The Charlie Hebdo Attack: Are We Are Asking the Wrong Questions?

In the past few days, I've been observing the reactions on the ground in Egypt about the Charlie Hebdo attack. And I found it shocking and disturbing how very few people are asking the right questions. The ongoing debates seem to be all about whether one should tweet #JeSuisCharlie , #JesuisAhmed, or both; whether silence is an acceptable response; whether the outrage should be mainly directed at the cartoonists who didn't  respect our religion and thus supposedly endangered their own lives, or at religious institutions that are not combating extremism. It is all about blame allocation and haughty holier-than-thou attitudes across the board. Very little self-reflection is going on and very little awareness of the gravity of the rampant fundamentalism in our culture, its repercussions on us-- and the world-- for hundreds of years to come.

I see news like this popping up and very few people are actually paying attention and I wonder to what extent does most of society condone things like this:

Raif Badawi was sentenced to  10 years in prison, a 1 million Saudi Riyals and a 1,000 lashes. His cybercrime? Insulting Islam by calling for open debate about its interpretations and starting the website Free Saudi Liberals. What is even more astounding in this tale is that Raif’s lawyer, prominent human rights activist Waleed Abu Al-Khair, was also sentenced to 15 years in jail for “inciting public opinion” and undermining the regime.

And let’s not forget the two women facing "terrorism" charges in Saudi Arabia for the heinous terror-spreading crime of driving a motor vehicle. Public response was condemnation then "business as usual" for most and a thinly concealed desire for a women ban on driving in Egypt too.

One may be tempted to say that this is Saudi Arabia and that's what Saudis do but we, in progressive Egypt, are as freedom-loving as they come. Well, news like the three-year sentence Karim Al-Banna received for announcing that he is an atheist prove such optimism to be a fallacy.

Egypt Student Gets 3 Year Jail Term for Atheism

The cherry of the top of this news tour is president Sissi's condemnation of the Charlie Hebdo attack and his call to global leaders to join forces in fighting terrorism and closing down Takfiri groups' websites and portals. Takfiri, linguistically, is the 'ex-communicator', or one who declare others 'infidels.' If the world was to heed Mr. Sissi's call then they should shut down entire countries, Egypt included!

President Sissi calls to fight terrorism and close down Takfiri group websites

There is actually "Takfiri" residing in each and everyone who doesn't believe in freedom of worship, human rights and freedom of expression. And in our corner of the world, these Takfiris are state-sponsored. Heck, the state does its own Takfir. The state thinks it can maintain monopoly on Takfir. But the truth is it can't, these ideas spread like a malignant cancer infesting and infecting the whole culture. It turns most Middle Easterners / Muslims into bigoted, intolerant, freedom-hating people.

The current processes by which religion is handed down and spoon fed to the young is setting them up to be Takfiris-in-the making. They may then become recruited by the likes of ISIS, el Qaeda, or whatever forsaken bloodthirsty terrorist cell offers the severely disturbed ones a home and tribe to belong to.  I find the inability of Muslims worldwide to stop and self-reflect on what might be our contribution to the problem staggering. After all, God explicitly tells us that personal responsibility is the key to change, that all change starts with personal change :"God alters not what has befallen a folk until they alter what is within themselves" Ra'd verse 11. So perhaps the question is not whether or not you are Charlie, but the real question is how is the little Takfiri inside you feeding the circle of violence that is consuming us all.

If you decide you are not Charlie,that is ok. But the question remains: will you accept me when I say that #IamCharlie, and #IamAhmed, and also Loujain and Maysa and Raif Badawi and Waleed Abu Alkhair and Karim Al Banna? Or will you, like Mr. Sissi's judiciary, punish me? If you ask me, a Takfiri is as Takfiri does. We are treading in murky dangerous waters with head-chopping militants roaming in our region, on our streets, social media and our mosques and churches too. Can we really afford forfeiting personal responsibility and duty? I think not!

The debate is not whether you are Charlie or not Charlie, the debate is really whether you recognize how your outdated value system, culture, and your government's backwards policies and practices contribute to the problem.

