a half hour ago. I had expected that morale would be pretty low today. It was cold and cloudy with the occasional sprinkle of rain. The last time I had been down was Friday morning, and since then the military government had announced a bunch of superficially important but ultimately meaningless concessions such as sacking the dinosaurs from the ruling party. The inner circle is still firmly in charge and not budging. Thugs controlled by the government still roam the streets beating up the opposition.
Plus many ordinary Egyptians are suffering from the dismal economic consequences and said to be growing tired of these liberal trouble makers in the square.
But wow! When I arrived there quite the opposite. It was a vast carnival, more crowded than I had seen so far. For a dollar, a make-up man would paint the Egyptian flag on your face. Music was playing. Lots of religious Muslims mingling with the rest, happy. They said that today a group of Christians held mass in one area to widespread approval.
I was thinking, what if some Western musician famous to the world but not to the Egyptian government were to slip into the square inconspicuously and give a concert, beamed live to the world by the many media camped out there! It could well create a tipping poin.
A bank of speakers has already been set up in the middle of the square on a stage. It would be a great boost to the morale of the Egyptians. I wouldn't have a clue how such a performer could be convinced to take such a step. I would have no idea how to reach one. Maybe someone at dkos does.
Here we have the classic case of the U.S. government supporting a dictator against the people that has played out over and over in the Arab world. Spouting high ideals in the end only to dump the people in cynical and short-sighted real politik.
That's all for now, folks. Peace to all.
Ptah