The Sphinx Awakens

An Egyptian Sphinx cat

Hello folks!!!  So much has been going on in the world that the Colored Man is dumbfounded, well almost, at least.  Where do I begin.........

It seems that the sphinx has risen in Egypt.  The people are tired of being tired, and decided to rise up and say, "no more."  Last week when it all began, I checked out Al Jazeera on-line.  I was very surprised at the English version - this is not the syrupy news program that we Americans are used to.  The reporters ask hard questions, and have no problem letting people know that they did not answer the questions posed.  I also attempted to contact an Egyptian living in the United States, so that I could get a better understanding of how conditions are for Egyptians, but no one responded, however, I have had hits on the blog from Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, and Turkey, so perhaps someone from one of those countries will contact me.  I hope so.

One thing that the Colored Man has noticed about the protestors in Egypt, is that many of them look very similar to people that the Colored Man knows here in the States.  Familiar skin tones, hair textures, full lips and noses.  In relation, I have noticed that the people in power are lighter skinned Egyptians, and seem to have a much looser, straighter hair texture, and thinner lips and noses.  Hosni Mubarak's daughter-in-law, Khadija-Mona looks sun-kissed, blonde European.  His son Gamal looks Latin-heartthrob, while his other son, Ala'a is a dead-ringer for Jon Hamm from the televison show, Mad Men.  Is it just me?  Have you noticed the same thing?  Today, while leaving work, I heard a story on National Public Radio, that confirmed my suspicions.  It seems that the darker Egyptian tribes have been relegated to second-class citizenry.  But as we all know, things in Egypt have changed.

Hosni Mubarek has resigned and is esconsed in his seaside villa in Sharm El-Sheikh, while his billions stashed in Swiss bank accounts have been frozen.  So I guess he will have to do with his million dollar pocket change.  Rumors are swirling that he has suffered a stroke, but one thing is for sure.  He is no longer president of the Republic of Egypt.  The Colored Man is truly amazed that these people think that they can pass power down to their offspring, similar to an heirloom chair or table.  They view their homelands as places of business, whose sole purpose is to make themselves, their family members and trusted friends rich.  Damn the citizenry, many who are literally starving to death.

America has always portrayed itself as the beacon of freedom and democracy around the world.  But the beacon seems to be dim when it comes to these tyrannical leaders in the Middle East.  America seems to be blinded by the sand, and turns a blind eye towards the atrocities that are committed.  In fact, these atrocities against people are encouraged - Egypt was the go-to country for getting information by any means necessary from kidnapped people who had suspected ties to Islamic terrorists.  But the terror was also allowed due to Egypt's hands-off relationship with Israel.  But will this continue, now that Mubarak has gone?  Perhaps the hens are coming home to roost, as Reverend Jeremiah Wright put it.

Will Jordan continue to imprison citizens who speak badly of the royal family?  Will Saudi Arabia continue to entertain its citizens with public beheadings, and the stoning of women?, will they work on labor issues in a country that is wealthy beyond measure?, but where 44% of its college-educated men are unemployed, and 88% of its college-educated women are unemployed.  Some of the autocrats have tried to get a jump-start before things get out of hand, and have made some limited reforms, but so much more needs to be done.

The prologue of this play has been thrilling, and Act I promises to be just as exciting.  The sphinx has risen, and he is tired to laying around.  The Colored Man predicts that this theatrical production will be a traveling show, sure to hit many desert stages.