Foloul or Falafel?

By Ahmed ELNAHAS – Pisa, July 4^th 2013.

As an impartial observer, I would say that what seem to be the protests of spontaneous mass mobilisations materialising in giant demonstrations, is impressive yet unproductive, and sometimes ineffective but most of the time irresolute and inconclusive; however vulnerable to manipulation and disorientation, in a way to produce a state of confusion allowing violence.. And in that case it becomes an excuse for whomever wishes to abort the reasons and forget the objectives at the start line, so it would never be permitted to reach the finish line.

June the 30^th will be remembered as the day when the Regressive Forces (Al Foloul) have successfully used the Revolutionary Energy to regain control and force the Military Establishment to fulfill their agenda: repossess Egypt. Because both of them are certain that we are using terms like freedom, democracy and civil rights as punch lines not as compelling our code of conduct. And here lies our mistake.. Here is this revolution’s Achilles’ Heel!!

As the Brotherhood at first have confiscated the Revolutionary thrust of 28^th of January 2011,  using it to climb the walls of the Presidential Palace and Parliament, and in a daring way declared “we came to stay and will not leave”.. Now the Military found their excuse by which to get even and settle the score. They will in their own terms confiscate this new rebellious energy, mostly found and partially recruited, trained, financed and orchestrated; to reacquire what seem to have been lost just one year ago.

The inexperience and incapacity of the Brotherhood to govern, added to their success in weakening the unorganised opposition factions, the inefficiency by which their government(s) handled the country’s priorities, the deterioration of public services, the lack of security, the absence of a clear  strategic vision; provided the Reactionary Forces (Al Foloul) with the necessary arguments and tools, not only to infiltrate into the opposition ranks, but have also procured them the ammunition to demolish the entire set of objectives requisitioned by the Egyptians in the first place: Freedom, Democracy, Civil Rights, and Dignified Living.

Now, through the feared might of the Military Establishment along with its excellent relations with the American institutional Agencies, the Foloul  lobbies will use the very same slogans to regain their full control on the street. And by controlling employment and wages, we’ll be back all over again to restart once more from October 6^th 1981.

 I prefer Falafel!

Pass On The Word.

A Life-Line of Hope.

By: Ahmed ELNAHAS – Montopoli, July 2^nd 2013.

The fatal mistake of the Brotherhood lies in their rigid conservative approach to Modernity. Their ambitious international project, for which they worked hard and sacrificed dearly for more than 80 years, lacks contemporaneity. It remained statically immobile inside the frame of the Early Days of the Nation. Some of their scholars have even went far beyond that by theorising some Jaheleya practices as the obliging Sunna heritage to be followed.

They haven’t enough moral courage to review their project’s drawbacks and to identify the necessary adaptations to meet modern times challenges. They couldn’t liberate their minds to discuss the uncertainties of Folkloric Taboos that became in time the certainties of Faith. They have deliberately forgot that WE are ordered to discuss, investigate, debate, experiment, experience, accept or refuse absolutely anything and everything except three things only.. Imagine, three topics out from the infinity that embrace the entire existence: a) the nature or entity of Allah, b) the death, and c) the spirit.

Apart from these we are allowed, even ordered, to search and discover! But they refused to do so.. And that’s why they attracted the doubt, fear and hatred of, and by, the Other to become our modern times cultural viruses spreading epidemically to destroy our societies.

Unless we find the courage to heal our minds and free our brains from these viruses; important issues like economy, finance, scientific research, tourism, education, health care, peace, trade, marriage, freedom, liberty, equal rights, social justice, tolerance, inclusion, and the multi-ethnic / multi-cultural civil society; all of that and many more will remain just a Charade glittering on the surface of the sterile desert of our Reigning Ignorance.

Nevertheless I still feed a hope in the Juridical Authority so as to rise up and lead the nation through the proper path and adjust its course. I wish that this esteemed and highly considered authority, out of which ranks came men like Moustafa Kamel, Mohammad Farid, Saad Zaghloul and Moustafa El Nahas; would soon be able to ‘hatch’ a figure able to contain the situation and drag the country out from the quick-sands into which the Brotherhood, its allies and their Presidential Candidate have sunken us.

Pass On The Word.

Segments and Choices.

