Read Who will the Egyptians be? in Ehab Heikal’s blog
The path of peace and love is much harder than the path of politics and power. Everything you do, every thing you say, every lie you tell yourself to justify your position, defines who you are and what Egypt is going to be for generations ahead.
Will our generation be remembered as creating an Egypt when politics divided friends or when friends broke down the greed of politicians.
For there is only one fact, that man on the other side, is an Egyptian, is a brother, is a friend, or a friend of a friend, you know his father and mother.
The words you say define who you are!
To label the other side, to say he is a sheep or he is a non-believer. To say they want anarchy or we rule by Islam. To say that freedom only comes when we divide Egypt, that is the game of politicians, and you are doing their work for free.
I tell you if either side WINS Egypt will loose. If either side forces its way, we all will either be oppressors or oppressed. For when you win, the other side looses, and when they loose Egypt looses.
We are the first country that has to find an impossible path for every one to be happy, one between a state ruled by laws of religion, and one that is ruled as a civil state. These two have never met before, but if you see, Egypt has always been a land of miracles.
But you will say that this is not a war of Liberalism against a religious state. But I tell you if you find that way, as a people, through respect, through love, through not insulting each other with names, you will strip all the power that the politicians of both sides are using to divide us and gain more votes.
They do not want to meet because if there is a middle path, they will both loose everything.
Egypt can be the first country to have both systems, you just need to think how your love for Egypt and its entire population is more than just a song, that your dedication to peace and non-violence does not mean that you will not participate in violence, but that you will not participate in calling the other side names, names that you use to make the other side seem bad and scary, to make your stand against them more bearable.
Do not fool yourself that if you insult the guy on the other side it will help you win, for you can win a political battle and loose your self respect.
Only the dedication to truth, politeness and understanding can lead to peace and love.
We are the first country that has to find an impossible path for every one to be happy, one between a state ruled by laws of religion, and one that is ruled as a civil state. These two have never met before, but if you see, Egypt has always been a land of miracles.
But you will say that this is not a war of Liberalism against a religious state. But I tell you if you find that way, as a people, through respect, through love, through not insulting each other with names, you will strip all the power that the politicians of both sides are using to divide us and gain more votes.
They do not want to meet because if there is a middle path, they will both loose everything.
Egypt can be the first country to have both systems, you just need to think how your love for Egypt and its entire population is more than just a song, that your dedication to peace and non-violence does not mean that you will not participate in violence, but that you will not participate in calling the other side names, names that you use to make the other side seem bad and scary, to make your stand against them more bearable.
Do not fool yourself that if you insult the guy on the other side it will help you win, for you can win a political battle and loose your self respect.
Only the dedication to truth, politeness and understanding can lead to peace and love.
If you are not willing to accept the right of the other then why should they accept yours. Can you find a way that both of you can share this holy land with either side feeling the other forced it into submission?
And if you win, who will you loose. Will you loose the smile of an old man that yearns for tradition or a teen ager eager for freedom.
There must be a way to get people to agree. But first you must understand the other side, what are they afraid of and what are their dreams of Egypt. You have to find a way that both your dreams can exist on the same land.
And that is the true test of Egypt, of you, of each one of you.
Will you call the other side sheep, will you call the other side infidels? Will you divide or will you unite. You choice and you will live with it. The road to hell is paved with good intentions.
And if you win, who will you loose. Will you loose the smile of an old man that yearns for tradition or a teen ager eager for freedom.
There must be a way to get people to agree. But first you must understand the other side, what are they afraid of and what are their dreams of Egypt. You have to find a way that both your dreams can exist on the same land.
And that is the true test of Egypt, of you, of each one of you.
Will you call the other side sheep, will you call the other side infidels? Will you divide or will you unite. You choice and you will live with it. The road to hell is paved with good intentions.
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