I do not know to say or write with knowing the results of the first multi-candidate presidential elections in Egypt , the biggest presidential elections many Arabs looked at the new era of the Arab world.
I have spent all night crying and saying stuff I should not say , things I know that I should not write because my rage , things I fear that I would say and then I feel sorry about my Egyptian people.
My only condolences that from 90 million Egyptians only 50% of the eligible voters in the country “50 million” participated in this election so we are speaking about 25 million voters only , the historical elections that reminds me with the Six Days war defeat.
I do not have any words , it is like choosing between two hells : The Muslim brotherood or Shafiq !!!
We are all to blame especially the #Jan25 Revolutionaries who set back in bubbly Cairo ‘that voted for Shafiq’ and in their closed social networks realms. We are responsible for this without doubt.
I do not want to speak now but one thing for sure I feel my generation is have the same feeling the 1967 generation felt and I fear from that feeling.
I have spent all night crying and saying stuff I should not say , things I know that I should not write because my rage , things I fear that I would say and then I feel sorry about my Egyptian people.
My only condolences that from 90 million Egyptians only 50% of the eligible voters in the country “50 million” participated in this election so we are speaking about 25 million voters only , the historical elections that reminds me with the Six Days war defeat.
I do not have any words , it is like choosing between two hells : The Muslim brotherood or Shafiq !!!
We are all to blame especially the #Jan25 Revolutionaries who set back in bubbly Cairo ‘that voted for Shafiq’ and in their closed social networks realms. We are responsible for this without doubt.
I do not want to speak now but one thing for sure I feel my generation is have the same feeling the 1967 generation felt and I fear from that feeling.
Cheer up!
ReplyDeleteMorsi can't control the country like Shafik. Morsi can be swayed by revolutionaries, Shafik won't budge.
And I'm pretty sure Morsi will moderate his views now, and seek a secularist vice-president.
So I hope you won't abstain of voting.
So it's going to be a runoff between MB candidate Mohammed Morsi and old regime remnant Ahmed Shafiq?
ReplyDeleteDear Zeinobia, all is not lost. Egypt has tasted democracy, it won't forget.
ReplyDeleteWait....You got a free election, and it was not the result that you and your liberal friends wanted, so you are furious?
ReplyDeleteIt is an election....If the people freely vote for a MB candidate, get over it! Not everbody in Egypt wants what you want.
Its got nothing to do with what the liberals want. The run-off looks like it will be between someone who has openly said he'll return the old regime and someone who seems hellbent on aggravating the USA, Israel and taking us in the direction of an Islamic dictatorship.
DeleteAny of the other 11 candidates would have helped advance democracy, however slowly. These two will do the least.
This was the Nakba scenario. And it looks to have happened. Complete disaster.
The Brotherhood are likely to soon control the Parliament, Presidency and maybe constituent assembly. They, and the likes of Hegazi, have already shown they're going to do what Islamic groups like them inevitably end up doing: telling the people that people who vote foe secular, socialist, liberal candidates (ie anyone other than them) are doing something haram.
Dear Zenobia,
ReplyDeleteAllowing Shafiq to run for presidency, was killing every honorable Egyptian and slapping him or her in their faces, it is the ugly SCAF and the remnant of the filthy regime who did it, not revolutionaries and smart people who understood the corrup game and refrained from playing it.
Hasbia Allah.
However, if Shafiq comes than they all should expect HELL to break, no one will stay home and they will certainly experience the real revolution, people are ready to explode and this time for real.
And just to add to my reply to Anonymous above,
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/26/world/middleeast/egypt-presidential-election-runoff.html?_r=2
Shafiq is going to end the revolution.
And Sabbahi and Aboul Fotouh are morons. If one of them had swallowed their pride, been willing to make some compromises and stand down and run as a VP, we wouldn't be in this mess.
Strange... I had the 1967 feeling on February 12, 2011, because I knew that when a few million Tahrir people with the mentality of teenagers get what they want, the country will be in ruins.
ReplyDeleteYou wanted revolution and democracy. Now eat it.
If Shafiq succeeds, which still remains to be seen, and he maintains his position to consider Mubarak his "role model", I predict that his presidency will be short and bloody. Egypt will have another revolution and that one will turn into a civil war.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Morsy would be easier to reign in and this Egypt would have true chance to reform itself.
Now all secular forces and the Christians in particular must stick together against the felool.
Zeinobia,
ReplyDeleteI totally disagree …..
This is and should be the happiest day in Egyptian history …… The EGYPTIANS elected whoever they want; maybe they made a mistake form view of people like us. Egypt is walking the road to democracy; everyone will learn from mistakes and will be back in 4 years.
Last night while watch the numbers fluctuating among 5 candidates , I kept hitting myself to believe this is at last Egypt time, what we have been seeing all over world, finally is coming to be reality in our homeland
Please do not spoil a happy day for Egypt … I can’t wait to see the president taking Oath of Office ceremony and the more important the same president standing next and shaking hands with the following president taking Oath in 4 years.
Walid
niceeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee blog
ReplyDeleteAs a Aboul Fotouh supporter, I myself am disappointed with this result. But between Shafik and Morsi, I would still urge people to vote for Morsi. At least he got a concrete plan (the famous "Al-Nahda") to try and get Egypt moving again, unlike Shafik, who's only plan is to grab power and end the revolution, protect the military, and regress to Mubaraks age.
ReplyDeleteIf the Brotherhood is smart, which it is, it'll realize that it's entire future hinges on Morsi managing to turn the economy around and restore stability by the next election, otherwise they'll be obliterated by their already disappointed voters.
So I would say, hold your nose and vote for Morsi.
The problem with the MB is they have already lied to Egyptians. Not a good start. They said they would not field a candidate. By doing so they have sidelined the other groups with whom they are not willing to share power. They have also provoked the old establishment into backing Shafik. This situation seems like a dead end but it doesn't have to be. It is up to those outside of these 2 groups to organise & coordinate.
ReplyDeleteIf Morsi gets the presidency the future will be slightly less certain than if Shafik does since the MB will have a monopoly in the government which could be permanent. If Shafik wins the MB will still be a powerful brake on the President. As well he will have gained votes from people who in no way support the old regime.
It is disappointment for the young who risked everything in Tahrir but this is one side of democracy - money, organisation &
in the MB case years of practical preparation (compromising with Mubarak) can succeed where honesty & ideals don't.
Democracy is hard work and fragile. I've heard the MB don't really believe in it (or their founder didn't). Maybe this is why.
The new generation (Z generation) are idealist, not realist. Election is not a 90 minutes soccer game to win and go home to celebrate. The election results can't minimize the fact that this is the Arab world first free elections. For such achievement, I categorize this presidential election more with 1973 than with 1967.
ReplyDeleteElections are for ordinary people, one person - one vote. People choose based on awareness, knowledge, and perception. After decades of corruption and manipulation by official media, it takes time for people to adjust. This time for knowledge and awareness will be longer if the media is still playing in the hands of counter-revolution.
Now with this results, real revolutionaries will form a strong opposition. In this phase of change, being in the opposition may have it's advantage.
It was Winston Churchill who said: "Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time."
ReplyDeleteDon't get too disappointed, in a democracy no one gets what he really wants and progress is achieved by a slow and griding process of negotiation and compromise between the different parties and sectors.
As long as democracy is maintained, it will balance itself. The main thing you should worry of is having a leader or party which will decide to cancel or forge elections.