Sultan Morsi the First

Sultan Morsi I

Hear Ye… Hear Ye…

By decree of his royal Sultan-ness, Morsi the First, Egypt has been declared a no-man’s land. Strike that. Egypt has been declared a no-woman’s land– and a bigot’s haven. Egypt under Morsi’ s reign is tumbling back into the dark ages and Egyptians are about to witness, first-hand, the innumerable pleasures of living and thriving under extremist, fascist, totalitarian rulers.

We have been offered a glimpse of the coming attractions of the years to follow. Between releasing convicted terrorists with innocent blood on their hands and hopping around Cairo giving religious sermons and address the nation exclusively from a mosque, Mr. President has really shown where his allegiances lie.

Actually, he has shown us more than that in his mere 82 days in power. He has shown us that an Egyptian president, no the only Egyptian president who has been “democratically” elected, can declare himself Sultan with little to no consequences at all. Not even one teeny tiny demonstration or reminder that the “revolution goes on.”

When did he declare himself Sultan? Oh, you missed it? I’m not surprised.
It was cleverly done and stealthily executed. Indeed, the work of a master mind (perhaps the “Architect”?) Morsi has declared himself beyond reproach. He is, after all, the Muslim scholar leading the Umma in prayer.

His royal Sultan-ness doesn’t tolerate jokes. He will send you straight to jail–or to Hell if that can be helped–for them.

He wants his subjects serious and worthy of his infinite wisdom and his invincible cunning.

You gotta give the guy a break though, he is traumatized by the amount of ridicule he was subjected to during his presidential race: his nickname was “Morsi El- Istebin” which literally translates to “Morsi the Spare Tire” but is meant as “Morsi the Second Best,” referring to his status as being El-Shater’ s (the Architect) replacement.  El-Shater is the Muslim Brotherhood’s main man, but his criminal record and a delayed pardon stood between him and the presidential. The Egyptian people had a few laughs at this, but still elected Morsi anyway.

But now, nobody’s laughing. Demonstrations have been outlawed and Egyptians continue to be oppressed and imprisoned for their beliefs. There are whispers in the streets that child marriage will be legalized, that the already-oppressed minorities will be no longer welcome, that the marginalized will be further pushed into destitute by his royal Sultan-ness’ capitalist plans.

The trouble is that his royal Sultan-ness is just getting warmed up…  

Egypt... Get Thee a Queen!

Watching the Queen's Diamond Jubilee has inspired me with the perfect solution for the political conundrum Egyptians have found themselves into. The solution is so simple, so brilliant, and so elegant that I'm surprised that none of the activists on the ground have thought of it.

Egypt needs not elect a president, since doing so seems to be so darn hard. Egypt needs to get itself a queen!

I'm not a royalist--last I checked anyway--but I see this as the ultimate solution for the leader-worshipping Egyptians out there who, unfortunately, form the majority of the voting pool. Most people are looking for something much more than a president. They are looking for a savior and a leader that will lead Egypt from the darkness to light. They want him strong, invincible, and all-powerfully capable of vaporizing his enemies should they ever dare to exist. They want someone they can adore and even God-ify.

Photo Credit: Wikipedia 

If you seek proof to such claims, look no further than the mysterious case of Hazem Abu Ismail. The charismatic sweet-talking Santa Claus figure who ran for presidency, gathered supporters, and spent millions of Pounds on electorial posters and banners despite knowing that his running for presidency inspite of his mother's American Nationality is in direct violation of the Egyptian Constitutional declaration which bans citizens with dual-national parents from running for presidency.  His supporters went crazy over him, many of them even to the point of pledging their life to him and threatening armed conflict if ever asks them for their support.

Hamdeen Worshipers 

Another, even more mysterious case, is  Hamdeen Sabahy, one of the leaders of the "old" (i.e.pre-revolution) opposition parties who had no popularity whatsoever and then , suddenly and mysteriously, rose to the spotlight. Now all you could hear is Hamdeen this , Hamdeen that. His worshippers liken him to his role-model, the late Gamal Abdel Nasser, who squandered Egypt's wealth on silly wars and died leaving a huge chunk of Egypt occupied, but is still, for some odd reason, worshipped by the masses.

Adore this Sucka!! 

Worshipping masses... listen up!

I hate to burst your bubble but... there is no savior, there is no deliverer, there is no champion! YOU are the champions.  Conscience  is the champion. No one person is ever the answer. The answer is a system. A system that is not self-righteous, but just. A system that can hold those in power accountable for the failings and mistakes. A system where no one in executive position is above the law.