By: Ahmed ELNAHAS – Montopoli, June 30^th 2013.

On January 25^th 2011 the demographic segmentation showed a neatly visible ‘Rich/Poor Crack’  dividing the population. A simple yet wide crack distinguished this division. Today, and after June 30^th 2013, things have drastically changed (Ideologically, Economically, Politically and Socially) to a critical point by which a new segmentation must be considered, one based on aspirations and interests; today we are way ahead of the Rich/Poor cliché.. By now we are labelled by category not class:

1.      The Brotherhood and its allies,

2.      The Secular Block with its supporters, and

3.      The Reactionary Forces (aka Al Foloul).

And as an immediate result to the unbalanced and paranoid performance of the Presidency by:

a)      ignoring the revolutionary demands: Bread, Freedom and Social Justice,

b)      consuming three consecutive Governments in only year just to worsen tangible every day life (fuel, water, energy, labour, unemployment, prices, public services, security, education, health, transportation, trade…etc),

c)      mismanaging the constitutional reforms process from choosing and nominating members of the constituents commissions till the farcical draft approval falsely called referendum,

d)      manifesting a bias attitude denying ethnic and sectarian equal citizenship rights, and

e)      escalating the conflict between the institutional authorities by attacking the Juridical Corps and the Social parties;

the simple citizen discovered himself a hostage, not only suffering from the daily street bullies hostilities, but as well forced to submit to the crushing consequences of a long chain of the administration’s bad, if not wrong, choices. Consequently choosing between bitter options became an urgent priority for that simple citizen.

For he (the simple citizen) just found out that to avoid a long period of Violent Chaos, there are only few options left to chose from the coming ruling cast:

        I.            a National Coalition Government under the leadership of the Brotherhood,

     II.            a Moderate Military Candidate for President to assign a Technical Government for a given transitional period with precise objectives after which to call for new administrative, legislative and presidential elections, or

   III.            allowing the Reactionary Forces (Al Foloul) to join and re-establish their Aristocratic Rule right after drafting a new acceptable Constitution and Election Laws.

Otherwise the Military Establishment will have no choice but to intervene in ‘any’ possible way.. Nevertheless I still have faith in the Juridical Authority so as to rise up and lead the nation through the proper path and adjust its course. I’m hoping that this esteemed and highly considered authority, out of which ranks came men like Moustafa Kamel, Mohammad Farid, Saad Zaghloul and Moustafa El Nahas; would soon be able to ‘hatch’ a figure able to contain the situation and drag the country out from the quick-sands into which the Brotherhood and their Presidential Candidate have driven us.

Pass On The Word.  

PS: Having seen and heard his speech, and although I reserve a special share of respect for Youssef El Qaradawy, I couldn’t agree with his view or the simplicity by which he addressed the Egyptians calling on them to “unite and dialogue”! Knowing that there is no apparent room left for dialogue, except that of the deaf, because the Presidency and its Government(s) have established the rules and regulations by which they ran the show until now, and because El Qaradawy knows that “Unite and Dialogue” were never seriously considered from the very beginning by an Executive that grabbed every possible chance to publically undermine and disregard the hopes, demands, views and aspirations of the ‘Other’; so my question to Al Qaradawy is:

“On which ‘common’ grounds you hope to Unite Muslim Brotherhood, Copt Nation Militants, Bedouins, Fundamental/Radical Islamic factions, Wahabi, Shia, Sunni, Communists, Nasserites, Liberals, Foloul, Revolutionary Youth Movements, Labour Unions, Industrial Lobbies, Social and Political Parties, Intellectuals, Farmers, Artisans, Merchants, Students, Housewives, Tax Payers, Tax Evaders, Employed, Unemployed, Anarchists, Media Professionals, Bloggers, Lawyers, Military and Security forces; and over which ‘pre-drafted agenda’ you will convince them to agree on negotiating through Dialogue??”!!!

LAESA MAESTAS.

By: Ahmed ELNAHAS – Castelfiorentino, June 29^th 2013.

This title is the Latin for Lèse-Majesté in English, literally “Injured Majesty” in English, also lese-majesty, lese majesty or leze majesty; and is the crime of violating majesty, an offence against the dignity of a reigning sovereign or against a state.

