Some of those who were against President El Sisi from day one are taking their antagonism a step further: towards Egypt.
After June 30th, these objectors came out and explicitly said that they were against how ex-President Morsi was ousted, how Rabaa was dispersed, and how an army man returned to the presidency.
That was then, and today they continue the assault. They criticize every move, achievement, and effort. They exaggerate matters to make them seem worse on purpose, they neglect mentioning any successes, again on purpose, and they welcome all ill news about Egypt for one sole reason: that it would reflect badly on President El-Sisi. This is the shocking and disturbing part.
Nothing seems to please them or make them rejoice. The Suez Canal expansion is a mediocre passage; the floatation of the pound brought nothing but misery; the World Youth Forum is a waste of money; those men who died in the El Wahat attack were not trained, equipped, or supervised; and innocent youths fill the prisons because they spoke their opinion.
They also resort to ridicule and insults; they make fun of those whom most Egyptians hold dear and look up to, creating animosity and a split amongst Egyptians. You see, other Egyptians don’t let such matters pass, but immediately respond, and a war of words ensues.
I won’t argue with them or try to rebuttal their notions. This is not my aim today.
Though they are definitely prejudiced in their views, it is their prerogative to criticize the work of a leader, a government, and authorities in general. No one denies someone’s right to speak, which is proven by the on-end tweets and Facebook comments surfacing everyday on social media.
However, sometimes, after I cringe, I worry about these objecting folks. Are they harming themselves in this defiant process? Even I am still under the impression that authorities will go after them if they speak against the regime, thinking they will pay the penalty of being too offensive with their words.
They don’t pay any penalty though. Indeed, authorities don’t go after these people. They are alive and kicking, and neither detained nor charged while they keep spewing ongoing venom.
But more importantly, their spite and hatred of the current regime has blinded them to the extent that misfortunes elate them. When Guilio Regeni was murdered, out came one to advise foreigners not to come to Egypt, “Coz this country is so bloody thirsty it’s feeding on people’s lives.” One gloated after the El Wahat ambush. “Endure Sisi; there’s more to come.”
To me, this is not against President El Sisi per se anymore; this is against Egypt.
I find this unsettling. You would think that these objectors are against President El Sisi because they love Egypt, but it isn’t so. They are contradicting themselves and come across as vicious haters of nothing more or less than Egypt itself.
All this has led to an intriguing revelation on my part. Those who believe in the effort made by the current regime love Egypt, and those against the current regime don’t care about Egypt.
Flip the coin and see the other side. Those who love Egypt see improvements and feel blessed. They demonstrate their devotion by focusing on what Egypt offers, by defending it unabashed, and by cherishing its hard workers and great achievers. It’s a genuine love story.
They cheer the Hepatitis C eradication success rate. They believe that the World Youth Forum depicted Egypt in the best way possible with thousands of youths visiting Sharm el Sheikh.
They highly regard International Egyptian athletes whether they are swimmers, Judo wrestlers, or football or squash players. They retweet stories of how well some Egyptian women have done for themselves abroad: Nemat Talaat Shafik, who runs the London School of Business, and Doreen Assaad, the first Egyptian mayor in Brossard, Quebec, Canada.
They find good in the Gouna Festival, the wonderful musical talents that were presented, and the impeccable organizational skills of all those involved.
They are ecstatic that Egypt will play at the FIFA 2018 World Cup in Russia; and they hurt profoundly whenever an Egyptian falls in Sinai or elsewhere.
They post photos of spectacular spots for Egyptians and tourists alike to visit.
And most of all, they defend Egypt rather than retweet western media’s repugnant surveys and analyses.
I recommend the former group be objective if they want others to understand their cause and accept it.
And despite the ebbs and flows that Egypt faces, objectors must remain loyal Egyptians. Their hate of a leader should never abate their love for Egypt.
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