It seems that Egypt has really started something over there. This is not a bad thing at all. With people standing up for their rights all over the middle east and demanding justice in mostly peaceful manners one must wonder: Where will it stop? When will it stop? Lets hope not soon, lets hope that this spreads like wildfire. All over the world!
Not that I am saying that every country necessarily is in dire need for a revolution, but there are quite a few that do need one. Starting with the ones that are trying to have them right now. And they are doing it right. Standing up for people's rights, demanding what the people want, what the people need. And doing so peacefully. Bravo!
A woman in Egypt was interviewed about the protests that will happen every friday until all demands that were made in the past few weeks are met. What she had to say was this; "The most important thing is that the people who make more money pay more taxes, because that is fair." (Hass, "Egyptians celebrate Mubarak's fall and send a warning to the new regime." Haaretz.com) Now to me that makes a lot of sense, this money should be used to help those less fortunate.
This is something that on this side of the pond, we don't really care for, and why not? Here in the good 'ol USofA we believe in one thing. Standing up for one's self and saying screw the other guy. because we live in a culture where the self is regarded as autonomous, and the individual goals and wishes are proved above duty and and relations with others. This is not wrong at all, this is just our individualist culture that we live in and have always lived in. So saying, we resist things that don't help the me and the I, right now. If there is nothing in it for Number One, then it is not worth doing.
Now in some of these other countries they regard the self as embedded in relationships, and harmony with one's group is prized above individual goals and wishes. Again this is not any better or worse than what we in America enjoy, its just different, and different is scary, its threatening. Different means we need to change things, and change is worse than different. Because now we not only do we have to accept something that is different but we have to modify OUR behavior, and that is hard, dagnabit! How dare I have to change what i am doing? What I am doing is not wrong, how can it be wrong? I am doing it, and I can do no wrong!
Just because we need change does not mean we are doing something wrong. We just need to adjust what we are doing to accept new things that will benefit more than just Number One. In Christianity they say "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."(Bible, Matthew 7:12) and the Jewish faith says "Love your neighbor as you love yourself." (Tora, Leviticus 19:18) Hinduism teaches "Do not unto other which would cause pain if done to you." (5:15:17) Buddhist teach "Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful." In Islam; "Hurt no one so that no one may hurt you."(Mohammed's Farewell Sermon) Point is this; everyone believes that we should help each other out. So why dont we?
Let the revolution spread. But here it should be slightly different I think. Here we should revolutionize our own thoughts and ideals to adapt with the changing of times. So from the streets of Cairo, the minds of Americans, lets have a revolution!!
Like it or hate it, just read it and let me know what you think.
http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/egyptians-celebrate-mubarak-s-fall-and-send-a-warning-to-the-new-regime-1.344487 (Egypt article original)
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-golden-rule.htm (helpful site to find things, I used to find the Golden Rule in many religions)
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