This behaviour was first classified as a criminal offence against the dignity of the Roman Republic in Ancient Rome. In the Dominate, or Late Empire period, the Emperors scrapped the Republican trappings of their predecessors and began to identify the state with their person.

Though legally the Princeps Civitatis (the Emperor’s official title, roughly 'first citizen') could never become a sovereign, as the republic was never officially abolished, emperors were deified as Divus, first posthumously but by the Dominate period while reigning. Deified Emperors thus enjoyed the legal protection provided for the divinities of the state cult; by the time it was exchanged for Christianity, the monarchical tradition in all but name was well established.

Narrower conceptions of offences against Majesty as offences against the crown predominated in the European kingdoms that emerged in the early medieval period. In feudal Europe, various real crimes were classified as lese-majesty even though not intentionally directed against the crown, such as counterfeiting (because coins bear the monarch's effigy and/or coat of arms).

However, since the disappearance of absolute monarchy, this is viewed as less of a crime, although similar, more malicious acts could be considered treason. By analogy, as modern times saw republics emerging as great powers, a similar crime may be constituted, though not under this name, by any offence against the highest representatives of any state. In particular, similar acts against heads of modern age totalitarian dictatorships are very likely to result in prosecution.

Even the Arab World Monarchies have developed their versions of the Lèse Majesté laws; where in Morocco, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain such could be somewhat understandable even tolerable being Realms of Kingdoms or Princedoms; but the adaptations of the concept to become implemented severely in all Arab Dictatorships though ruling gowned as Republics, is the legal surprise that distorted the conservative constitutional traditions.

In Egypt we’ve experienced that repressive measure starting from the “Qanoon El Eib” (the Arabic term for ‘Indecency Law’) in times of Sadat, till the ferocious applications of the various blunt versions of “Qanoon  el Taware” or ‘Emergencies Law’ which remained in vigour all throughout the three decades of the overthrown Mubarak..

Even today such laws are still in force under a Democratically elected President whom supposedly presides a Free Democratic Sovereign Republic respecting the Human and Civil Rights; and as such TV channels are censored and even shut down, journalists and bloggers are arrested and sentenced to serve terms for committing crimes varying from “Criticising the President” to “Inciting unrests and plotting to overthrow the Government”.

Therefore I invite you all to lighten up and cheer out loud to repeat with me:

“The King Is Dead, Long Live The King”.

Pass On The Word. 

10Qs searching for 10As before June 30th.

By: Ahmed ELNAHAS – Montopoli, June 27^th 2013

        I.            Is it true that they have changed the National Anthem teaching children to sing Al Jihad instead of Belady?

     II.            Is it true that they have allowed the massive fuel smuggling activities into Gaza to deliberately cause social and economic inconveniences? In exchange for what?

   III.            Is it true that they have green-lighted the Sunni militants of Hamas and the Shia warriors of Hezb’Allah and Amal to ground in Sinai? What for?

  IV.            Is it true that they have unconditionally approved the IMF conditions for the latest useless loan?

     V.            Is it true that they have already activated the joint FBI/CIA task force plans for Borders Security?

  VI.            Is it true that they have not yet received the White House’s directives (via the open back door of KSA’s diplomacy) regarding Ethiopia’s Nahda Dam?

VII.            Is it true that they have a complete new Constitution ready for delivery?

VIII.            Is it true that they have handed over (apparently by negligence) the Rural Mosques Control to the Radical Salafi and Shia sects in order to intimidate and contain the growing Coptic rage? Although knowing that it would inevitably provoke violent confrontations?

  IX.            Is it true that they have planned to gain by speculation: to buy Egypt at the lowest bid to sell it to the Highest Bidder?

     X.            Is it true that they have chosen the Caliphate System to make it their long term strategy and expand it over the Arab Nation?

Pass On The Word.

Big Mac beyond the Wall.

By: Ahmed ELNAHAS – Firenze, June 26^th 2013.

The last absurdity I could have ever imagined was the inauguration of a McDonald’s In Gaza! What a paradox.. That blood-sucking Cross Continental Corporation has now opened a branch in this forgotten part of the world, and for no other purpose than to drain out the few drops of blood left in the veins of an eternally sanctioned population.. A population fighting every day to live, eat, drink, move, work, build, resist and medicate thanks only to the innovative smuggling activities and the courage of smugglers, whether patriots or just greedy opportunists.