But since Pharaoh worshipping has been sort of our "thing" since the dawn of time, then by all means, elect a cardboard queen... One you can admire, adore, and glorify all you want but let her hold no royal prerogative.

George Clooney Arrested in a Protest: Just Like Egypt?

Yes. We're talking about THE George Clooney, super star and dedicated human rights activist. He was arrested while protesting in front of the Sudanese Embassy the inhumane mass murder and genocide in the Nuba mountains. That's the Nuba mountains in Sudan, not the Egyptian Nuba of course.

PHOTO: REUTERS

George Clooney was arrested like any common protestor--except of course for the fact that hundreds of cameras were recording every second of the arrest. Now, I can hear all the pro-tyranny people in Egypt rejoicing: "Seeee! In your face! Protestors get A-R-R-E-S-T-E-D even in the United States of America. So quit blaming our most beloved Supreme Council of Armed Forces (SCAF) for arresting protestors!"

I hate to burst your bubble O' you anti-protest peeps. Mr Clooney was arrested for an act of civil disobedience: he and the other protestors were blocking the entrance to the Sudanese embassy. The police warned them three times not to cross "the police line" and when they did, police officers on site arrested George Clooney and a few other activists. George Clooney &Co were taken away in plastic handcuffs (also known as Zip Ties) and they continued their chanting against the criminal Sudanese president Omar Al-Bashir.

George Clooney had planned this protest, and knew that they will be arrested. Clooney knew that the arrest of a mega star like him would bring his cause to attention. So he accepted the cuffs willingly.

Mohamed Hassan: Even the Poor should donate to 'save the economy'

And to compare this to the sad situation of Egyptian Super Star Sheikhs such as Mr. Mohammed Hassan who rally for their cause by asking poor people to donate to it, you begin to understand where my undying appreciation for George Clooney comes from.

Even though many people would just disregard this arrest as a 'media stunt.' I like it, because it is a stunt that works.

Now, thousands of people worldwide will google George Clooney's arrest and try to find out more about why he did. Thousands of people will now know that somewhere in Africa, Omar Al-Bashir is murdering and starving the People of the Nuba Mountains. And if this is how Clooney uses his fame and stardom, then all the power to him.

Our Martyrs... Our Heroes

This post is translated from Arabic. You can find the original Here  in the  words of blogger extraordinaire and activist Mona Seif

The Adel Imam You Should Know 

I met him at the doors of Zeinhom morgue, home to the bodies of all our fallen heroes. 

All he wanted was to take his son's body to Tahrir Square.  

To honor him with a funeral march and prayer in the Square that bore witness to his son's final hours and demise at the hands of the Ministry of Interior and Army goons.

We started to spread the word and rally for a march. The local crowd, however, advised the father against it, and so he left, along with the boy's mother.

But our paths were destined to cross again,  on the following Friday. The one we designated " Martyrs Friday."  

This time it was at the entrance of the  notorious Mohamed Mahmoud Street, home to the Egyptian Ministry of Interior,  where hundreds were injured and many lost their live ­—and most important where Adel's young life was snatched away from him.

We stood there staring at the list of Martyrs.

Hesitantly, he asked, "Is Adel's name on there somewhere?"

Confidently, I answered, "Of course it is." Then I started to scan for his name—Adel Imam.

"Here it! Here it is!" I pointed at the name excited. "Right up there, on the left."

He stared at the name and called out to his wife, Om Adel, " Adel's name is on the list...here it is!" He said sobbing.

Adel's father only wanted recognition. He sought no compensation, no vain words,. His parents only wanted Adel be recognized as the hero and the martyr that he is. Instead, what they got is the constant denial of police authorities that live bullets were used. But they knew better. They saw the hole in their son's head with their own two eyes. 

The real story behind Adel Imam's death is a story we will not be hearing any time soon. We will not be hearing the truth as long we have notorious officials who dare stare at the bullet-laden bodies of the fallen and claim that no bullets were fired. As long as Egyptian national media only cares about the better-looking bourgeois of the revolutionary lot. A long as the international media insists on reducing the Egyptian revolution to social media and  As long as the media is obsessing over Islamophobia and ignoring anything else. 

