Part I: Burning the Bridge Over the Generation Gap
It's a New Generation Come to Call
The Muslim world is facing a historically noteworthy political upheaval with the likely removal of Egypt's autocratic ruler, Hosni Mubarak, a non-religious Muslim who has reigned supreme for the last thirty some-odd years. The student-led rebellion currently broiling against Mubarak's unchallenged rule over the Egyptian people is going into its second week, as the rest of the world watches with bated breath for every new development. The situation has garnered the label "student-led" because it is was originated mostly by a majority of thirty-somethings and younger, who constitute more than half the total population of Egypt and are almost unanimously without work. They are educated, Westernized young people who are far more secularized than their predecessors. This is not a religious fight for them, rather a political one.
These particular protests are unique from those in the past. The young, educated protesters who started the original movement to remove Mubarak from power are primarily of the cyber-age. They have been exposed to technology and allowed to take advantage of it. One of the benefits of Mubarak's tenuous friendship with the United States has been a virtual free-flow of information making the younger Egyptian populace fluent in Western technology, lifestyle and of course, mentalities. The inevitable outcome of such an open-ended relationship is the exchange of ideas. This has resulted in the Egyptians having exposure to more than just name-brand jeans. The sheer volume of cell phone video that was able to make it to YouTube after Mubarak's orders for a complete Internet blackout was testament to the widespread desire amongst the young Egyptians to be able to exercise their God-given free will.
Cyber-Bullying, Mubarak Style
The use of cell phones to keep the rest of the world up-to-date on what was happening in Egypt is also a tribute to the much over-looked aspect of the origination of the riots: multi-media access. Young Egyptians were turning on their laptops and cell phones and tuning in to Facebook to spread the word about the plans for peaceful protests to show their unhappiness with Mubarak's government. His ill-advised, knee-jerk decision to take all Internet access away from from the people drew stern criticism from all corners of the free world, most especially United States President Barack Obama, who emphasized the Western opinion that Internet access should be as much a right as being able to read.
Even such sharp criticism paled in comparison to the violent reactions by the protesters, now ranging in age from mere toddlers to the geriatric and crippled. Young and old alike turned out en masse to express their sincere rage at the eventual total media blackout that included all cell phone, radio and television coverage. A primarily peaceful protest quickly turned into a hellish din as the local authorities began to venture out in armored vehicles and full riot gear.
A Virtual War Zone
The very sight of police and government authorities seemed to enrage the protesters even further. Suddenly they produced burning tires as if to provide a supplemental light source to the rapidly waining day. The populace saw police interference as just another method of quelling the rising call for democracy. To the utter shock and no little amount of discomfort, the rest of the world watched anxiously as the conflict in Egypt continued for days, escalating in intensity as spokespeople for the uprising volleyed back and forth with Mubarak's people. After sending his family to London for safekeeping, Mubarek appeared to be hunkering down and preparing for a fight to the death, declaring his intent to, "die on Egyptian soil", even as he sent his military to the streets of Cairo in tanks.
As the situation stands looking into a third week of demonstrations, it appears the young protesters are not ready to give up, nor is Mubarek. Mubarek was rumored to have sent his own anti-protesters into the crowds on horses and camels, carrying whips and swords. This decisive action added fuel to an already flammable situation, sending the protesters into a collective rage, and causing further bloodshed and chaos. Today however, the situation seems to have calmed down somewhat, with the protesters marching along in orderly crowds, apparently appeased by the lack of Mubarek supporters in their midst.
A Vision of the Future
What does all this hold for the future of Egypt and the rest of the Middle East? That remains to be seen, as this historical power struggle plays out on the world stage. One of the more imperative questions is whether or not the United States will become involved. The widely broadcast knowledge of the United States' nearly thirty years of support for Mubarek and his regime has not gone unnoticed, both in the West and in the Muslim world. Most of the protesters and demonstrators are just old enough to have lived under Mubarak's rule their whole lives, and they are quite aware, thanks mostly to Mubarek himself, that the United States has been indirectly responsible for Mubarak's being able to continue to rule with such an iron fist.
In the main square in Cairo, Egypt's capital city, the students have gathered in huge numbers to demand the immediate removal of Mubarek from power. Having come to an apparent impasse, will the anti-Mubarek faction call for the United States to help instill democracy, or will they turn on the United States for supporting Mubarek all these years? Would US military interference even be welcomed by the Egyptian populace? The next few days could very well be a historical turning point for already shaky alliances all over the world.
Do you feel the United States should get involved in the situation in Egypt, especially regarding their support of Mubarak the last thirty years? Do you have friends or family involved in the conflict, or personal knowledge of the uprising?
Be on the lookout for Part II: The Role of the United States, soon!
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