The Egyptian government, like the Israeli government, is a brutal entity with absolutely no interest in protecting human rights. Neither one deserves to be supported by the US!
It's certainly not people like you, but it's what we have come to expect from US governments (not forgetting their minions like the British government).
Gogs, as I have said a million times, the problem with the US government is money. As long as electeds need private money (from AIPAC or Pentagon contractors, for example), they cannot properly focus on anything other than getting the money, and legislating in whatever way will please the donor.
Military action in the Middle East pleases AIPAC, as long as it's hostile to anyone except Israel, and it pleases Pentagon contractors (to support a "proxy war" of any kind, for or against anyone) because it creates a market for those contractors. Some of the equipment, violently expensive, though it is, doesn't even work well. The available excuse of the US government is that we have an opportunity to try it out and improve it, at the expense of other people's lives, of course.
But in proposed answer to my own question, we also seem to love hostility. We have generally outlawed dog and cock fights, and bull fights, but we still have a shocking abundance of civilian-owned guns (the major cause of death in minors of all ages and in suicides), we sort of complain about, but don't really do anything about, deaths gratuitously caused by police, we can't bring ourselves to give up capital punishment, unfairly imposed as it is (that might be its most appealing feature), and we have are most generous in supporting what Ron describes as "brutal entit[ies] with absolutely no interest in protecting human beings." I suspect Ron is wrong when he says "neither one deserves to be supported by the US." In fact, considering what's wrong with us, those two are indeed the most deserving. "Brutal entit[ies] with absolutely no interest in protecting human rights" are very much right up our street.
Alaa's words bring to mind something that Malcolm X said: That the USA does not have a 'Civil Rights" problem, but the whole world has a Human Rights problem.
Let us pray that he, and others suffering for the basic human right of self-expression around the world are free soon.
The injustices throughout the world and the US governmental participation in them is heartbreaking. Four years ago I would never have imagined that Joe Biden would emerge as the devil incarnate himself. The duopoly appears to have the election wrapped up and it’s increasingly difficult to distinguish between the two evils being presented. For myself, a third party vote is my only existing act of resistance and protest.
Voting third party, is not just a simple act of resistance and protest, which are both powerful and important. At third-party vote for an anti-war, anti-genocide, pro-justice candidate, is allowing your voice to be heard, sending a message to, not just TPTB, but to each other of just how strong we are. The MSM has been suppressing our voices for as long as I can remember. We must not assist them in silencing voices of conscience.
Egypt is actually refusing to release *tens of thousands* of political prisoners, not just one famous guy with powerful but fickle supporters. About one hundred of those prisoners were originally arrested for Palestine solidarity actions taken—or merely proposed—after October 7. You can read more about this NATO-backed dictatorship at some of the links here:
What's really amazing is how many people continue to act as if the NATO countries fund, arm, & run cover for repressive regimes around the world by accident, as if they had no idea that's what they were doing & it's all just a big misunderstanding. As if the imperialist powers aren't themselves repressive regimes.
Thank you Ryan for following up on Alaa's Case - Nothing meaningful can be expected from Dictator Sisi - The only reason Alaa is Alive is because he is a British citizen, otherwise he would be Dead like Morsi - Please continue to fight for Alaa's Release
My one and only trip to Egypt was December 2012. The first stamp on my new passport was from Egypt, under their newly elected, democratic, government. I respect democracy over dictatorship, and democracy was what Egypt had at that brief moment. I hope the craven politicians in the UK will take the steps necessary to free Alaa Abd El-Fattah.
And although this is totally off topic, or is it? Your mentioning how the authorities have found a way to extend El-Fattah's sentence, reminded me of Mordechai Vanunu, who, after completing his prison sentence, in Israel, had numerous, restrictive, and odious conditions put upon him, and these have continued for twenty years, even up to today. I'd like to see some reporting on him, and is there anything any of us can do for him.
Such an important piece. Thank you for telling this story. We are all grappling with the defeat of meaning. It makes life a constant struggle for truth. Alaa’s voice is therefore extremely important and his family’s continued resistance a moving testimony to their love for each other and for an imagined world where meaning is a shared and ongoing forum of humanity’s best intentions.
The truth is dangerous to the goal’s of military, war profiteering, and the domination of corporate agendas. But the truth will out and this piece is an important piece of truth telling.
Thank you for including the quote from his book, written in prison. "The real challenges are international in nature, so seizing opportunities for debate becomes even more important when the conflict relates to issues that transcend national borders." This rings so true. But US people seem to think they are enclosed in a bubble of separation and safety, which explains the current obsession with a pseudo-election.
Lammy is a complete waste of space, a liar and hypocrite, just like his leader and the Labour government in general. If anything they're already worse than the Tories. If Lammy has not walked the walk after all the talk one can add egregious cruelty to his obvious failings.
The Egyptian government, like the Israeli government, is a brutal entity with absolutely no interest in protecting human rights. Neither one deserves to be supported by the US!
And yet, inexplicably, these two are the most supported by the US. What does this say about us?
