threatens to destroy us.