Rebecca Kissel on the Revolution in Egypt

By: Rebecca Kissel

February 12, 2011

After three weeks of protests, the Egyptian people have finally been heard. Throughout these past few weeks, the whole world has been focused on Egypt, and Jordan, being in the Middle East, has been no exception. Every night after classes I sit with my host parents and watch the news, and every night pictures of Cairo flash across the screen. No matter where I go in Amman, every restaurant, cab driver, and home has the television or radio set to news of the protests. Tonight, though, my family finally breathed much more easily. With the celebrations playing on the background, they talked and laughed and drank tea in their own small celebration.

Amidst the fireworks and the footage of people hugging and cheering, though, the newscasters kept repeating the significance of this night and the decisions the Egyptian people face. After the celebrations are over, there are going to be many serious questions facing the populous country of Egypt. They have been victorious in ousting Mubarak, but they have run shortages on food and money, the country'’s economy sliding deeper every day. It is difficult enough to form a new government in the best of circumstances, let alone under these conditions.

Many in the West are concerned over the role the Muslim Brotherhood will be playing in the process, and they are right to believe that the Brotherhood will have a lot more power in free and fair elections than they have ever had before. The group’'s members have previously been banned from Egyptian elections, running instead as independents and still winning many more seats than those candidates from approved opposition groups. Questions facing a Muslim Brotherhood with much more power include the peace treaty with Israel and also Muslim-Christian relations inside the country.

The media has covered all of this extensively, of course, speculating on what might happen and commenting again and again on the historic events. In my opinion, though, the most telling events of all were not covered on the prime time news like the political speeches and pictures of who the blood-soaked martyrs were. These protests which sent the Egyptian economy spiraling also brought out the true spirit of the Egyptian people. Mubarak in his speech constantly addressed the “youth” of Egypt, but there were people of all ages joining in the protests. Young and old walked the streets together, united in what they wanted. One of the older Egyptians joining in the protests was Nawal El Saadawi, an Egyptian feminist who had been exiled from the country for her radical views. Old and young, men and women, Muslim and Christian, people from all facets of Egyptian society were on the front lines of these demonstrations, calling for change, not just one group or another.

There are many unknowns right now, and a lot of people are speculating a lot of outcomes. One thing that we can know for sure, though, is that the spirit of the Egyptian people and of the whole Arab world has been present in these protests. The most inspirational photos from the demonstrations are the ones in which students are guarding a library, Christians are protecting Muslims praying, and a Muslim woman is kissing a soldier on the cheek. These pictures speak to Egyptians coming together to protect what is most important to them, and regardless of who ends up in charge, these are powerful images that cannot be forgotten so quickly. It is going to be a long and difficult road, but the Egyptian people have already accomplished the seemingly impossible tonight, and I have no doubt they can do it again so long as they keep that spirit and that sense of togetherness alive. We'’ll all be watching.

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