Who Voted for Shafiq?
After standing in a line with the Heliopolis ladies who were mostly voting for Shafiq, I came back home wondering why would anyone do such thing? The most popular answer I got from the ladies was in fear of Ikhwan. Knowing that the percentage of Christians here is more than in other places, and knowing that us, the ladies of Heliopolis, can never live the life of Ikhwan with what Azza El Garf says about FGM and sexual harassment laws, with forcing us to wear or not wear something (even the veiled of us), with having men control our lives, with having someone control our religious practices it makes sense to be against Ikhwan. And being one of those ladies, I too am against Ikhwan and anyone who mixes religion with politics. Now this takes out Morsy (although I know a few who voted for him), and maybe Abo El Fotooh for some. So then I asked why not Sabahy? And they were all against him because of being a Nasserist because they're families were put under great harm because of nationalization. So they see no one else to save them from Islamists and vote for Shafiq.
I've heard others saying that he is an amazing manager because he was able to manage the airport. Or that he is strong and would be able to take things back to normal, because he is a man of the army, powerful and strong. Others voted for him because of his aristocratic look and the way he talks and expensive clothes. Others say he is very respectable and one should not just hate him because he worked with Mubarak. "Not everyone who worked with Mubarak is bad", I was told. "If you work with a manager who is corrupt you wouldn't leave your job just because he is corrupt, you could be clean and do your work and be silent about it", I was told by many. "Everyone wanted him to be prime minister and Omar Soliman president before the revolution, because he is a good man of good morals, but bad bad Mubarak hated him because people loved him", I was also told by one lady among many others nodding in agreement.
So who are those people who voted for Shafiq? Not just ladies of Heliopolis, Zamalek, Maadi, Mohandeseen and the awesome compounds. Not only women, not only rich, not only old. These people are slaves of security, of stability even if takes accepting corruption, discrimination, injustice and simply slavery! They are people who probably don't even care about the revolution because they can only care about themselves or their families at the very best. Some of those people might not have the ability to think of anything bigger than that, and these are not to be blamed or looked down at for being created that way. Yet others might see and understand how wrong for the whole country it is to vote for Shafiq and still do it because it's easier, because they simply don't want to care even if they can. The next few lines are written only for those who understand, and if they do, they'll know well that they deserve them.
Those who understand and still voted for him for their own welfare for any reason there is, are simply traitors, it's unfair to call them Egyptians. Whether they're against the revolution or not, to vote for some who let people die when he was prime minister and did nothing about it cannot be thought of anything except treason. They simply have no principles or morals, they don't deserve to live if they don't care about others' deaths. They voted for stability, security, for a better economy, for things to go back to how they were. As if how things were any good! And even this they won't reach, because simply things will be a lot worse than how they were and how they are.
To every person who voted for Shafiq, you don't deserve to have a choice, you deserve someone who will force you to do everything. If Morsy wins, or Shifq, you'll be the only ones in this country who deserve their awful treatment. If you're someone who voted for Shafiq, remember that what goes around comes around. You've decided to put a whole country's fate into a route to a catastrophe. And for that I'll pray everyday for your life to turn into a living hell! Thank you to every slave who voted for Shafiq, may you always live the life of a slave and never be free because that's the life you deserve. And we? We will continue our revolution whatever happens, even if we all die, ideas don't die. And I'll always pray that we live to be free and you live to always be slaves.
I've heard others saying that he is an amazing manager because he was able to manage the airport. Or that he is strong and would be able to take things back to normal, because he is a man of the army, powerful and strong. Others voted for him because of his aristocratic look and the way he talks and expensive clothes. Others say he is very respectable and one should not just hate him because he worked with Mubarak. "Not everyone who worked with Mubarak is bad", I was told. "If you work with a manager who is corrupt you wouldn't leave your job just because he is corrupt, you could be clean and do your work and be silent about it", I was told by many. "Everyone wanted him to be prime minister and Omar Soliman president before the revolution, because he is a good man of good morals, but bad bad Mubarak hated him because people loved him", I was also told by one lady among many others nodding in agreement.
So who are those people who voted for Shafiq? Not just ladies of Heliopolis, Zamalek, Maadi, Mohandeseen and the awesome compounds. Not only women, not only rich, not only old. These people are slaves of security, of stability even if takes accepting corruption, discrimination, injustice and simply slavery! They are people who probably don't even care about the revolution because they can only care about themselves or their families at the very best. Some of those people might not have the ability to think of anything bigger than that, and these are not to be blamed or looked down at for being created that way. Yet others might see and understand how wrong for the whole country it is to vote for Shafiq and still do it because it's easier, because they simply don't want to care even if they can. The next few lines are written only for those who understand, and if they do, they'll know well that they deserve them.
Those who understand and still voted for him for their own welfare for any reason there is, are simply traitors, it's unfair to call them Egyptians. Whether they're against the revolution or not, to vote for some who let people die when he was prime minister and did nothing about it cannot be thought of anything except treason. They simply have no principles or morals, they don't deserve to live if they don't care about others' deaths. They voted for stability, security, for a better economy, for things to go back to how they were. As if how things were any good! And even this they won't reach, because simply things will be a lot worse than how they were and how they are.
