Whatever Happened to the Egyptians?!
The only times you can feel the love of Egyptians to the their country is, of course, during football games! I always thought that this shows two things: first, that Egyptians DO love Egypt, but they never get the chance to express this love expect in football games. This is because there is nothing else to be proud of in here, and I'm talking about our present and only our present. The second thing is the negativity of Egyptians that love their country so much that Egypt turns red, white and black one week before the game, but when it comes to something that needs work from them, then this love will disappear. Then those of them who can migrate to other countries will do so, and others who can't go anywhere, will just say "مفيش فايدة".
I was born long after Egyptians fought for their freedom, but I know that they always did fight for it. What happened to us? Why can't we do the tiniest of things for this country?! I'm sure we all remember what happened about a month ago in Sudan after the football game, yes a football game again. We all remember the reactions of people everywhere: hatred to Algeria and Sudan. If some one is to be hated, it's their governments and not fellow Arab countries. Those people are nothing like their governments, just like us, so why hate the whole country?!! I've seen groups on Facebook called I hate Algeria or I'm an Egyptian and not an Arab, but we are Arabs whether we like it or not, we are and always will be.
I have to say, I was really happy on the day after the game, I thought Egyptians have finally woken up. Then suddenly, I realized what's happening. People are so mad at Algeria and Sudan, and are so grateful for the help of the Mubaraks and our government. Don't they get it?!! We lost what was left of our dignity because of those people. They're the ones we're supposed to be angry at and not other Arab countries that, like us, have different kinds of people and some of those people are "جمهور الدرجة التالتة". We have lots of those in here, they're the ones that threw things at the Algerian team's bus when they were playing their first game in here.
I have a lot of questions that are always left unanswered, and it looks like they will always be. I'm not even thinking of what's happening in Palestine or Iraq right now, my questions are all concerning Egypt. What happened when the Israelis killed the Egyptian solider in Egyptian Rafah not so long ago? What happened when the Egyptian doctor was sentenced to I don't know how many thumps in Saudi Arabia? What happened when thousands of Egyptians died in car accidents or trains or ferries? Where were all those angry people when all those incidents happened? Would the government's reaction have been the same if the audience were "جمهور الدرجة التالتة" and not actors, singers, and "أعداء حزب الاغلبية"? Would the dignity of those people be as important to the government?
Now the incident is almost forgotten and it left us with hatred toward other countries, rather than hatred toward the ones who are the real reason behind losing our dignity. People felt cheap, but they haven't thought of why they were treated that way. I hoped that this anger would wake us up, would make us say no. I thought that those people now understood that if they didn't do something, then nothing would be done. I thought they understood that if our government doesn't make us feel cheap, then no one would be able to treat us that way. But sadly we're still the same, nothing's changed except that we now hate other Arab countries.
The reason I remembered all this is the upcoming presidential elections. I remembered how Egypt is loved, and thought people might do something to make this country a better place. But then, what needs to be done is hard work (as some people might say). But it's not, your vote is not only your right, it's your duty. It's your duty to make a change, to "be the change you want to see in the world". I am voting for El Baradei, (that is of course if he's able to be part of the elections). I don't care if he's not the best choice, he's a change for the better. I know that he probably won't win, but at least I'll try. I won't be negative, I'll do something for Egypt and maybe then the love of Egypt will be felt not only in football games.
I was born long after Egyptians fought for their freedom, but I know that they always did fight for it. What happened to us? Why can't we do the tiniest of things for this country?! I'm sure we all remember what happened about a month ago in Sudan after the football game, yes a football game again. We all remember the reactions of people everywhere: hatred to Algeria and Sudan. If some one is to be hated, it's their governments and not fellow Arab countries. Those people are nothing like their governments, just like us, so why hate the whole country?!! I've seen groups on Facebook called I hate Algeria or I'm an Egyptian and not an Arab, but we are Arabs whether we like it or not, we are and always will be.
I have to say, I was really happy on the day after the game, I thought Egyptians have finally woken up. Then suddenly, I realized what's happening. People are so mad at Algeria and Sudan, and are so grateful for the help of the Mubaraks and our government. Don't they get it?!! We lost what was left of our dignity because of those people. They're the ones we're supposed to be angry at and not other Arab countries that, like us, have different kinds of people and some of those people are "جمهور الدرجة التالتة". We have lots of those in here, they're the ones that threw things at the Algerian team's bus when they were playing their first game in here.
I have a lot of questions that are always left unanswered, and it looks like they will always be. I'm not even thinking of what's happening in Palestine or Iraq right now, my questions are all concerning Egypt. What happened when the Israelis killed the Egyptian solider in Egyptian Rafah not so long ago? What happened when the Egyptian doctor was sentenced to I don't know how many thumps in Saudi Arabia? What happened when thousands of Egyptians died in car accidents or trains or ferries? Where were all those angry people when all those incidents happened? Would the government's reaction have been the same if the audience were "جمهور الدرجة التالتة" and not actors, singers, and "أعداء حزب الاغلبية"? Would the dignity of those people be as important to the government?
Now the incident is almost forgotten and it left us with hatred toward other countries, rather than hatred toward the ones who are the real reason behind losing our dignity. People felt cheap, but they haven't thought of why they were treated that way. I hoped that this anger would wake us up, would make us say no. I thought that those people now understood that if they didn't do something, then nothing would be done. I thought they understood that if our government doesn't make us feel cheap, then no one would be able to treat us that way. But sadly we're still the same, nothing's changed except that we now hate other Arab countries.
The reason I remembered all this is the upcoming presidential elections. I remembered how Egypt is loved, and thought people might do something to make this country a better place. But then, what needs to be done is hard work (as some people might say). But it's not, your vote is not only your right, it's your duty. It's your duty to make a change, to "be the change you want to see in the world". I am voting for El Baradei, (that is of course if he's able to be part of the elections). I don't care if he's not the best choice, he's a change for the better. I know that he probably won't win, but at least I'll try. I won't be negative, I'll do something for Egypt and maybe then the love of Egypt will be felt not only in football games.
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