Islamic uprising? Or the result of an oppressed population of people who are no longer willing to tolerate a dictatorship that does not encourage females to receive a proper education, that reportedly lashes homosexual people in public until their skin hangs in bloody shreds, and permits an ever increasing divide between rich and poor? People are hungry, they can't afford to make ends meet and there is no light at the end of the tunnel.
The current situation in Egypt is a complicated debate and one that has no clear cut answers but it seems to me, this is fundamentally about a society of people who after 30 some years of being ruled with an iron fist, are no longer willing to put up with it. And from where we sit, can we blame them? While this has no question become the perfect breeding ground for further corruption and an improper use of power, we're talking about people who just want democracy and to join the modern age. Nobody wants to see violence and another Iraq, but is it right these people should just sit back and take the cards they're being dealt?
Fortunately, or unfortunately - whatever be the case - we live in a world where people can no longer be cut off from what's happening elsewhere around the globe. Through the internet, facebook and other social networks, those living in Egypt and other parts of the Middle East are able to see the opportunities and advantages we in democratic societies enjoy. While their government is making it's best attempt to suppress this knowledge and communications by cutting of internet and cell phone use, the people are aware. It's too late.
Why did it have to come to this? Why in today's day and age do we still have dictators like Mubarak who's personal wealth is said to be more than $40 billion while his people are going without?
We're living in a world of changing times and what happens over the coming weeks could be monumental. The sad part is, it's all likely going to get worse before anything gets better. Maybe it's time the world stands up and says a cruel dictatorship is not okay. High oil prices or not, we're taking about human lives. We're talking about people who should have the same rights as you and I, people who should be free to make life choices without fear of persecution... the question is, how do we get to there from here?
