Some diasporic reflections on the 2011 Egyptian Revolution

I have purposely been silent on this blog during the past two months of the ongoing Arab intifada in Tunisia and Egypt. I remained silent, mesmerized at the beautiful democratic and revolutionary aspirations of millions of people, but I refused to play the role of native informant or make any ill-informed predictions. Now, I must write -- how can I not on the occasion of one of the most glorious historical events I will ever witness in my lifetime? It is not every day that I see my people overthrow 30 years of dictatorship (41 counting Sadat) in 18 days. Below is a scattering of reflections I have written and collected over the past few days.

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I.

A few words on semantics. The "Lotus Revolution" did not cause "President" Hosni Mubarak to "resign." In fact, there is no "Lotus Revolution," "Jasmine Revolution," or any Orientalist-imaginary color revolt in the Arab world, nor are there any politicians in the Arab world worthy of official titles. There are peoples' revolutions led by ordinary folks from all walks of life, ranging from industrial workers in the provinces to unemployed university graduates, and then there are ruling criminals with armed thugs, military generals, billionaires, and friends in Washington and Tel Aviv. What actually happened: the Egyptian people overthrew one of the Arab world's most heinous criminals and Western-backed mafiosos, Hosni Mubarak, in a victory for Egyptians, Arabs, and oppressed people the world over.

I don't want to be the one who casts doubt on such a moment of euphoria, but I can't help but feel uncertain about the future. Clearly Mubarak lacks dignity to face the overwhelming masses of the Egyptian people, so he preferred to leave it to his vice-torturer-in-chief, Omar Sulaiman, and the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces. This is the soft military coup we have all dreaded. I don't buy the idea that rule by the most powerful and well-funded institution in the country will actually end the emergency laws or aid a democratic transition. Haven't we learned anything from the past 60 years of decolonization and the "pitfalls of national consciousness"?

Mubarak is gone, but the regime is not... yet.

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II.

I've been following the ongoing Egyptian labor and youth movements for three years now; these are two powerful forces that deserve much credit in organizing the recent revolution. I admit, though: I never felt empowered enough to involve myself in solidarity organizing for Egypt. Living in the diaspora, I don't have many options; many of the Egyptian American groups in my area are either tied to the Mubarak regime or bourgeois interests (one member of an organization I'll leave nameless even tried recruiting me to work for the State Department). I don't even own an Egyptian flag, and quite frankly am apprehensive about waving it. To me, it represents decades of military rule, trumped-up chauvinistic nationalism, and more recently, collaboration in the ongoing illegal siege of Gaza.

As I began visiting more frequently as an adult, I grew conscious of how badly Egypt has been hurt by neoliberalism, authoritarianism and religious fundamentalism. Still, I felt alienated by the climate present in the country and fatalistic about its future.

And then, Khaled Said was killed in Alexandria last summer, sparking months of protests around the country and by Egyptians living abroad.

A month and a half ago, the horrid bombing of the the Qiddissin Church in Alexandria during New Year's Mass occurred. I take issue with the "national unity" discourses used in the wake of the attacks; Egyptian identity is not simply about "the cross and the crescent," but the equality and dignity of all Egyptians regardless of faith (have we forgotten about the continuing injustices committed against Egyptian Baha'is?). Still, I feel the show of genuine Christian-Muslim solidarity is an important one, and a true rejection of the sectarianism engineered by the Sadat and Mubarak regimes. The cross-religious mutual aid and solidarity expressed in the protests only prove this.

I am glad I have been proven wrong, but there is still much work ahead.

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III.

To my brothers and sisters in Egypt: As one of you in the diaspora, I understand that it is not my place to tell you what you should do. I ask you, though: please, do not go. Do not leave the streets, do not stop striking, do not stop fighting for your demands. Do not give into the opportunists who want to steer your sacrifices in the direction of a neoliberal, linear model of "progress" and have you accept the regime's newly handpicked criminals as the next best option. Do not go anywhere until every last member of Mubarak's gang boards a plane to exile in some European city and the basic human right of self-governance is finally in your hands.

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IV.

It was a difficult past 18 days, watching live footage of protesters violently attacked by Mubarak's thugs, hearing news of family members hurt by teargas, arrested, and beaten, and remaining unfazed by the hypocritical stance of the United States on the matter. Like my Iranian comrades in the summer of 2009, what was most frustrating was "hav[ing] to watch it unfold on YouTube and not in person." (see Eskandar and Hanif's posts)

Yes, I was angry: angry that I could not be in Egypt at such an important moment in its history; angry that I was born and in residence on the wrong continent; angry that my final semester of university prevented me from hopping on the next flight to Cairo; angry that even if I could quit school, I wouldn't find a direct flight because they've been canceled indefinitely.

But I no longer romanticize or feel guilt. I no longer need to dream about the Egypt my parents once knew because another Egypt is on its way, though it will take time. Despite my position in diaspora, one that I do not deny is one of middle-class Western comfort, I hope to find a place for myself in the arising Egypt. I will continue to struggle with the uneasy idea of "home" and recognize the privileges of my location while keeping my eyes and heart open to the destiny that the people of Egypt will determine for us all.