what's up

I spent the weekend in Alexandria with friends. It was a good time as always - we saw more protests at the same train station that has been a focal point of previous protests. It was a planned day on Friday - it happened in Cairo as well. They are still protesting the emergency law, the curfew, and the Constitutional reforms they are demanding from the military. Time will tell how this will all work out - however the Egyptian people are emboldened with a sense of free speech and a sense of deserving that they have not had before.

We are still waiting for English classes that I teach at to start back up. I coordinate the teachers for the Lamb Center - A Coptic nonprofit center in the Church of St. Barbara that teaches English to Coptic college students. Until the curfew and security are truly improved, the director doesn't want to hold classes just yet.

All my heart and hopes go out to the peoples of Algeria, Bahrain and Libya right now. My friend Najma is keeping me updated about the protests in her country (she's an AUC student) and it is heart wrenching. More people are dead in just 5 days there than all that died in 18 days of the Egyptian uprising. Gaddafi will stop at absolutely nothing to maintain his 4decade+ rule over those people. It's time he was taken out with the rest of the garbage that's been cleaned out of the Middle East lately. Bahrain has had loss of life as well. If this spreads to the gulf region - God help us all. I have my doubts that most of the Khaliji region will jump on board with Bahrain - Qatar, Saudi and Kuwait are the least likely candidates for any revolt. The Shi'a in Saudi may be unhappy but they are so rural and such a minority that I doubt it will lead to anything significant - in fact I doubt it would become anything at all let alone significant.

I want to visit one of those countries. I can't imagine how it must be there. Libya has had their communications cut just like Egypt did to us. That is a BAD sign. That is when the fan gets hit with some you know what. Because there is no international anybody to condemn acts which they cannot see. However I was proven wrong by Mubarak - 18 days was much less than I imagined it would take - so hopefully Libya gets the same. The problem with the authoritarian regimes is they only know how to respond with fear and death. Once the people have broken their fear of death by openly marching in defiance of the government - than those senseless killing don't serve to strike fear in the hearts of the people anymore - they strike ire and rage into their hearts. That is what will oust a regime. The rage of the people you have walked on and destroyed slowly for so long. The only death they fear anymore is the death that is a life without freedom. They will openly face death to change their circumstance and to gain the freedom that has eluded them so long.