Tuesday, February 1, 2011

in solidarity with the Egyptian people

Reuters photo.

This is what 1-2 million fed up and angry people look like. People who are sick and tired of living in fear for 30 years, fear of gathering in public places, fear of speaking out, fear of no futures for themselves and their children. Up to 2 million Egyptian people of all ages, women, men, differing political beliefs, religions, and from all walks of life gathered in Tahrir Square today (Tuesday).
Egyptian army F-16 fighter jets have been flying low over the crowds in Tahrir Square, gifts of the US to Mubarak. Can you image this killing machine over your head? (Reuters image)

What is amazing to me is that this massive demonstration was accomplished with the Internet being blacked out by Mubarak's repressive regime and State TV not showing any of the anti-Mubarak demonstrations that have been occurring since Jan. 25, which is, as one commentator explained, Egypt's new birthday. Indeed, the Egyptian State TV is showing only pro-Mubarak demonstrators -- and there are not too many of them.

But it is can't stop people from finding out and getting involved, as the image of massive numbers of folks in Tahrir Square clearly shows.
This photo is from a Facebook site, set up by Leil-Zahra Mortada, who has been compiling photos in an album called the “Women of Egypt,” chronicling women protesting in Egypt. I found this photo on an article about women's participation in the Egyptian uprising, "Taking it to the Streets."

The source of the people's anger, has just released his address to them, and it is pathetic. He is out of his mind, a megalomaniac with no perception of how he is reviled by the people of Egypt. Get out, I shouted at him, while watching the live stream from Aljazeera English on my tv in my living room in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. You stupid man, listen to your people! Get out!

Indeed, I probably have more media access via Al Jazeera and progressive internet sites to what is happening in Egypt than do most people in Egypt today, with the internet blackout and only State TV to watch. Yet they are able to mobilize. The message cannot be shut up, contained, controlled, blacked out, arrested, or killed. There is no stopping the Egyptian people and their march to justice. Hosni Mubarak, can't you hear them? Listen to this young girl; she has a message for you:

1 comment:

Merche Pallarés said...

It's amazing what's happening in Egypt, although I doubt they'll have the same success as the Tunisians. Mubarak has just said he's staying until the upcoming elections... After all, he's very protected by Israel... Hugs, M.