Young People Speaking Their Minds Part 2/4

There's battle lines being drawn

Nobody's right if everyone is wrong 

Egyptian Revolution's Timeline:

January 25,2011- Inspired by the successful revolution in Tunisia, and organized with the help of social networking sites, Egyptians declare a "Day of Rage" 

"thousands began taking to the streets to protest poverty, rampant unemployment, government corruption and autocratic governance of President Hosni Mubarak, who has ruled the country for 30 years. These were the first protests on such a large scale in Egypt since the 1970s."Huffingtonpost.com

"Police responded with blasts from water cannons and set upon crowds with batons and acrid clouds of tear gas to clear demonstrators crying out "Down with Mubarak" and demanding an end to Egypt's grinding poverty, corruption, unemployment and police abuses."huffingtonpost.com

This was seen as a pretty mild response due to the regime's reputation for swiftly and harshly stifling any forms of decent. World attention and the overthrow of the Tunisian president meant that the Egyptian government had to respond with caution.

Young people speaking their minds

Getting so much resistance from behind

January 26-28,2011- Protests continue along with increasingly violent responses from the police. Internet and cell phone services are being disrupted, especially social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook. 

"Blocking Twitter not only enraged Egyptian citizens; it also brought increased national attention to the uprising. Over the course of the next two days, Egypt proceeded to block Facebook while the much-hated riot police took to the streets, arresting and injuring hundreds with batons, tear gas water cannons. Protests occurred not only in Cairo, the capital, but also in Alexandria and Suez, two other major cities." huffingtonpost.com

The use of social networking sites to organize and build of knowledge of the protests and revolution show that these are the young people standing up for what they believe. They have grown up and learned that life without civil liberties sucks and they are sick of it. Many countries in the Middle East and North Africa have a demographic situation called a "Youth Bulge" meaning there is a disproportionate amount of young people. There large numbers create countrywide and longterm problems, like food shortages, not enough jobs for degree holders, and a lack of jobs in general. Their large numbers have also influenced their ability to protest and revolt. 

I think its time we stop, hey , what's that sound

Everybody look what's going down

January 29, 2011- President Mubarak announces that he has fired his cabinet, appointed a vice-president, but still refuses to step down. Looters have begun to destroy the nations tourist attractions which are key sources of revenue. The US has begun to encourage its citizens  to leave the country for their own safety as protesting, looting, and military intervention continue.


January 31, 2011- Protesters have been camping out in Tahrir Square for days, ignoring the militarily imposed curfew. The US puts out a mild statement of dissent about Mubarak's actions stating that the needs of the people need to be addressed. Internet and cell-phone services are only sometimes functional.


February 1,2011- Mubarak announces that he will not run for re-election at the end of his term, but that he will also not step down early. 
"Number of protesters in Cairo's Tahrir Square are revised to more than a million people. Thousands more take to the streets throughout Egypt, including in Alexandria and Suez." english.aljazeera.net


What a field day for the heat

A thousand people in the street

February 2- 10, 2011- Day of protesting in Tahrir Square and in other major cities around the country. Violent clashes between Mubarak supporters and the protesters result in many deaths, but the people do not give up and they do not go home. Government ministers and officials are resigning from their posts to join the protesters. The Muslim Brotherhood has sided with the protesters. Every day is a struggle, Mubarak refuses to step down despite the increasing pressure to do so. The Egyptian people, the youth, have made their decision and they will not go home until their demands are met, until Mubarak steps down.

February 11,2011- The people have won, Mubarak finally steps down. The announcement is made by his newly appointed vice president, Omar Suleiman. Power has been handed over to the army until a new government can be formed.


Singing songs and carrying signs

Mostly say hooray for our side


For the next week or so, people continue to remain in Tahrir Square to celebrate their victory. After a few days, the army steps in and begins to clear people out so that the square can be cleaned up and order restored. The country is now trying to form a democracy. This will not be easy, and the results will not be perfect, but the people are determined.

Its time we stop, hey, what's that sound?

Everybody look what's going down