My Rose-Colored Shaped Pyramid Glasses

The Pyramids of Giza

Photograph by Jochen Schlenker/Picture Library

From any angle, Giza's Pyramids inspire awe. Memorials to Egyptian kings, the Pyramids have risen above the desert outside Cairo for more than 4,000 years. Stone—not sun-dried mud brick—gave permanence to these ancient monuments.

I just bought my son a book all about Egypt, about the pharaohs, Moses and the children of Israel. We both just sat there and enjoyed the story; both of us wondered how awesome it would be to go to Egypt and meet the pharaoh from today. For some reason Egypt for me has always been a magical place, a place of wonder, a place where Mummies come to life and where bugs eat you from the inside out. My so called rose-colored glasses where shattered as I came across an article by Hany Rashwan "Communication Key to Egypt's Uprising" In this article Rashwan talks about the causes of the Egyptian revolution; the fear the government had of the internet, fear that the people would be able to communicate faster and more often, fear of the sheer amount of information the Egyptian people would have access to and therefore understand that they could have a better life, fear that others would come and support the people of Egypt, fear that democracy would take Egypt over. Rashwan paints a beautiful picture of unity, how through a joint effort the Citizens of Egypt were set free.

Demonstrators in Cairo's Tahrir Square on 8 February 2011

I asked myself if this article was effective or not? I thought for a long time, effective in which way? Hmm.

If the author wanted others to know about the revolution and truly think about what happened in Egypt, then no.  If, on the other hand, he wanted to show people how the Internet and the Information Superhighway can be used as a tool, yes even as a weapon, then definitely yes.  It was so refreshing to me so see how the internet was used this time.  I've heard of commanders using smartphones and the internet to call in airstrikes and other war machines.  This time the Internet was used to organize a relatively peaceful revolution that ended with the dictator being ousted without such a huge loss of life and so much damage.  Yes, people were killed and injured, but not nearly as many as there would have been in a military revolution, and the violence of last winter was mostly one-sided.

I am glad that I got to shed those rose-colored glasses; I have now read a lot about Egypt, (the modern Egypt) and have learned many great things. I hope that everyone will have a chance to read up on this amazing story and how through the internet people were able to "Unite".