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Snow Pyramid Honors Egypt Revolution

February 13, 2011 by Bill Sorem Egypt, Minnesota, War/Peace, World Comments Off

By Bill Sorem
When a group of Egypt supporters arrived at the Minnesota State Capitol on Friday to celebrate the fall of Hosni Mubarak, they were greeted with a snow pyramid on the Capitol lawn. A rough snow mound had been converted to a pyramid by some energetic friends of the Arab world’s largest country. The crowd reflected the joy in the accomplishment of some very dedicated Egyptian people and optimism in the continued spread of democracy throughout the world.

In just 18 days, a few hundred thousand dedicated and brave but ordinary Egyptians succeeded in overthrowing a dictator who had maintained power for 30 years. Contrast that with the U.S. wars to spread democracy that have cost us trillions of dollars, killed thousand,s and have yielded few tangible results after over nine years. Thoughtful people know this is just the beginning. The road to true democracy is long and arduous, but it has begun for the Egyptian people.

Minnesotans Continue to Support Egyptian People

February 6, 2011 by Bill Sorem Egypt, Minnesota, War/Peace, World Comments Off

Sensing they were taking part in a monumental moment in history, Minnesotans gathered on the steps of the Minnesota State Capitol on Friday afternoon to show solidarity with the people of Egypt. Many Americans are puzzled by the events transpiring in the Arab world’s most populous nation. There is a realization of the historical magnitude of what is happening, but Americans have become accustomed to our support of ruthless dictators. Egyptian-Americans and others from the Arab world have a clearer understanding of the underlying forces in play in the region — to a large degree through the coverage of the Gulf television station, Al Jazeera. Watch Al Jazeera in English, online, here.

The speakers in St. Paul reflected the commonality of the peace campaigns and the struggles for freedom in Iraq, Palestine and other countries in the Arab World as well as Egypt. The Egyptian government succeeded last week in temporarily shutting down Internet access — with the aid of Boeing subsidiary Narus of Sunnyvale, Calif. Nevertheless, attendees at the rally reported that they were once again able to contact their families in Egypt. The world continues to watch the resilience and courage of the Egyptian people and remains apprehensive about the communication control methods now available to any government, including that of the United States.

President Obama and Prime Minister Harper Speak to the Press

February 4, 2011 by Jacob Wheeler Canada, DC, Egypt, War/Peace, White House Live, World Comments Off

President Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper speaks to the press on the topic of trade between Canada and the United States, as well as the situation in Egypt, where Obama has reportedly pressured dictator Hosni Mubarak to resign immediately.

Robert Gibbs, Austan Goolsbee, Gene Sperling Deliver White House Press Briefing

February 4, 2011 by Jacob Wheeler DC, Economy/Jobs, Egypt, White House Live, World Comments Off

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers Austan Goolsbee and Gene Sperling appear at Friday’s White House press briefing. Expect Egypt to continue to be addressed, especially as world media report that President Obama is pressuring dictator Hosni Mubarak to step down immediately.

Minnesotans Join “Million Man March” in Solidarity with Egypt

February 2, 2011 by Bill Sorem Egypt, Minnesota, War/Peace, World Comments Off

A diverse group of protesters rallied in front of the Ramsey County Courthouse in St. Paul yesterday to demonstrate solidarity with the Egyptian people and to participate in the worldwide Million Man March. The Egyptian revolt started Jan. 25 in Cairo, and it has grown every day since. The people demand an end to the 30-year reign of Hosni Mubarak. The protests are the largest in Egypt since the bread riots in 1977, four years before Mubarak came to power. As the largest Arab country, the outcome in Egypt may have ramifications across the Arab Middle East. Mubarak is reportedly willing to step down but not until September — and that doesn’t satisfy the demands of the protesters in Egypt.

Today, Mubarak’s armed gangs have attacked. There are reports of hundreds injured in Tahrir Square and at least six killed, one of them a cousin of a demonstrator here in St. Paul. Whereas the previous Minnesota protest at the State Capitol was comprised largely of Americans of Middle Eastern descent, yesterday’s rally attracted many different groups, all of whom supported the Egyptian people’s action.

Humphrey Institute’s Ragui Assaad Discusses Egypt

February 1, 2011 by Jacob Wheeler Egypt, Live Coverage, War/Peace, World Comments Off


What’s next for Egypt? Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs professor Ragui Assaad (who’s been quoted extensively in the New York Times’ Egypt coverage in recent days) leads a discussion at the University of Minnesota.

Replay – Obama Speaks on Situation in Egypt

February 1, 2011 by Jacob Wheeler DC, Egypt, Live Coverage, War/Peace, White House Live, World Comments Off

Tonight President Obama briefly addressed the situation unfolding in Egypt. Hosni Mubarak has said that he won’t seek another term in office, but hundreds of thousands of demonstrators continue to occupy the streets of Cairo and other Egyptian cities. Obama said that he spoke with Mubarak after the autocratic ruler gave a speech on Egyptian state television. Obama’s words were directed in particular at the Egyptian people and the country’s military, whom he praised for abstaining from violence and whom he said deserved freedom of assembly, freedom of communication (in a nod to re-open the Internet in Egypt) and freedom for fair elections.

Gibbs Addresses Egypt Pandora’s Box

February 1, 2011 by Jacob Wheeler DC, Egypt, War/Peace, World Comments Off

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs took reporters’ questions yesterday, mostly concerning Egypt, where democracy demonstrations have entered a second week and could over thrown the Mubarak government — a longtime ally of the United States.

Remove Mubarek Now Say Minnesota Egyptians

January 29, 2011 by Bill Sorem Egypt, Minnesota, War/Peace, World Comments Off

By Bill Sorem
More than 200 hearty Minnesotans of Egyptian descent joined their neighbors in a rally on the windy steps of the Minnesota State Capitol today. They added their voices to the hundreds, if not thousands, of demonstrations around the world in support of the people in Egypt calling for their leader of 30 years, Hosni Mubarek, to step down.

There have been actions in the past, but this is by far the most serious and the most extensive revolt demanding his departure.

The 80 million people in Egypt represent the cultural center of the Arab world so this movement has ramifications from Morocco to Oman. There are similar signs in other Arab countries, a 23 day revolt in Tunisia ended the 23 rule of Zine El Abedine Ben Ali. Some describe this as the, “Arab’s Berlin Wall Falling.”

So far, President Mubarek has replaced the vice president but the protesters say that isn’t enough. The actions occurring in the Arab world, some 358 million people could dramatically affect US Policy and even affect the Israeli-Palestine situation.

Related story from Friday, Jan 28 TC Daily Planet

Al Jazeera Footage of Egypt Protests

January 29, 2011 by Jacob Wheeler Egypt, War/Peace, World Comments Off

Under the Creative Commons license, the Arabic television station Al Jazeera is sharing its footage of the protests in Egypt, and police responses to pro-democracy demonstrations. These videos are borrowed from Al Jazeera’s Creative Commons Repository:

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