To every person who voted for Shafiq, you don't deserve to have a choice, you deserve someone who will force you to do everything. If Morsy wins, or Shifq, you'll be the only ones in this country who deserve their awful treatment. If you're someone who voted for Shafiq, remember that what goes around comes around. You've decided to put a whole country's fate into a route to a catastrophe. And for that I'll pray everyday for your life to turn into a living hell! Thank you to every slave who voted for Shafiq, may you always live the life of a slave and never be free because that's the life you deserve. And we? We will continue our revolution whatever happens, even if we all die, ideas don't die. And I'll always pray that we live to be free and you live to always be slaves.
For some reason ya Mariam I believe you're being a bit harsh on those people, not because I'm one of them or care about the number of curses you want them to live through, but because, maybe, just maybe these people are only looking -just like you said- for stability and security, and caring about themselves or maybe their families at the most, don't these people remind you of some description we've been given in PHI 101 ? Bronze natured people at the very best. The problem simply lies with the fact that many of these people shouldn't be considered "citizens" at all, but nationals. And thus giving them the resposibility of deciding where the country is headed is simply unfair. (Ana 3ayez Noha teb2a te-critique el comment dah, ashoof law fahem 7aga walla la2 :D )
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with what you're saying. I actually meant the iron and bronze people when I was talking about people who are not able to see anything but themselves and their families. This sentence "They don't have the ability to think of anything bigger than that, they might not want to see more, but they can also be not able to." (it's totally vague, I'll fix it =D).
ReplyDeleteAll the prayers go to the silver and gold who see but decide to live as bronze and iron because it's easier. By this sentence "Those who understand and still voted for him for their own welfare for any reason there is" I meant people who see, but still do the opposite of what they see. These I'll never forgive, these are the ones who deserve to live with a curse because they didn't live up to what they are. Dol el ana ma7roo2a menhom we mesh tay2ahom fe3lan =(. Bas the others as you said, are not supposed to be citizens and are pushed to vote ya 7aram without having the ability to do the right action. Law 7'lait Noha te-critique your comment eb2a wareha beta3y fe 2eedak =D.
Just as you are free to speak your mind, the beauty of democracy is for people to vote for Shafiq, or Moussa, or even Morsy. You said and I quote "They are people who probably don't even care about the revolution because they can only care about themselves or their families at the very best. Some of those people might not have the ability to think of anything bigger than that, and these are not to be blamed or looked down at for being created that way."
ReplyDeleteThis speaks volumes in the case of the Egyptian citizen. Sorry to say, but the majority are selfish. Only thinking about themselves or their families well-being. And I don't mean because they voted for Shafiq or whoever you are hating at the moment. Look at the state of the country . Before and after the revolution. There aren't many places you can go that ISN'T trash ridden. Look at the traffic lights, is it merely a decoration or a suggestion? If it is red, it up to you to stop or not??? Unfortunately, the majority of Egyptians will not respect the law except if there is some very heavy penalty or fine for breaking the law. If there are police on the corner, then of course they will stop, for fear of losing their license or paying a ticket. They do not consider the safety and welfare of other drivers. And let's talk about the "pedestrians". Last time I checked, any civilized country will have some sort of law for pedestrians and designated places for them to walk. We have very many sidewalks used as trash cans, but hardly ever walk on it. Those sidewalks were put in place for a reason; there are pedestrian cross walks for people to cross the street. Yet, people insist on walking between traffic laden streets for sake of "convenience".
Go to any popular store, even easier, fast food restaurant. Show me the line. There is none. To hell whoever got there first, no kind of etiquette or simple respect. Just go ahead to the beginning of the line, shout at the top of your lungs and shove the money in the cashier's face.
(CONTINUED FROM ABOVE) I am not saying that Egypt is the only place that is like that, but as you can see Egypt is a dog-eat-dog world. Every man for himself. So how do you want the pro revolutionary candidates be united? Hell no, everyone for themselves. They want to be marked in HISTORY as the first democratically elected president. TOZ fel sh3b. So how can you vote for these pro revolution candidates when they can't even sacrifice their own personal gain for the greater good? What is the greater good? It is supposed to be the Egyptian people. But we do not live in a world that any president will be in favor of the greater good of the PEOPLE. It will be in favor of the greater good of the GOVERNMENT. And the role it will play on the international stage.
ReplyDeletePolitics is dirty; you don't know what cards are on the table and the hand that was dealt. You say Shafiq is a killer and he allowed people to die and he is a terrible human being and everyone who likes him or even thinks he dresses sophisticated should be killed. This isn't how politics works, hun. It isn't cut and dry. You also have to put into account that we are still under emergency law. The Army was not there when people were getting killed? The Army has a lot to do with what happens behind the scenes. Don't think the U.S. is giving X number of billions of dollars for nothing, out of charity.
