The now well-known Egyptian blogger Asmaa Mahfouz has allegedly been detained for making the following comments on her Facebook page about the Supreme Council of Armed Forces in Egypt: "If this judiciary doesn't give us our rights, nobody should be surprised if armed militant groups appear and conduct a series of assassinations because there is no law and no judiciary."
Now, for all those that don't know who Asmaa is, watch this. About a week before the Egyptian revolution in January Asmaa, aged 26, posted this video calling her fellow countrymen and women to protest against human rights abuses in the country and to demand a change in government. To me her language and persuasion is a bit excessive, especially the part where she says: "if you stay at home, you will deserve all that is being done to you". Errr, okayyyy. So, because Godfather 3 (my favourite by the way) was on the night of the revolutions, I deserve it if my family and neighbours are beaten, or worse?
Okay folks, by my own admission I am not so politically active; and I know it is easy for me to criticise sitting here in the 'Western World' where, hey, I have all the human rights I need, right? But, to me democracy is not just about shouting in the streets, or painting my face red and breaking a few car windows in protest (sorry, that's called 'rioting'), it's about choice. I feel mildly political about certain subjects, but have I ever donned my hat, made a twelve-foot banner saying 'Free Palestine' or 'Eggy-Cleggy' (referring to Nick Clegg, the somewhat haphazard deputy Prime Minister)? No. Why? Because that just ain't my thaing. And also because I think that if I want to see change in something, I have to do something about it, rather than just throw hand rockets in the street.
Now I am not averse to studying - even if minutely - the effectiveness of protests. I was apprehensive about the Egyptian Revolution as it was happening and I am thoroughly glad things seem to be moving in a good direction. No doubt, this is a credit to the Egyptians and couldn't have been done without people like Asmaa. However, while some people enjoy being active in politics and shouting out in the streets, sitting at home doesn't mean that you do not love your country, as Asmaa would have us believe. Yes, it was good old People Power that stormed Egyptians to victory in defeating the mighty monster Mubarak, but as I stated during the time, look at the demographics.
