Read My view of the Constitution drafting and things around it. in Ehab Heikal’s blog

This was a reply to a post online right after the 63.8 vote yes to the first democratically affirmed constitution of Egypt, but I felt it needed its own post.

Mo Ashour ( a great friend and a true Liberal and humanist) I do not think that representing the relative strength of political currents in the constitution is fault. I do believe that using tactics like quitting from the Constitution committee to undermine the strength of the will of the people is a huge fault that has cost us a more refined Islamized constitution from the Secular side. I do not believe that Egypt will ever be secular until it is close to what people refer to as end times. I do not think that the solution that is valid in any and all countries where there are minorities is liberalism. Sometimes the minority have to live in the rule of the majority, it is the burden of the majority to ensure that such is not abused. I agree that the USA has a great system FOR A COUNTRY THAT HAS NO IDENTITY, a country that has filled its population from “various external sources”. I agree that as a reaction to the Catholic Church, secularism seems logical, but at those same times when the inquisition was going on non-Muslims in Islamic lands prospered and lived without a sword on their necks. I fully believe that moderate Islam as practiced for 1400 years has enough safeguard against persecution of minory simply by historical comparative record to other areas of the world. I believe that it is the right of nations to assert their identity regardless of the predominant liberal wold ideology.
I believe that variety is the basis of human experience, the cornerstone of our survival and that global liberal rule that allows variety within it, is not variety at all, but a softer fascism.
Someone had to put his feet on the pedal and stop the continual Westernization of our country. That includes the Westernization of its ideology. Liberalism was not grown here, nor in Asia, nor in south America. It is localized and has been exported world wide. I am proud that when we voted we voted this way.
I say all this with utmost respect for your ideologies and your chosen way of life. But you have to realize that as a people we do not want to change our ways when it comes to this and this shows in the vote.
Some people say if you reject liberalism then reject everything European, like the very voting process. To that I say, get a life or rather that voting democracy is a tool, Liberalism or secularism to me is an ideology. The concept of democracy is compatible with the Quran, Secularism is not.
Wow a huge post.
So to sum up, 64% if not played with, proves to me that Egypt chose not to be secular. That those that want it to be and have left the constitutional committee because of that, had no hope of getting what they wanted anyway, I also think if the people really understood what these people wanted for Egypt the vote for yes would be higher. The secular leaders do not represent Egypt at all, and their stupid childish tactics of leaving the committee in protest and unrealistic understanding of Egypt has bereft us of a more refined Islamized constitution.