Angela Natividad's Live & Uncensored!

03 February 2011

'The battle for the soul of Egypt isn't over and done with.'



They know, like we all do, that this regime no longer cares to put on a moderate mask. That they have shown their true nature. That Mubarak will never step down, and that he would rather burn Egypt to the ground than even contemplate that possibility.
- "Egypt Right Now," Sandmonkey's first-hand account of what's happened in his country over the last 9 days ... and 30 years.

When you read this, take into account that there's no room left to behave as if human equality is a subjective thing. There is no more space in an increasingly connected world to say that what a tyrant, a tyrannous government or a tyrannous enterprise does with its dependents is its own business.

Faster communications makes territory less important and distances insignificant. That means institutionalised repression and blows to free thinking, to the liberty that sparks innovation, becomes everybody's business. The world is now too small for this.

I'm going to say something cheesy now, but I think it has to be said this way. Technology is where it is today because of higher numbers of ever more ambitious hackers fighting odds, rigid corporate standards, suspected limitations and attempted castrations of the internet's liberty. They are dogged, they self-organise and recognise no authority but the merits of what works, cutting away what doesn't, and we have all advanced because of it.

In this world and tomorrow's, that hacker culture belongs to everyone: people with access to the tools to fight governments, self-organise and speak out against human injustices without having to go through prescribed channels.

The channels that matter now belong to us. Use them wisely, tirelessly and fearlessly. United, able and armed with knowledge, we can make civilisation a kinder, more efficient machine, worthy of its name and richer because of the dynamism that serves one god: freedom. The freedom to think, be educated, feel safe, ask hard questions and decide our destinies.

This is what Egypt, Tunisia, Jordan, Yemen and other countries, newly inflamed, are fighting for now. This is what we should be defending every day, even if we feel like it's not our fight.

It's always our fight.

14 comments:

Farah Kinani said...

indeed..it's every proud person's fight!

Unknown said...

Very well articulated piece. Bravo.

Ian said...

Love & Light from South Africa. We have much more in common than what little divides us.

Anonymous said...

I've translated it to Portuguese. Are you interested?

caroleigh said...

beautifully said...................... please know that people of the United States are behind you and support you in your quest for freedom. Prayer's for peace across the miles.

Angela Natividad said...

Thank you for all your kind words.

@polooeste: With pleasure! Also feel free to reprint.

Anonymous said...

Thank you! It summarized why I'm so involved with the Egyptian revolution and it will be useful in my blog (so maybe people won't think I'm a bit nuts for covering it almost minute-by-minute). hehe

Here's the link:
http://polooeste.wordpress.com/2011/02/04/a-batalha-pela-alma-do-egito-nao-esta-acaba-e-nem-resolvida/

Thank you again!

Howie-Shizzle said...

The US glamourizes and deifies our revolution which was pretty damn bloody. Shrugged off an oppressive dictator. Only to support so many of them over the years. But I hope it turns out like Indonesia where the bad guy leaves and the people have free elections. It is well deserved.

As for Angela writing this AWESOMENESS WITH SAUCE piece. Well done Madame!

coyotefreedom said...

Know that the U.S. "people" SUPPORT you! Modern heroes you are! To borrow a phrase, as corny as it sounds,"The revolution will not be microwaved!". There is always a price for freedom. How can it be otherwise? Would we, Americans, be willing to pay the same price to take our own country back from the banks and the corporations and their ruling elite? Until we do, we stand with YOU, the Egyptian people, in our hearts and in our minds. Love over the expanse...

vivalarevolucion said...

as an american (and their are MANY of us who feel this way) we are tired of our tax dollars going to creeps like this (Mubarak and his regime) neither do we want a u.s. brokered transition! u.s. has no business doing that. i don't care WHAT are our geo-political interests are.

If Mubarek truly DID love his country and people and PEACE he would have seen the writing on the wall and swallowed his stupid pride and STEPPED DOWN. because he's an idiot his actions are bringing about the worst misery and pain on the Egyptian people. what a dork! he loves no-one but himself.

Your, the egyptian people's bravery and courage and "will", have changed my view of humanity and what's possible. i believe you will prevail. prayers...

@adler1962 said...

Angela, you should read my blog on the subject which I wrote back in 1998.

http://stephenadler.org/tiki-index.php?page=Preserving+the+Information+Ecosystem

caroleigh said...

Angela,
We need to hear from you. Give us the up date. Will the January 25th uprising allow the Brotherhood part of the new government? Do not allow that to happen. The people of United States are behind you, though I doubt the Obama president is.

Angela Natividad said...

Hello, Caroleigh! Forgive the lack of clarity: I am an American living in France, closely following Egypt through the news and through some very close friends who are there now (including Sandmonkey and those with him).

As someone who considers herself a citizen of the world, I also stand in solidarity with the Egyptians in their quest for individual freedoms and liberty. If you want more information, I strongly suggest you follow Sandmonkey.org, Al Jazeera English (it is quite thorough and balanced) and The New York Times.

I also wouldn't worry about the Muslim Brotherhood; I'd worry more about the right people coming together to construct a feasible phaseout of the current government, and its gangrened structure, prior to elections.

I recommend this article for more details on the MB, however:

http://www.examiner.com/political-buzz-in-national/threat-of-muslim-brotherhood-egypt-likely-overblown

Thanks again for reading, following and supporting this cause, everyone.

caroleigh said...

Hi Angela,
Glad you clarified where you were! What are you hearing from your friends in the square? I'm following Muckmood Salem & Ghonim.... the people have won? ......? Or have not? Will the military takeover? And what will happen to Omar the VP??. Does that make him in charge of the Egyptian army?

So many questions....................... freedom or repression? Will Egypt become like Iran? .................... let us pray