Egypt. End the State of Emergency & the 'Security Police' State.

[denem]

Someone please explain the how the 'Security Police' have contributed to 'Peace and Stability''?

Someone please explain how arbitrary, undocumented detention and torture can facilitate 'Negotiations' and 'Orderly Transition'?

How is Egypt supposed to have "free and fair elections" threatened by Thugs under Thug Laws'?

If the State of Emergency and 'Security Police' have to go before 'Free Elections', DO IT NOW!

End the fear.

[KharmaTrain]

1. How Totalitarianism Works...

For the power elite their private armies kept the "Peace and stability" through fear, intimidation and brute force. Its worked for millenium...keeps those who have the money and the weapons in control and those who don't as the underclass. In many of these countries there's centuries of such rule and thus a quick transition into a representative democracy doesn't always work well. It takes a transition and those inside the country with the experience and determination to see it through. While I support elinating any forms of censorship and repression, this needs to be coordinated so that it doesn't give a green light to those who want to use a power vacuum to create havoc and/or ruin any move toward free elections.

As we saw in Eastern Europe during the 90s...many areas that also didn't have a history of democratic institutions, it takes several steps to move to a freer society. I'd hate to see all the hard-earned gains from so many in Egypt swept aside in the darkness created by a power vacuum and opens the door to the more extreme elements to take advantage....exchanging one despot for another. Let's hope this breaks that cycle.

[malaise]

2. The real fun part is the insistence of 30 years of martial law

to prevent democracy from those who argue that 'these people' can't have democracy.

Empires self destruct because to thrive they have to deny others what they claim to defend and eventually you cannot paper over the contradictions - we have reached that critical moment.

[Catherina]

3. +1 n/t

[malaise]

4. Good morning sis!

:hi:

[malaise]

5. Apparently they have agreed to remove martial law

and allow more press freedom. So says Engel on ComcastGEM$NBC.