Across US campuses in the coming days we will begin to see solidarity gatherings in celebration of the Egyptian people's victory over autocracy. This is commendable. However, any celebrations in the US that take place should include reflection on:
* The role of the U.S. in propping up the dictator
* A comparison of the people's overthrow of Mubarak and the USA's actions in Iraq against Saddam.
- A discussion of the policy of interventionist "regime change" versus allowing
indigenous paths to take place
* A reflection on the role of the media, particularly Al Jazeera, in providing fodder for the revolution
- The fact that the USA attempted to shut down, blow up and oppose Al Jazeera
- The fact that the USA funded its own Middle East propaganda station ( Alhura)
which had no affect in promoting democracy.
The UK Independent writes:
The less muscular form of idealism adopted by Barack Obama (and, although he has yet to be tested, by David Cameron, with the phrase, "We cannot drop democracy from 10,000 feet") has been strengthened by the north African revolutions. Above all, the toppling of his friend Mr Mubarak is a rebuke to Mr Blair. Our former prime minister criticised President Obama for his speech in Cairo in June 2009 as, in effect, the appeasement of Islamism. Yet Mr Obama's judgement has been vindicated. By recanting past American arrogance, Mr Obama transformed popular attitudes towards the US in Egypt and made it easier for the citizens' movement to be a positive expression of national pride rather than a negative anti-westernism.
The big lesson is that the world's democracies can best help the peoples who do not share their freedoms by the "soft" power of example, information and the promise of prosperity, rather than the "hard" power of force. The much-hyped role of Facebook, Twitter and mobile phones in mobilising the revolutions reflects the importance of the ease with which the people in unfree countries can access the news, culture and values of the free world. Read more
Other "lessons" include:
* Non-violent protests actually can topple dictatorships
* Real bottom-up media (in contrast to State propaganda) can be a powerful tool to coordinate and fuel efforts
Learn more about uprisings on Earth - here
Learn more about non-violence on Earth - here
Reconsider conflict on Pandora - here
See also -
Choices Program: The Egyptian Uprising - here
Education Week: "U.S. Teachers find teachable moment in Egyptian Uprising - here
The above article hits on a couple interesting notes: USA education of Egypt is often
simply based on (a) teaching about the ancient mummies, (b) Amerocentric (i.e. Suez Canal), and (c) most educational institutions believe that if they teach a little about Islam than they have unpacked the Middle East.
If anything, the Egyptian Revolution should open educators up to having to move beyond these tired tropes.
A final link: Creative responses to the uprising (great music videos and art) - here
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