Another day, another plane crash! And once again, it's Egypt Air who is in the news, this time, unfortunately, with less giggles than a couple of months ago when a divorcee hijacked one of their planes to deliver a message to his ex-wife in Cyprus. Last week, most likely everyone on board died, and it's sad, and infuriating, and completely senseless that these things happen. I am personally heartbroken because it's the second plane crash within just over half a year that is associated to my chosen home of Egypt, and tourism will likely take another dip. In order to prevent that from happening, all of Egypt is now tweeting #IStandWithEgyptAir which actually annoyed me a lot. Why? Because it shows how Egyptians are continuously shutting their eyes on how Egypt, and its institutions, even airlines, need to change. And we can't even blame them for doing that.
The Egyptian government would likely see this as a call for Revolution, arresting me, and everyone in Egypt knows that is the daily fear of someone outspoken. For journalism, as much as it exists in Egypt, that means it is actually being criminalized. As a result of that, every single person in Egypt is denied access to information that gives one the chance to make an independent opinion. And without independent opinion, you have a peaceful, shushing population that lives under the impression they are now safe. Can't argue they're not, right? To me, #IStandWithEgyptAir shows that Egyptians, understandably, are willing to forfeit their ability to have an independent opinion for safety and prospertity. Even if terrorism downed flight 805, Egypt Air still deserves nobody "standing with them". Egyptian things, like a crappy airline, are defended in an effort to save Egyptian face. In the end, the only thing that doesn't matter is the truth...
I can't really criticize that behavior. If I was Egyptian, I would most likely prefer a peaceful Sisi government to a previous revolutionary one where many people died. It is in a human's interest to be safe, and apparently suppression can make that happen more easily. The biggest problem I have with that is that it would never be okay with me. I live for information, that's all I really care about, and to realize that access or sharing of information can impede that security is, to me, the biggest tragedy. What's even worse is that evidence suggests that people are still dying, just not in front of everyone's eyes. Those who feel like today's Egypt is better than those of a few years ago didn't do their homework, in my opinion. The reasons for people dying or disappearing today are the same though: they want change! They want freedom! I can defend Egyptian tourism, but I can't defend Egypt, or its ridiculous airline. With #IStandWithEgyptAir, I'd deny that...
As long as it's criminalized to demand change, freedom does not exist. Security is an illusion if the only way to achieve it is not expressing concerns or being able to criticize, even constructively. When I express my disdain for Egypt Air, Egyptian airport regulations and bribes, that does not mean I forfeit my love for the country. Egyptians do not understand freedom of speech. Everyone wants it but nobody demands it. And if the past is any indicator we also know why. Unfortunately, with the current state of things freedom of speech will not happen if we wait long enough. So yes, the streets are not bloody anymore, and safety seems to be a bit more feasible than it was in the days of Tahrir. I, personally, however, believe that's not enough, especially when the safety of people in my profession is at #159 in a global poll of press freedom. Then again, I didn't lose anyone in Tahrir...
The closest I came to leaving for political reasons (until I actually left for political reasons) was after many, many Egyptians I spoke to after Charlie Hebdo expressed their consent with punishment of the killed journalists (albeit not murder!) for mocking the Prophet. To me, Charlie Hebdo employees are just people I don't want to hang out with, not people worthy of any sort of punishment. If someone demands punishment for someone expressing an opinion, even if that opinion sucks, they are not out here fighting for freedom; they are sitting back and allowing oppression. And after the responses I got for calling out Egypt Air for being crap and Egypt for being unsafe I am not surprised these folks have no freedom of speech, because those personal attacks and threats can rarely be regarded as a fertile ground for criticism, which, of course, is a byproduct of expression. Until Egyptians can take it I see no reason why the regime should change: doesn't look like the people are ready for it anyways...
The Egyptian government would likely see this as a call for Revolution, arresting me, and everyone in Egypt knows that is the daily fear of someone outspoken. For journalism, as much as it exists in Egypt, that means it is actually being criminalized. As a result of that, every single person in Egypt is denied access to information that gives one the chance to make an independent opinion. And without independent opinion, you have a peaceful, shushing population that lives under the impression they are now safe. Can't argue they're not, right? To me, #IStandWithEgyptAir shows that Egyptians, understandably, are willing to forfeit their ability to have an independent opinion for safety and prospertity. Even if terrorism downed flight 805, Egypt Air still deserves nobody "standing with them". Egyptian things, like a crappy airline, are defended in an effort to save Egyptian face. In the end, the only thing that doesn't matter is the truth...
I can't really criticize that behavior. If I was Egyptian, I would most likely prefer a peaceful Sisi government to a previous revolutionary one where many people died. It is in a human's interest to be safe, and apparently suppression can make that happen more easily. The biggest problem I have with that is that it would never be okay with me. I live for information, that's all I really care about, and to realize that access or sharing of information can impede that security is, to me, the biggest tragedy. What's even worse is that evidence suggests that people are still dying, just not in front of everyone's eyes. Those who feel like today's Egypt is better than those of a few years ago didn't do their homework, in my opinion. The reasons for people dying or disappearing today are the same though: they want change! They want freedom! I can defend Egyptian tourism, but I can't defend Egypt, or its ridiculous airline. With #IStandWithEgyptAir, I'd deny that...
As long as it's criminalized to demand change, freedom does not exist. Security is an illusion if the only way to achieve it is not expressing concerns or being able to criticize, even constructively. When I express my disdain for Egypt Air, Egyptian airport regulations and bribes, that does not mean I forfeit my love for the country. Egyptians do not understand freedom of speech. Everyone wants it but nobody demands it. And if the past is any indicator we also know why. Unfortunately, with the current state of things freedom of speech will not happen if we wait long enough. So yes, the streets are not bloody anymore, and safety seems to be a bit more feasible than it was in the days of Tahrir. I, personally, however, believe that's not enough, especially when the safety of people in my profession is at #159 in a global poll of press freedom. Then again, I didn't lose anyone in Tahrir...
The closest I came to leaving for political reasons (until I actually left for political reasons) was after many, many Egyptians I spoke to after Charlie Hebdo expressed their consent with punishment of the killed journalists (albeit not murder!) for mocking the Prophet. To me, Charlie Hebdo employees are just people I don't want to hang out with, not people worthy of any sort of punishment. If someone demands punishment for someone expressing an opinion, even if that opinion sucks, they are not out here fighting for freedom; they are sitting back and allowing oppression. And after the responses I got for calling out Egypt Air for being crap and Egypt for being unsafe I am not surprised these folks have no freedom of speech, because those personal attacks and threats can rarely be regarded as a fertile ground for criticism, which, of course, is a byproduct of expression. Until Egyptians can take it I see no reason why the regime should change: doesn't look like the people are ready for it anyways...
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