Egypt’s Future: Freedom, Now What?

Egypt’s Future: Freedom, Now What?

February’s uncontrolled, enduring protests in Cairo’s Tahrir Square to remove longtime Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak were fueled by a fire ignited by social media. The Egyptians’ unyielding pursuit for long-deserved democracy at whatever costs, resulted in several hundreds injured and some killed. But in the end, the people won. In today’s New York Times article, “Polls Find Egyptians Hopeful About the Future,” Egyptians seem “extraordinarily confident and enthusiastic” about their first free and fair election. What direction will this mean for them? Sometimes those who’ve never had freedom and suddenly come to posses it without instruction on how to best use it, worse actions will follow. It is hoped the country is collectively successful. Only time will tell how freedom’s price is invested.

Highlighted Clip for Tuesday, April 26, 2011:"Poll Finds Egyptians Full of Hope About the Future"

By David D. Kirkpatrick and Mona El-Naggar

Egyptians are looking forward with extraordinary confidence and enthusiasm to their first free and fair elections this fall after the defining revolution of the Arab spring, according to the first major poll since the ouster of Hosni Mubarak. But they remain deeply divided over the role of Islam in their public life.



Celebratory, Yet Appropriately Cautious.

Celebratory, Yet Appropriately Cautious.

Speaking to the American people and the world today, President Barack Obama said that Egypt "will never be the same" after the successful revolution to oust Hosni Mubarak as President.

"Egyptians have inspired us, and they've done so by putting the lie to the idea that justice is best gained by violence," he said "For Egypt, it was the moral force of nonviolence, not terrorism, not mindless killing, but nonviolence, moral force, that bent the arc of history toward justice once more."

The President went on to quote Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous saying, "there is something in the soul that cries out for freedom," today the Egyptian people's cries were heard, and so they celebrated. No one knows for sure what lies ahead for Egypt, things are still very uncertain, but the dominoes have now begun to fall, and we join our President in his cautious excitement.

Watch President Obama's Speech Below:

Pictures Worth a 1000 words: The Power of Social Networking in Egypt's Fight For Freedom

Pictures Worth a 1000 words: The Power of Social Networking in Egypt's Fight For Freedom

The current battle for freedom and the removal of President Mubarak in Egypt is a complex, constantly shifting, increasingly violent, and confusing situation to watch. It's hard for anyone to really understand what's going on in that country, but one thing is clear. This revolution was organized and sustained through the use of the internet and popular social networking platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter. It's no wonder then, that almost immediately once protests started taking place, the Government of Egypt attempted to shut down the internet and these websites. Thankfully, they were unsuccessful and the Egyptian people were able to continue to organize themselves and their opinions via these powerful tools. Social Networking was always meant to connect us to those around us and around the world. To see how these tools have been used to shape a revolution is truly awe-inspiring. 

(Photo: Egyptian protester holding sign “Thank you Facebook” Taken by NBC reporter Richard Engel)

 

(Photo: An anti-government protestor holds a blooded Egyptian flag in Tahrir Square on February 3, 2011 in Cairo, Egypt. The Army have positioned tanks between protesters who had been battling with supporters of President Hosni Mubarak for the second day in and around Tahrir Square in Cairo. By Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images.)

(Photo: A young Egyptian anti-government demonstrator flashes victory signs as a stone battle rages between fellow demonstrators and pro-regime opponents at Cairo's Tahrir Square on February 3, 2011 on the 10th day of protests calling for the ouster of embattled President Hosni Mubarak. By Miguel Medina/AFP/Getty Images)

(Photo: Egyptian soldiers try to prevent anti-government demonstrators (L) from battling pro-government opponents (R) in Cairo's Tahrir square on February 03, 2011 on the 10th day of protests calling for the ouster of embattled President Hosni Mubarak. By Mohammed Abed/AFP/Getty Images)



Who's Responsible?

Who's Responsible?

Who is responsible for driving the uncontrolled, violent President Mubarak protests in Egypt? Seeking the Egyptian president's early resignation for new leadership, thousands of angry protestors have rallied in Cairo's Tahrir Square to be heard and ultimately validated. Incidentally, many joined the protests spurred by social media exchanges. At latest news, one person has been killed and more than 600 seriously injured. In spoken or written form our words have the power to influence, potentially impacting situations beyond our limited scope of vision. When do we accept responsibility for damage caused by a spark igniting a flame?

For latest on the situation, read CNN's "This Just In" Blog posts here:

http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/02/02/egypt-crisis-prepping-for-another-day-of-protests/?hpt=T1&iref=BN1