It's certainly not people like you, but it's what we have come to expect from US governments (not forgetting their minions like the British government).
Gogs, as I have said a million times, the problem with the US government is money. As long as electeds need private money (from AIPAC or Pentagon contractors, for example), they cannot properly focus on anything other than getting the money, and legislating in whatever way will please the donor.
Military action in the Middle East pleases AIPAC, as long as it's hostile to anyone except Israel, and it pleases Pentagon contractors (to support a "proxy war" of any kind, for or against anyone) because it creates a market for those contractors. Some of the equipment, violently expensive, though it is, doesn't even work well. The available excuse of the US government is that we have an opportunity to try it out and improve it, at the expense of other people's lives, of course.
But in proposed answer to my own question, we also seem to love hostility. We have generally outlawed dog and cock fights, and bull fights, but we still have a shocking abundance of civilian-owned guns (the major cause of death in minors of all ages and in suicides), we sort of complain about, but don't really do anything about, deaths gratuitously caused by police, we can't bring ourselves to give up capital punishment, unfairly imposed as it is (that might be its most appealing feature), and we have are most generous in supporting what Ron describes as "brutal entit[ies] with absolutely no interest in protecting human beings." I suspect Ron is wrong when he says "neither one deserves to be supported by the US." In fact, considering what's wrong with us, those two are indeed the most deserving. "Brutal entit[ies] with absolutely no interest in protecting human rights" are very much right up our street.
Alaa's words bring to mind something that Malcolm X said: That the USA does not have a 'Civil Rights" problem, but the whole world has a Human Rights problem.
Let us pray that he, and others suffering for the basic human right of self-expression around the world are free soon.
The injustices throughout the world and the US governmental participation in them is heartbreaking. Four years ago I would never have imagined that Joe Biden would emerge as the devil incarnate himself. The duopoly appears to have the election wrapped up and it’s increasingly difficult to distinguish between the two evils being presented. For myself, a third party vote is my only existing act of resistance and protest.
Voting third party, is not just a simple act of resistance and protest, which are both powerful and important. At third-party vote for an anti-war, anti-genocide, pro-justice candidate, is allowing your voice to be heard, sending a message to, not just TPTB, but to each other of just how strong we are. The MSM has been suppressing our voices for as long as I can remember. We must not assist them in silencing voices of conscience.
Thank you!
That Biden has eliminated human rights as an issue in sending huge sums to Egypt. What a wretch!
Egypt is actually refusing to release *tens of thousands* of political prisoners, not just one famous guy with powerful but fickle supporters. About one hundred of those prisoners were originally arrested for Palestine solidarity actions taken—or merely proposed—after October 7. You can read more about this NATO-backed dictatorship at some of the links here:
https://types.mataroa.blog/blog/egypte/
What's really amazing is how many people continue to act as if the NATO countries fund, arm, & run cover for repressive regimes around the world by accident, as if they had no idea that's what they were doing & it's all just a big misunderstanding. As if the imperialist powers aren't themselves repressive regimes.
As the immortal Walt Kelly said, We have met the enemy and he is us.
Thank you Ryan for following up on Alaa's Case - Nothing meaningful can be expected from Dictator Sisi - The only reason Alaa is Alive is because he is a British citizen, otherwise he would be Dead like Morsi - Please continue to fight for Alaa's Release
My one and only trip to Egypt was December 2012. The first stamp on my new passport was from Egypt, under their newly elected, democratic, government. I respect democracy over dictatorship, and democracy was what Egypt had at that brief moment. I hope the craven politicians in the UK will take the steps necessary to free Alaa Abd El-Fattah.
And although this is totally off topic, or is it? Your mentioning how the authorities have found a way to extend El-Fattah's sentence, reminded me of Mordechai Vanunu, who, after completing his prison sentence, in Israel, had numerous, restrictive, and odious conditions put upon him, and these have continued for twenty years, even up to today. I'd like to see some reporting on him, and is there anything any of us can do for him.
Such an important piece. Thank you for telling this story. We are all grappling with the defeat of meaning. It makes life a constant struggle for truth. Alaa’s voice is therefore extremely important and his family’s continued resistance a moving testimony to their love for each other and for an imagined world where meaning is a shared and ongoing forum of humanity’s best intentions.
The truth is dangerous to the goal’s of military, war profiteering, and the domination of corporate agendas. But the truth will out and this piece is an important piece of truth telling.
Tragic that so much money is being spent on trying to Crush the human spirit of men like Alaa.
Thank you for including the quote from his book, written in prison. "The real challenges are international in nature, so seizing opportunities for debate becomes even more important when the conflict relates to issues that transcend national borders." This rings so true. But US people seem to think they are enclosed in a bubble of separation and safety, which explains the current obsession with a pseudo-election.
Lammy is a complete waste of space, a liar and hypocrite, just like his leader and the Labour government in general. If anything they're already worse than the Tories. If Lammy has not walked the walk after all the talk one can add egregious cruelty to his obvious failings.