So my friends here are my 15 reasons by which I never contributed in the fortunes of McDonald’s or any of his fast food ‘friends’ (as a matter of fact, there are many more reasons that I can think of, though prefer not to include them here for legal restrictions):  

1.      It produces unhealthy food;

2.      Its products cause serious precocious heart, circulatory and obesity deceases;

3.      It destroys the environment;

4.      It caused the deforestation of huge chunks from the South American and Indonesian Rain Forests;

5.      It is the proven direct cause for the extinction of several hundred animal and botanic species;

6.      It does not respect any labour law wherever it goes;

7.      It does not provide any career development expectancies for its employees;

8.      It reduces its employees into expendable wage dependants;

9.      It does not breed management cadres, but recruits and exploits experienced managers;

10.  It funnels local resources into its proper gains and does not develop resources (human or natural);

11.  It subtracts taste and joy from the dining experience;

12.  Its deceptive marketing and image mislead customers into more consumes;

13.  It enhances the culture of unaware consumption as a profit generating tool;

14.  It rendered 42% of its customers into dependants suffering from advanced pathologic addiction;

15.  It uses raw material from doubtful origins.

Of course, should you make your homework, you’ll be able to easily write an elaborated essay for each of these headings. However, such I see McDonald’s.. The most significant icon for the actual human cultural decay, characterised and caricaturised as Shallow, Compromising, Easy and vulgarly Colourful.

Pass On The Word.

Frienemies*!

By: Ahmed ELNAHAS – Montopoli, June 25^th 2013.

“Keep your friends close, and your enemies even much closer”.. A wise old say which brought Capitalism and Socialism, not only closer; but it held them tight together in the grasp of a “Till death brings us apart” type of “Holy Matrimony”! The sacred bound of a sound marriage institution by which both spouses, in complete possession of their faculties, have willingly and consciously sacrificed a good part of their fundamental principles.

On one hand ‘Capitalism’ which handed over its guidance to Speculative Economy, abandoning forever the Productive Economy that originally have founded the solid bases upon which rested for long its concept of Rational use of Resources, and not revolving around an uncontrollable practice of Frenetic abuse of Finances.

And on the other hand, ‘Socialism’ which threw overboard the anchors, along with their chains, which for very long have secured its ideal values: Social Justice, Equal Opportunities, Just Distribution of National Wealth, and ensuring Work Dignity.

As the first foresaw its eminent implosion, the latter floated off adrift  without compass, rudder or engine; so they jointly and consciously agreed to entwine their destinies and hand them to the ruthless custody of Austerity Measures, Work Flexibility, Precarious Labour, Privatisation of Public Services, Industrial Delocalisation of Investments, Unemployment, and the weighing burdens of Inflation and Loans with loads of huge interests easily transferable into permanently overdue Debts by increasingly swelling installments.

However it is obvious that the rule is not valid for those standing before the happy couple orchestrating the wedding rituals and celebrating the ceremony.

And that what Globalisation is all about.

Pass On The Word.

*In my understanding the term I chose for the title, and which combines ‘friends’ with ‘enemies’, was never used before; therefore I humbly claim the related copyright honours.

Information Needed.. Urgently.

By: Ahmed ELNAHAS – Castelfiorentino, June 20^th 2013.

There are 129 foreign military bases operating on the Italian soil. The tens of thousands of NATO, UN and USA military and civil personnel, along with their wives and children; are buying all sorts of goods and services tax free.. Food, water, cloths, services, customs, loading/unloading a/o embarking/disembarking of goods and belongings, vehicles circulation fees, registration duties, stamps, road taxes, but most of all FUEL, are not only bought and exported/imported tax free, but as well they are fully exempted from the Value Added Tax (VAT).

All in all this population is paying less 60% than Italian citizens, for the same goods and services. And as if that is not enough, the Italian government is bound, by signed and approved treaties, to honour between 30% and 40% of the Expatriation Wages added to the Per-Diem Allowances for these military facilities by the paradox of such a permanent contingency.

