Walk like an Egyptian: Except YOU Mubarak

For the past 11 days, Egypt has been on the world stage since protests against the Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak have boiled out of control. Egyptians continue to protest all over the country to oust Mubarak who has been in power for over 20 years. The rebellion began when hundreds of thousands of Egyptians gathered in Cairo demanding free and fair elections. Secular youths and unhappy workers as well as followers of the fundamentalist Muslim brotherhood are members of the protest. Mubarak came out on top in a sham election last year, fueling anger and zeal for the need for democracy. Mubarak has been trying to appease the angry mob by promising to not run for re-election but violence continues in Cairo's Tahrir Square. While the army pledged to not fire shots against protesters, street fights have erupted and many have been injured or killed, dozens of journalists among them. National and world leaders have cut off their support for the Egyptian dictator fearing any association with Mubarak will taint their names and political interests. In response to the chaos in Egypt, President Obama said a democratic transition "must begin now". The ousting of President Mubarak is potentially dangerous because radical Islamist forces could control the new Egyptian regime, making the country an enemy of both the U.S. and Israel. This threat keeps the crisis in Egypt a top priority on the U.S. foreign agenda.

The protests in Egypt are a testament to how far the world has come in standing up for what they believe in. Instead of dealing with persecution, Egyptians are protesting and telling the world what needs to happen. Democracy is a privilege we enjoy in the U.S. and usually take for granted. The situation in Egypt reminds us how lucky we are to have a democratic government. Electing officials should be a world wide right of the people but unfortunately is not. Protesters in Cairo are now fighting to get that right which is very brave and noble. Unfortunately where protest occurs, violence usually follows. People have differences, emotions are flaring, and individuals get hurt; street fights have occurred and so have injuries. Also the potential threat of a radical sect taking control of Egypt is a fear possessing many countries especially the U.S. Despite the negatives, the good that could come from Egypt becoming a democratic nation is enormous.