If you want to change you see out there, it starts with yourself. That's where the Egyptian people should look, inside themselves first before looking at "garetna" and how much she has and how come she has it!? If we focus on ourselves first. Our families and communities first, teaching our citizens that it is NOT correct to throw trash on the street or cut someone down because they disagree with what your opinion is. The world is built by civilized and socialized people agreeing to disagree. Let us teach our children first, the right way, to think, to feel, to have an idea about the world and let them make opinions on things rather than shutting them up and making them follow blindly.
ReplyDeleteI am sorry for going out on many tangents, but in the end I want to say that United we stand, divided we fall. And we fell, into a really big pit. We are between a rock and a hard place but we have no one to blame but ourselves. And if The Muslim Brotherhood takes hold of the REST of the power that is left, then kiss your freedoms goodbye. At least as shitty as it was before, with Hilter-Mubarak and as chaotic and hell-like it has been through this revolution, you still had minimum freedoms because it was a secular state. Welcome to Iraq number 2, or Afghanistan, or any other hell on earth we see due to these hypocrites who conveniently use the religion to their advantage, selling us out and selling their souls to the devil. What is worse, Shafiq temporarily staying in power (if it is a democracy, it will be 4 yrs) or, the end of the great era for Egypt? Furthermore, the people have already rose up once, when they didn't see the light at the end of the tunnel and toppled the thug Mubarak. If Shafiq wins, at least the people will have the freedom to rise up and speak out. With Morsy and the Ikhwan, forget about you leaving your house unless you are fully clothed and geared up in a black tent.
ReplyDelete1. I'm not for democracy, but I'll leave my opinion out of this comment in order not to complicate things.
ReplyDelete2. Voting for Shafiq is VERY different from voting for anyone else because he simply killed people. If you're someone who voted for Shafiq and you know he killed people and is corrupt, then something is terribly wrong. It's not a matter of democracy because he shouldn't be part of the elections in the first place. And if he is, then it's morally wrong to vote for him!
3. I made it clear that I don't blame people who only have self awareness and nothing more, yet I blame every person who pushed them to vote.
4. This has nothing to do with selfishness, people are not the same, that's the only ability they have, they cannot be asked to do more.
5. The things you're talking about are not necessarily selfishness, they are the result of 30 years of never following any rules and being encouraged to do so. I don't know actually if you live here, but I have seen zero selfishness and not one person lacking discipline during the 18 days. Many people were actually forced to pay bribes or to break the laws to get their rights, and I'm not saying that this is right but it's somewhat normal after 30 years of the worst treatment.
6. It's horribly unfair to compare people who voted for a murderer to people ignoring traffic lights.
7. Try having a country with useless laws like ours and you'll have its people breaking them all the time. Egyptians are not unique on that. We were actually TAUGHT to break the laws by the government.
8. What exactly are you trying to say? That we should give up because the world is bad? That because the pro revolution candidates didn't unite people should vote for Shafiq? Yes, they are selfish on that, but how exactly does this make Shafiq better? Did he unite with someone? Or did he look at the greater good? The greater good is justice, would Shafiq bring justice? Pro revolution candidates might not either, but at least they will listen to the people. I don't get your point
9. Politics SHOULD NOT be dirty, and just because it is, people should be dirty! And I never said that anyone should be killed, don't put words in my mouth! He WAS PM and could have told the army to move and if they disobeyed him then he should have simply resigned, otherwise he is responsible for their death. People who vote according to dirty politics are simply dirty and lack morals.
10. I actually have no idea why you're saying that to me. You don't know if I don't do that. And the thing is that I'm doing much more, because not only am I trying to change myself and my community, but a whole country! Ethics rarely come with inhumane lives, but I assume you haven't tried one so you might not know about that.
11. I never said I was for MB, NEVER, and if you go through this blog you'd know. But if you think that Shafiq will leave in four years, then this is just funny. Shafiq IS Mubarak, so is Morsy! I never said I was pro voting or accepting any of them. Why should I accept minimal freedom? Why must I live in an unjust state? This is not an option. You ceiling is too low, mine is the sky. I don't accept the best of the worst (and I see them as equally bad), I fight for the truth.
12. Which exactly great era are you talking about? Because it was not great by any means!
13. Shafiq would not keep me alive, neither would Morsy. And both of them are not an option. We will not have the option to rise again if Shafiq or Morsy won, but we will do it anyway. But the thing is that, we did not rise once, we are still rising, and we will simply not accept Shafiq being in the run-offs. I don't care if 5 million chose him, because 80 million don't want him. AND because it is morally wrong. I won't stop because some people chose the immoral choice!
So now you are back to square one.... are we going to spend another year like we have been? In the end the U.S. will decide so all this protesting will have been in vain. Why do you think they sent representatives from the U.S. to "observe" the election?? Come on now.... they got the oil from Iraq and they want a cheap, easy and fast way to ship it... that's why they are after Egypt so they don't have to pay for going through the Suez.
ReplyDeleteSo because the U.S. doesn't want us to rise we should stop? We could be so much better than we are, why should we accept what the U.S. wants? We're back to square one because of people who made a very stupid decision. One shouldn't punish a whole country because some citizens are stupid! I don't care what the U.S. or anybody else wants, because the thing it that I genuinely care about this country and will not stop until true justice is applied.
ReplyDelete