After a serious bout with the much heralded aid-worker affliction of
righteous indignation,
demonstrated in
my last post, I will embrace my inner hypocrite and
tell you about my visit to Tahrir Square. In my defense (or how I have
satisfied my moral dissonance with "revolution tourism"), the Egyptian
people have already won their battle.
In all
seriousness, it is one of the most amazing events I have ever witnessed,
up there with babies being born. Here is one of those iconic images I
took on my own camera (which yesterday I mocked).
* * *
Some
friends had gone down to Tahrir Square last night, just after the
president stepped down, handing power to the military. They had been on
the square during the protests for work, and they were really impressed
by the change in vibe. Before it was full of tension and edgy, after it
was full of joy and smooth.
Saturday morning, I hopped
on the Metro and finally got out of Maadi. The ticket monitor dude sat
on his chair, looked at me and said "Welcome!" waving the laminated
Egyptian Flag hanging from his chest. I smiled and gave him a thumbs up.
My
fellow metro riders were also headed downtown to Tahrir square. Many
people carried brooms and mops and buckets and plastic gloves.
* * *
From
a balcony about 2 blocks from Tahrir square I checked out the traffic.
Not unusual in Cairo, but this time full of Egyptian flags waving out
the windows and the horns were a little better coordinated into
Beeeeeeeeeeeeep Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep Beep Beep Beep.
I was pretty overwhelmed, even from 2 blocks away.
As we entered the fantastic fray, back at street level, black and red and white swarmed around me.
* * *
I
love hippies: old hippies, young hippettes, dirty hippies, but they
ain't got nothing on Egyptians today. The joy and good will felt on
Tahrir Square today was deep and genuine and unpretentious as I have
ever seen.
Everyone
was cleaning as they had demonstrated. Everyone. Women, men, kids.
People passed out rubber gloves, garbage bags, brooms. Everyone
scrubbing off the words, trash already gone, even the dust that settled
on the pavement was swept into dustpans.
If the same
happened in New York or Nairobi or even a hippy-filled field in
California, you would be left with a disgusting shit-filled mess with
trampled grass and flowers. Not here.
The dignity and pride of this movement. It has been Civilized from start to finish, it seems.
There
was violence, but very little and it was short lived. Many tried to
incite more, but that didn't work very well. Everyone expected more.
Each time there was a change, the media went on and on and on,
speculating about how it could break down, always surprised when it was
okay. Communication was completely blocked, but that too was short
lived. For the most part, the military respected the peoples legitimate
right to protest and the people respected the military.
* * *
One
man brought his 3 young sons to Tahrir square on Saturday, maybe aged 6
to 11 or so, dressed in military uniform. He got a lot of smiles.
One
group of young man had a sign and chanted something like "With
Mubarak's money I can get afford to get married!" An old woman laughed
and joked with him. I imagined she said something like "You're still too
ugly to marry my daughter, ha ha ha", but really I have no idea what
she said.
Dolled up young women, in their best head
scarves in the color of the flag, glamorous JLo sunglasses, shiny
shoes. Flirting with the boys wearing cleaned leather jackets.
The
iconic images of this event were still there, like where a guy had
opened up the light post, connected his wires and with a multi-plug, 15
phones were charging at once. Youth on the square with thier laptops
out. More flip phones than I have ever seen.
The
military men threw candy at the crowds. This reminded me of the Coast
Gaurd Santa Ship that would throw candy to the old dock on the island
where I used to live.
* * *
As
we walked among the back streets, off the square, we continuted to
think of Cautious Optimism. Businesses were opening. The streets were
being cleaned. People sat in plastic chairs drinking tea and smoking
sheesha.
I
have talked to people a little. The nutritionist and trainer at my gym
are worried about the future. A businessman downstairs says he is
optimistic for the future. The people on Tahrir square don't seem to
have thought that far a head yet.
Another side that I should share is that people have said
that yes, the president needed to change, but that the way he was forced
out lacked dignity, that he deserved more respect, that he had done a
lot for the country in the past.
80 million people. 80 million perspectives. 80 million futures.
* * *
So there I was.
So I was there.
I am so lucky.
To
the right you see, from back to front: burnt out NDP headquarters,
cranes in front of the museum, the crowd, veiled women, proud man,
sarcastic white woman.
* * *
What lies a head will be interesting and exciting here. The region is on fire. I just hope it is good.
