Sounds like a beautiful dream and I would love to believe it, but a claim like that is too far fetched in my opinion. Making that connection is sweet and a lovely tribute to Dr King though, regardless of the motive.
I think it's safe to say that we've all witnessed a revolution sparked by the young's relentless desire and drive to be free from the shackles of tyranny and determined to control their own destiny. A revolution that spontaneously materialized before our eyes, with live images coming to usstraight from Tahrir Square and other parts of Egypt. We've all seen how the Egyptian people struggled in their fight for freedom with blood sweat and tears and sadly many of them paid the ultimate price.
Comic Illustrates MLK's Role in Egyptian Revolution - Towleroad
Pundits and press have noted the peaceful atmosphere surrounding Egypt's revolution and the subsequent resignation of President Hosni Mubarak. While the events of the past two weeks will be debated for years to come, the American Islamic Congress, a non-profit group founded after September 11th, are citing a recently translated comic book about Martin Luther King Jr.'s non-violent philosophy as a potential factor in Egypt's civil disobedience.
Is this the way forward for political Islam?
Dalia Ziada is Egypt Director of the American Islamic Congress, a non-profit group founded in the wake of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 to confront intolerance against Muslims, and later to promote peace and civil rights throughout the Arabic world. The AIC's HAMSA initiative - designed to link civil rights groups throughout the Middle East -- undertook in 2008 a project to translate The Montgomery Storyinto Arabic (and later Farsi). With the endorsement of the Fellowship of Reconciliation, Ziada distributed 2,000 copies of the comic throughout the Middle East, and her efforts were consequently reported on by news sources including Time Magazine and History News Network:
Spreading the message of non-violent resistance throughout the Middle East is ultimately a means to an end for Ziada and the rest of the AIC; that is, to inspire action. "The main message I hope that Arabic readers will take from the MLK comic book is that: change is not impossible. It is time to stop using our muscles blindly. Let's try using our intellect in innovative, creative ways to pressure decision makers and end dictatorship, tyranny and the suppression practiced against us."
Is political Islam becoming more sensible all of a sudden? Even the Muslim Brotherhood claims to be secular now and secular Muslims are allowed a microphone. What's going on?
Was there something wrong with the media approach to the Muslim world?
So far, the picture has not been pretty: the George W. Bush administration demonized the Muslim news media; Muslim journalists returned the favor. But research shows that the Obama administration has the opportunity to take a more sophisticated approach to those who drive public opinion throughout the Islamic world.
Yes he does and President Obama did appear to do exacly that in his dreamy speech following Mubarak's resignation, but that doesn't mean a thing if his words don't translate into action:
"And while the sights and sounds that we heard were entirely Egyptian, we can't help but hear the echoes of history, echoes from Germans tearing down a wall, Indonesian students taking to the streets, Gandhi leading his people down the path justice. As Martin Luther King said in celebrating the birth of a new nation in Ghana while trying to perfect his own, there's something in the soul that cries out for freedom."
Anyway, it's a brand new day, yet some things will still remain the same.
Alarmists will still be alarmists.
Naysayers will still be naysayers.
Opportunists will still be opportunists.
Pessimists will still be pessimists.
Believers will still be believers.
At the end of the day, Egyptians did what no one thought possible only a few weeks ago....they've unleashed thehuman spirit in a way that will be contagious for years to come and no one can stop them now.
One could argue, would the revolution have been peaceful if Egyptians had the right to bear arms?
Maybe not. All they had was rocks to defend themselves against the evil regime, but they remained peaceful till the very end and the fact still remains, who cleaned up the mess after it was all over?
The people did.




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