Bearing Witness - Egypt

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

Technology Thursday

I tried to write something entertaining and current about the latest Google/Apple/mobile/whatever technology news of the week. But I just couldn't find the will or energy, being too distracted and depressed by what is happening in Egypt. I will reiterate what I said over on my own blog the other day about it: I don't have anything informed or intelligent to say. I was very struck by this post at Zunguzungu, though:

But for now, I want to remind myself, publicly, that the closest thing to an honorable choice that American citizens like me have is to bear witness and solidarity to the incredibly thing that is happening right now, and to do so as humbly and reverently as we are able to do. The world is changing before us, and we will need new words to describe it if we are to be true to the best parts of ourselves, and if we are to be of any use to a world that we might still find a way to be of use to.

There have been many words written about the events transpiring in Egypt. Many words, from many angles. Every time I start to think about it too hard, much less try to write about, words really fail.

I am trying to keep up with the news on Twitter (hashtags #egypt and #jan25) and have found the live feed of Al Jazeera English to be very impressive, as well. (Far superior to anything the U.S. media is doing.)

I write this Wednesday night, watching news of and sometimes real-time images of, an oppressive regime murdering its own people and really wondering about this world. And glad that my son is not old enough to be asking me anything about this. I thought Ayelet Waldman's response to her children a few days ago (relayed on Twitter) was thoughtful and appropriate:

I am going to refrain from commenting at all about Egypt, other than to say what I said to my kids when they asked if it was "a good thing..or a bad thing." I said that it wasn't clear if it would be good or bad for us in America, but that it was always a good thing when people have the right to self-determination. That I believe that a govt by the people is inherently more moral, though tyranny by the majority is still tyranny. I said I was watching w/ great excitement and admiration, and that I hoped the people of Egypt would achieve their goals. That's it. Egypt 2011, simplified for 7 and 9 year olds.

Things are worse now than she wrote that, just a few short days ago, with what Secretary of State Clinton called "shocking" acts of violence. Peter Daou described the last few days, saying "dramatic switch from hope to despair, inspiration to violence, is so deeply demoralizing." I have fairly strong opinions about what I think U.S. policy should be going forward, which (data-free and uninformed as they are), I will refrain from ranting about here, but at a minimum I think we, citizens, must continue to bear witness.

Comments

[Stacy]

Thanks for sharing this, especially Waldman's comment. It's a big responsibility to interpret world events for children and I think she got it just right.