Iza is fine, thanks everyone for all good thoughts. I'll post some pics and tell a few funny stories about the past few days in another post.
A few days ago I saw this photo taken at one of the protests in Tahrir Square. I can't stop thinking of this woman. Standing up tall in that sea of men. I have a sweater just like hers. I have a purse just like hers. I imagine our lives may be very similar in spirit. We love our family. We have worked hard. We are strong. We detest lies and oppression.
Earlier today the Minister of Defense told the democracy movement protesters that "all your demands will be met" and people were joyous. They gathered in the square to wait for Mubarak's speech believing he would step down, transfer ALL power to his VP and the transition to a new democratic election would begin.
What they got was Mubarak saying he would transfer "some" power to the VP. Then the VP spoke telling the people to go home and go to work.
Did Mubarak intentionally stir up the hopes and passions of the people so that he could crush them? Does he want their frustration and anger to turn to violence so that he can unleash the military and kill as many revolutionaries as possible?
My feeling is that the answer to those questions is YES.
While I think of myself as a spiritual person with a peaceful heart I also recognize that revolution against corruption and greed rarely comes without conflict - some of it violent.
I wish the people of Egypt strength. I wish them safety. I hope they will continue to stand together and protect each other. I hope the looters will be exposed as operatives of the Mubarak regime.
In the last decade the gap between the poor majority of Egyptians and the rich rulers has widened by huge proportions. You just can't step on people forever.
I don't know what I want the US to do for Egypt. We so often muck it all up and make it worse and our real intentions are usually self serving.
It doesn't surprise me that Dick Cheney referred to Mubarak as a "friend". It doesn't surprise me that assholes like Glenn Beck claim President Obama is being passive on Egypt because he's part of the "secret Muslim brotherhood" plot to take over the world. Heaven forbid a US leader think before he acts.
All I know for sure is that I want the woman in the photo to be safe and free.
