“Every success story is also a story of great failure.”
Dr. Ashraf Ezzat
What took place in Egypt Tahrir square last February is proving, as days go by, to be a decisive turning point in the psychology of the silent masses around the world.
What made this Tahrir revolution so influential is that we were not told about it, we did not read about it days or years later in some newspaper or history book, we didn’t watch a 30 seconds-clip of it on the TV news, rather we watched the whole uprising as it unfolded during 18 consecutive days live and uncensored.
In other words, we, the huddled masses, the silent majority, saw for ourselves that people, if united in their aspirations and vision, could break the long chain of sinful obedience.
As the world follows the current New Yorkers sit-in and their anti-corporate greed rallies in Wall Street as well as in many other American cities, we find it hard for any scholar or observer of socio-political affairs to skip the link, or rather the impact the Tahrir square phenomena had, not only on “Occupy Wall Street” but around the world.
It is not hard to connect the dots as we recollect what happened in Yemen, Syria, Bahrain, Spain and Israel ever since the millions of Egyptians made good on the famous motto “the street is ours”
But every success story is also a story of great failure.
Engulfed by the naïve impulse of mass culture and mesmerized by the system apparently bending to their demands the thousands of Egyptians who occupied Tahrir square for almost three weeks prematurely evacuated the place without delegating a committee to speak on their behalf and without choosing some leadership to represent them and carry on the political struggle necessary for the full realization of their demands.
This is where the tahrir saga went wrong and the reason why their revolution has been unabashedly hijacked. We hope the American youths currently steering “occupy Wall Street” have learned the Tahrir square lesson and that they will take the necessary precautions not to let their uprising get hijacked.
Beware, the old hawks are watching.
‘I Am Not Moving: Occupy Wall Street’ – Short Film
Edited by Corey Ogilvie
Dedicated to the People, Shot by the People, For the People who are breaking the chain of obedience.
Segments of speeches made by the US President and Secretary of State, as they discuss present-day social unrest in the Middle East, professionally and beautifully edited with scenes of recent police brutality in Lower Manhattan, drawing a powerful observation about the hypocrisy and corruption of US foreign and domestic policy.
Ashraf Ezzat 
Well said, Mike Santomauro! I can’t add anything to what you said, because you said it all! Godspeed.
LikeLike
Globalization. American workers first.
Globalization is both damaging to our culture and to the health of our once-thriving economy. As manufacturing is increasingly shipped overseas, and as there are increasingly more Third World immigrants trafficked into our country to serve as modern-day slaves, there are increasing levels of unemployment – not concealable by the best efforts of those who manipulate statistics – the decline of wages, and dissatisfaction amongst those American workers whose jobs are surrendered to foreigners.
The OWS protesters finds nothing particularly redeeming about the notion that – disregarding the long-term consequences of such a policy – we ought to surrender American ingenuity and manufacturing expertise overseas in order that the wealthy elite might profit, selling competitive advantage that belongs to us all – technology and know-how that was built on the backs of generations of American workers and thinkers. These practices hurt Americans.
And while OWS protesters recognizes the importance of trade, we do not recognize other peoples and other nations as having any competitive advantage beyond a willingness to accept inadequate wages or beyond merely holding resources important to our advancement. That there is no one more inventive, more industrious, or more hard-working than the American is an idea constituting a part of the cornerstone of our ideological platform. Where others falter in their belief of this idea, we will stand steadfast in our conviction.
Accordingly, so as to protect the American worker, his family, and their way of life, we believe that it is necessary to restrict the import of certain goods. We will take the necessary steps toward protecting American industry, wherever it faces trouble. More specifically, there must be consequences for those companies who further their aims at the expense of harming their countrymen. If a foreign government can provide a tax incentive for those companies willing to go global and deliver to them American jobs and manufacturing technology, we can offer the same companies a disincentive to do as much. Wherever possible, we will take measures to ensure that the goods we consume are made by American hands, in American factories.
We will also make every effort necessary to break apart those corporations that have overtaken competitors by way of predatory pricing and collusive activity, by exploiting initiatives intended to help the disabled, by exploiting illegal-immigrant labor, and by any other activity that decent, hard-working, ethical, American businessmen are unwilling to do in accordance with their principles. These activities have transformed many corporations into monopolies that hurt our nation both socially and economically, and we will not sit idly by as they seek to grow ever more powerful.
Peace.
Mike Santomauro
ReporterNotebook@gmail.com
New york City
LikeLike
Foreign Affairs. Humility and restraint.
The OWS protesters does not believe that the United States of America has a moral obligation to spread American values the world over. In fact, we believe that we ought to concern ourselves more with the maintenance of democracy within our own borders – especially as it is under attack – and less with the propagation of it on foreign soil.
We refuse to be strong-armed by the international community to serve the interests of others. We are a sovereign nation, and we will act as such. The blood of our citizens is the most valuable resource of the country, and the lives of our children must not be risked over foreign disputes that have no bearing on the welfare of our nation.
Peace.
Michael Santomauro
New York City
LikeLike
Democracy. More. Not less.
Our forefathers fought bloody battles to secure our freedom. They wanted to bequeath to their children a nation free from tyranny, where our people could live in liberty and in peace. They believed that there exist certain inalienable rights that men have the authority to neither grant nor deny. While these rights were acknowledged in the United States Constitution, they exist only in our willingness and ability to protect them.
Today, in nearly every case, the will of the people is absolutely ignored. Time and time again, on issues concerning every aspect of our lives, democracy has been abandoned by politicians who knowingly deceive our citizens and disregard our will . In case after case, the Republicans and Democrats have colluded in an effort to effect unwanted change. Disregarding our wishes with respect to immigration, sovereignty, and even sending our children to fight and die in unnecessary and unwanted wars, the Republicrats have left our people with no real choice, and they have shown their disregard for the sacrifices of our forefathers.
We believe that what our forefathers fought for was right. We want more of what they fought for, not less. We cherish democracy and we honor their sacrifice. We believe that all people have a right to speak freely about any issue. Only a weak position cannot withstand criticism.
We believe that all people have a right to self-defense, from an attacker, an intruder, a tyrannical government, or otherwise. If the ability to vote is a meaningful thing, and if every American has the potential to vote and to affect the lives of others, certainly those same people are responsible enough to have the ability to see to their own defense, should the need arise.
We believe that all peoples have a right to associate freely. Communities should be formed by consensus, not by threat of violence, imprisonment, or death. We will end forced “enrichment” and other tyrannical and racist practices that treat people as subjects to be administered, in certain proportions, in schools, at work-sites, and in communities, as part of a social experiment. Parents have a right to choose where and with whom their children are schooled, and neighborhoods have a right to make the decisions that will impact them.
We believe that people have the right to determine who benefits from the fruits of their labor; taking monies from one unwilling person and giving it to another more-than-willing person is immoral and undemocratic. The OWS was formed to represent the will of the majority, who have been denied representation for decades. We will restore those same inalienable rights our forefathers fought for. We will give cause for the government to observe and carry out the will of our citizens. We will be free again.
Peace.
Michael Santomauro
Editorial Director
Call anytime: 917-974-6367
LikeLike