But the harm is not limited to the huge financial burden dumped over an already exhausted tax payer (who is obliged against his will to absorb the uncollected dues from tax evasions and submerged economy); the ‘for now’ unseen uncalculated damage is ecologic and environmental.. We know that ever since the closure of WWII there were installed Nuclear Ballistic Missiles launchers and underground nuclear storing facilities to host the atomic devices (now all pointing southwest towards North Africa); the problem is of several folds:

a)      The waste of these bases is to be handled by the local administrations, including Hazardous Waste: nuclear, medical, chemical; which overburden these administrations budgets causing continuous balance deficit and budget cuts, negatively affecting these administration’s governance on the territory thus harming the day-to-day lives of Italian citizens.

b)      The beautiful Italian island of Sicily became a kind of a giant Air Carrier fully equipped with satellites antennas and radar/sonar gadgets controlling African restlessness, coordinating the Middle Eastern operations and the Asian Oil, in short half the world. And so while this military colonisation plays War to train its Drones on zero error missions, holidays passengers arrive frustrated for the cancelled flights, and locals suffer the Audio-Electro Pollution.

c)      The uncontainable Radioactivity Contamination is continuously damaging human and animal lives; and soil radioactivity has already provoked an irreversible harm to agriculture and botanic products. Consequently Health in general is in constant jeopardy.

One example of what seem to be discarded by the authorities as a marginal aspect of the problem.. In the suburbs of Vicenza, the city host of the 173^rd Brigade assigned to Italy after the closure of their base in Germany; a construction giant realised the Bunker Hospital equipped to host nothing less than the entire USA community in case of Bacteriological Attack.. If and when it should materialise, the Vicenzans must sort it out on their own, because they are not allowed into this Martian Medical Facility.

The latest available figures show that the computable financial burden, to be absorbed by the honest Italian tax payer, amounts to little less than 3 billion Dollars/year; and is surely destined to increase.

However this is an Italian story regarding the Italian people.. But what about ours? What about the Egyptian story? Can someone, or some authority, say for certain how much could be the cost of foreign soldiers whom under whichever invented acronym and for whatever mission are operating on our soil? Who’s paying for them? And what are their privileges? But most of all what could be the nature of their logistics and armaments arsenals stacked on the Egyptian territory?

We need to know now, when 3 million of our youth are without a hope for a job, 10 million are deprived from the security of a decent pension coverage or a basic health care programme, where tens of thousands of children cannot receive adequate education and 2.5 million families have no direct access to clear water.

I couldn’t find this information.. Can you?

Pass On The Word.

Reference: Maurizio Chierici – Il Fatto Quotidiano.

A man can’t Make Love with a Property.

By: Ahmed ELNAHAS – Montopoli, June 19^th 2013.

Modern man have forgotten how to treat women.. Especially ‘His’ woman.. The one that chose him in the first place.. He became so confused that he cannot anymore spend some time to honestly review his notions about how to be gallantly honest and responsible, how to care, respect, protect, honour, forgive, and sacrifice.. Instead he settled for a more simple and easier formula: Sex and the overpowering dominance by possession.

And to ‘this’ man I say: a real Man doesn’t Make Love with a Property.  

I doubt in the most serious way that we, men, know the real sense of “Love”. Because we were not taught, tutored or trained to love, to identify love, how to love or to express love.. Because in the oriental culture sentimental feelings may be well expressed in literature yet are not properly outlined in real everyday life..  In fact feelings and sentiments seem to be confused as if we have a problem to identify or even to clearly describe the various nuances enclosed in this complex sentiment called ‘Love’.

Even through the medium and high school years, when we studied the treasures of the wonderful love poems pearls of our Arab literature heritage, teachers did nothing to enhance our emotional maturity; they used to quickly pass over the surface without inviting our feedback or exploring our reactions to develop them, so as not to risk an unnecessary waste of time and fearing the embarrassment of our cruel uneasy questions.

Much less at home, within the institutions of “Marriage” and “Family”; between a busy father and a tired mother, we were left to friends and peers to develop our emotions and experience human relations by the unsuitable methods of trial and error or by imitation; never through comprehension, dialogue and model example.. “Shhhhhhh, don’t cry I’ll provide but don’t tell your father” is the worst lesson a loving mother would teach her son about love, respect, responsibility.. Or the cliché of “I said so and that’s it”, is another masculine authoritarian damaging act making normal what is not.

