For those who think “tyranny” is a dusty term last spoken in reference to the American Revolution, think again.
Examples of tyranny can be found throughout the world, even in what are now considered free countries with established constitutions. One particular modern-day country fighting back against its tyrannical government is populous Egypt.
Egypt has faced a prolonged period of revolution as rebel groups fight to overthrow standing government officials, capturing the power of their people and the attention of the world.
According to The Telegraph, after the dismissal of the old regime under Hosni Mubarak, the Muslim Brotherhood — a group of individuals who believe all Arab states should be governed by Islamic and Sharia Law — stepped in and took control. This caused rampant fear among Egyptians who are firmly opposed to the idea of a fascist theocracy.
As an American, the idea of the Muslim Brotherhood does not sit well with me. No single religious group should govern an entire nation and deny fundamental rights for a sect of the people and, in this case, deny fundamental rights to women.
In a brief moment of hope, Mohamed Morsi responded and stepped in as the first democratically elected head of state in Egypt’s long history. As Fox News reported in early July of this year, however, young Egyptian revolutionaries ousted Morsi as president for a military takeover with ongoing repercussions.
According to Dahlia Kholaif, writer for Al Jazeera Media Network of Qatar, the Egyptian military now controls a majority of land and makes up about 40 percent of the country’s total economy. They can sell land for real estate purposes or for resource distraction, own factories that process goods and have military members who were drafted to supply free labor.
Egypt’s military ideology is about control over the people and country as opposed to the military ideology of America, which is about protecting our people and our country from foreign and domestic harm.
After years of violence and bloodshed, is Egypt’s leadership really better? After the exiting of Mubarak and now Morsi, we can assume that the future of Egypt is still uncertain.
Revolutions can be either a positive or a negative shift for culture. But until the masses unite under a common principle or form of government, there will always be division among the people and chaos within the country.
We saw a spark of protest against the Muslim Brotherhood, but did we see a real change in a way of thinking? Did we see a change toward true freedom, individual liberty, and a small and limited government?
No, we saw a change of power. Until the Middle East adopts the principles of democracy, there will always be turmoil and despair for the people.
In the words of a true revolutionary in modern politics, Ron Paul, “Only liberty can truly ward off tyranny, the great and eternal foe of mankind.”