While the Egyptian people were protesting, demonstrating peacefully, I could not believe it. It was unprecedented, exciting and I was riveted to the news coming out of that northern African country. In fact, I wished I could have been there with them. At least I wanted them to know I was with them and supported their brave actions in the name of democracy. Every day during those two weeks I so hoped there would be no violence to spoil this pure people driven revolution. Alas there was violence and in fact people were killed, but it was generated from those who had held power for thirty years. Think of it, whole families sleeping outside in Tahrir Square for days, then one week, then two weeks. At first I did not think they could achieve it, but as the protests progressed, I saw how determined this populace was, how they could not be deterred, and how their resolve could not be shaken. I admired their steadfastness to achieve a single goal: to depose Mbarak. When this goal was reached by their unyielding solidarity, I shared their jubilation, in fact I wanted to go out in the street and celebrate too. Instead I shed a few tears. Now the military is in charge of that country. I worry about that. So far it is o.k. and during the protest the military held a sympathetic presence.
However, the Egyptian people's accomplishment is of historic proportions, and to have nothing in place to follow can be rather dangerous. Egypt is in a fragile place where some faction or other could come forward and take negative advantage and undo this democratic venture in a very undemocratic environment.
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