There is no authority in a marriage founded on exchanged love, there is only equal partnership based upon mutual responsibility for two people who agreed to share together for the common satisfaction of successful accomplishment.. And from here comes the confusion between a social institution (Marriage and Family) and a human sentiment (Love).

We did never had really the chance, any chance, to learn exactly what love is and how to develop it or express it.. Hence the confusion whereby to take sex for love, desire for love, lust for love, respect for love, overpowering for love, submission for love, possession for love, infatuation for love, and so forth. A courteously delivered compliment is automatically translated into a love statement. A sexual crush is childishly confessed by “I love You”.. Etc.    

Some are convinced that offering ‘presents’ is a love statement; others believe that ‘money’ and financial security is the essence of showing love; for other groups ‘dominance’ is the best way to ensure “Reciprocity” in love. While most men are certain that sex is the key to secure a love relation, they tend to obscure and even deny the other emotional and sentimental motivators existing just to empower Love.

Once we know what love is and how to express it and develop it, we may have better than average chance to co-exist with the Other.. Isn’t ‘Love’ the central pillar around which are revolving all the doctrines?

Pass On The Word.      

The Oath.

By: Ahmed ELNAHAS – Montopoli, June 18^th 2013.

The Hippocratic Oath is an oath historically taken by physicians and other healthcare professionals swearing to practice medicine honestly. The original oath, written in Ionic Greek, came to light by late 5th century. The Hippocratic Oath (orkos) is one of the most widely known of Greek medical texts. It requires a new physician to swear upon a number of healing gods that he will uphold a number of professional ethical standards.

The following is the first English translation of the original text you see here above:

“….all the gods and goddesses, making them my witnesses, that I will fulfill according to my ability and judgment this oath and this covenant:

To hold him who has taught me this art as equal to my parents and to live my life in partnership with him, and if he is in need of money to give him a share of mine, and to regard his offspring as equal to my brothers in male lineage and to teach them this art — if they desire to learn it — without fee and covenant; to give a share of precepts and oral instruction and all the other learning to my sons and to the sons of him who has instructed me and to pupils who have signed the covenant and have taken an oath according to the medical law, but to no one else.

I will apply dietetic measures for the benefit of the sick according to my ability and judgment; I will keep them from harm and injustice.

I will neither give a deadly drug to anybody if asked for it, nor will I make a suggestion to this effect. Similarly I will not give to a woman an abortive remedy. In purity and holiness I will guard my life and my art.

I will not use the knife, not even on sufferers from stone, but will withdraw in favor of such men as are engaged in this work.

Whatever houses I may visit, I will come for the benefit of the sick, remaining free of all intentional injustice, of all mischief and in particular of sexual relations with both female and male persons, be they free or slaves.

What I may see or hear in the course of the treatment or even outside of the treatment in regard to the life of men, which on no account one must spread abroad, I will keep to myself holding such things shameful to be spoken about.

If I fulfill this path and do not violate it, may it be granted to me to enjoy life and art, being honored with fame among all men for all time to come; if I transgress it and swear falsely, may the opposite of all this be my lot.”

The Oath has been modified multiple times, in several different countries. However, the vast majority of oaths or declarations sworn have been heavily modified and modernised. In a 1989 survey of 126 US medical schools, only three reported usage of the original oath. In France, it is common for new medical graduates to sign a written oath. While there is currently no legal obligation for medical students to swear an oath upon graduating, 98% of American medical students swear some form of oath, while only 50% of British medical students do.

It has been suggested by Sir Joseph Rotblat, in his acceptance speech for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1995, that a similar oath should be undertaken by scientists: a Hippocratic Oath for Scientists.

If the ill healers have modified their mission vow and altered their professional promises for sheer private interests; I think that we shouldn’t marvel to the fact that politicians lie all the time, and that our rulers cannot live up to the Constitutional Oath they have pronounced before God, and will not keep the bright promises they have publicly vowed to undertake and fulfill.

As if the value of an Oath has been reduced to a miserable fraudulent tool used by the daring to con the bearing.

We need to revive the true binding values of the term Oath, and make them the standard parameters by which to evaluate the performance of any leader, teacher, physician, politician, public servant, pilot, businessman, artisan, technician, traders…etc; because each and every one of them have made an oath.. And we must know every word of each one of them, otherwise we will continue to grope in the dark.

Pass On The Word.