It’s not necessary to occupy a square or stage a sit-in to emulate
MLK’s nonviolent methods, even in Egypt.
Look for blue lights in
this video:
One view of what you just saw:
In the video you’ll notice the events of the day are not getting captured by film crews and news reporters. They’re being documented by people with their mobile phones. Take another look at the video and count the number of illuminated mobile phone screens you see being raised overhead to capture pictures and video as the scenes in the streets unfolds.It doesn’t take a fancy camera to record events as they happen. Most any old cell phone will do.
You are the media.
-jsq
Short Link:
An excellent point about technology increasing our ability to bear witness to, and be an instrument of, democratic change.
Sadly, the recent reports about the beating and rape of the female (American) CBS reporter sheds some sobering light on the awful treatment of women in even a more “modernized” Islamic society. Any democracy earned in Egypt will be a Pyrrhic victory unless fundamental shifts occur in the treatment of women, and their rights, inclusion, and equality are assured.
Well, 30 years of Mubarrak didn’t help much with that, so let’s give democracy a chance.
Also look who distributed MLK materials in Egypt: http://lake.typepad.com/on-the-lake-front/2011/02/georgia-native-helps-inspire-egyptian-revolution-mlk-in-arabic.html
A woman activist.
By definition, Egypt will be neither a democratic nor liberated society if Women are not equal players in whatever new system emerges.
How will you help with that?
I’ll hold my cell phone in the air.
If you’ll provide the equal financial support to my family that my current job provides, I’ll be glad to go to Egypt and muckrake for postive change. As things are, I can barely make a local function, let alone be a global change-vigilante… beyond hearts-and-minds support via internet and interpersonal exchange.
“But what can a poor boy do, ‘cept to sing in a rock and roll band?”
-finis-
ah, I pressed “post” too soon…
In the spirit of “Thinking Globally, Act Locally”, I am donating my time and musical talents to perform at the upcoming Silent No More benefit March 4th at The Bleu Pub. The money raised is for the Women’s and Gender Studies Program @ VSU, which works to increase awareness of violence against women and fight for equal rights… right here at home.
Thanks for the work *you* do, and I’ll do my best to do my part!
-finis-
OK, so hold your cell phone in the air at that event, send me the resulting pictures and videos, and LAKE will post some of them.
And you’re welcome.
-jsq
PS: Don’t discount “hearts-and-minds support via internet and interpersonal exchange.” THe U.S. has spent around $70B propping up the just-departed Egyptian regime, so if our government can be convinced to do better about that, that will affect Egypt. The government won’t be convinced unless more people are convinced.
Now a word from Mona Eltahawy:
http://amfix.blogs.cnn.com/2011/02/17/high-rate-of-harassment-sexual-assault-in-egypt-and-other-arab-nations/