We will never be reading  this story—the true story of Adel Imam —anywhere:

Adel Imam , a young manual worker, who went to Tahrir demonstrations behind his parents' back.
Adel Imam is a martyr who was murdered in cold bold on February 21st.
Adel Imam was killed with a bullet in his head, and a receipt in his pocket—a receipt for the medical supplies he bought, with the pennies he makes, for the Tahrir field hospital.

It thus remains our responsibility to spread the word and tell their stories. Tell their stories to our friends, our families, our children. Etch them in our memory so that we may never forget.

It is our responsibility to document the true history of our revolution. It is our responsibility to sing the names of the fallen heroes and hang their pictures everywhere...until one day we overcome,  or become one of these untold stories waiting to be sung.

The Adel Imam who doesnt matter

For those who ask when will the Egyptian revolution be complete, I answer: when "Adel Imam" becomes a name synonymous with this young hero and not a proregime hateful actor. 

Please pray for our unsung heroes... our martyrs.

When the Armed Reign Supreme

My friends and family from all over the world ask me: “how fares the Egyptian revolution?”

And in all honesty, I choke on the answer. I usually gulp down some coffee and stare into the empty space ahead and shake my head.

For those of you who don’t know, Egypt is now run by the Supreme Council of Armed Forces (SCAF). Does the name sound scary enough? Sounds pretty scary to me!

I’ve always been wary of those who are armed, especially if they reign supreme.

The Egyptian people, however, has a completely different view. Army tanks deployed on the streets of Tahrir square back in the Mubarak-days were greeted with loving chants. Army officers were being hugged by people from all walks of life. Tears of joys were in the eyes of many of the protestors who had once chanted “wahid, itnayn, el gayesh el masry fayn” which roughly translates to “ one … two … our army where are you?” The truly believed in the Egyptian Army as their savior and deliverer from the hellish grip of the brutal police.

“What the hell is wrong with these people,” I had asked .

“What do you mean what’s wrong with them?  Nothing is wrong with them, they’re welcoming our Army.” He said looking at me as if I had just landed from a different planet. “Our army. The army that has sworn to defend and protect us. The army that stands guard to keep Egypt safe.”

I still failed to understand the true reasons behind the love affair between Egyptians and the Army. Not because I had anything against them, but because I knew all too well that the disciplined army soldiers, who live and die by a sacred hierarchical structure, have no taste for democracy--or rights.

Mubarak stepped down, or rather was forced to step down by a yet-to-be-identified entity. And SCAF stepped up.

I immediately did not like this. Armed forces are trained to fight, not rule. It is just a simple as that. They undergo rigorous training that encourages blind obedience, suppresses individuality, fosters patriarchal world views, and teaches blindness to the rights of the one when it conflicts with the good of the many. And herein lies the rub!

SCAF’s current version of the good of the many involves keeping ex-president Mubarak in 5-star suite in a private Sharm El Sheikh hospital.

SCAF are just extending some courtesy to their ex-leader Mubarak, you say? You want us to let it go? Well, Mubarak has ordered the police to gun down protestors which resulted in the death and maiming of thousands of Egyptians, most of them young and still had a full life ahead of them. Mubarak lies in a 5-star hospital bed while the dead lie in their graves. Does that sound fair to you?

Egypt is spiraling down a very dark tunnel while our future is not revealed to us by the powers that be. Lack of transparency, camouflage-clothing inspired perhaps, is baffling us. When EXACTLY are the elections? Dates… numbers? No one knows for sure. Who’s voting? Rumor after rumor followed by a denial here and a confirmation there.

Civilians undergo military trials. While Mubarak, once the high commander of the Armed Forces, is being investigated by the Attorney General. Justice? I think not.

We seek justice for those who were wronged and we seek our long-lost freedom. That’s how I know we are on the side of righteousness.

May 27^th is when we attempt to right the wrongs and walk-down the paths of Tahrir Square again. If you cannot join us, I beseech you, remember us in your prayers. 

Speechless in Tahrir Square

Blog about it Amira... write about it.
Well sometimes, the fact is, you are just speechless and utterly at a loss for words.

When history is being written, and we are there, we live it. I could not write about it while it was happening, I was too shaken--and too bitter at all those trying to abort the revolution.

When Mubarak stepped down, I wrote about it on Blogcritics.

And now there is so much to do--and so much to write about.

So let the journey begin....