democrati.net
T. Fouad, MD
Thoreau on street protests and ballot boxes
Henry David Thoreau was an American libertarian philosopher who was a proponent of limited government and Individualism. Not only does Thoreau deny that the state has any moral authority, but also accuses it of thwarting both the liberty and moral development of individuals. In the 19th century, the democratically elected government of the United States … Continue reading
Response to Mustafa Akyol’s article: There is no such thing as the people
The following is my response to the article by Turkish “liberal” Islamist Mustafa Akyol entitled quite preposterously “There is no such thing as ‘the people’“. In it Akyol reiterates what we’ve heard repeatedly by Islamist supporters that protesters on the streets whether in Tahrir or in Gezi Park do not have the right to speak in … Continue reading
Exploring the Muslim veil in Western art
Mona el Tahawy caused quite an uproar with her article on misogyny in the Middle East. One of the most unsettling things about the article was a series of photos depicting what appeared to be a nude model with black body paint representing a niquab. One of my co-authors on this democrati.net wrote a critique … Continue reading
Egypt NGO trial exposes regime’s manipulative system of legal loopholes
A lot of recent attention has been directed at the government’s blatant interference in the recent NGO trial with concerns about judiciary independence in Egypt. More important, however, is how this incident highlights Egypt’s manipulative system of legal loopholes. Over the years Mubarak’s legislative body has produced a series of laws and amendments that are carefully crafted … Continue reading
Muslim Brotherhood online, interpreting the mixed messages
I originally published this article in The Los Angeles Professional Express. Several months ago, the Muslim Brotherhood’s English website, IkhwanWeb, published an article I wrote calling for the release of an Egyptian activist, named Maikel Nabil. The imprisoned blogger is not only an ardent defender of Israel’s right to exist but also a self-proclaimed atheist born … Continue reading
Targeting American interests in Egypt – Mubarakism settles scores
Over the past few weeks we’ve seen what seems to be an organized clampdown by Egyptian authorities on all things American within the country. Forty four officials, half of those Americans, working in non-governmental organizations (NGOs) stand accused of breaking the law for receiving illegal foreign funds. This includes the son of US Transport Secretary … Continue reading
Egyptian election problems and how exit polls can help
As Egypt votes for the first time after the ousting of President Mubarak, many are worried about election fraud. There are good reasons for concern. Egypt has a long history of systematic vote rigging. Many of those who administered fraudulent elections in the past remain in their jobs. The military council has barred most foreign … Continue reading
Why a referendum devalues the rule of law
Yesterday, Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, head of Egypt’s ruling junta, made a speech in response to fierce street protests all over the country. “The army is ready to go back to barracks immediately if the people wish that through a popular referendum, if need be,” the army chief said, in what seemed to be … Continue reading
Tahrir, How to deal with tear gas
Egypt is 1 of 5 nations that haven’t signed the Chemical Weapons Convention & are unhindered by restrictions on use of CS gas. If you have any information / references about these substances please use the comment section and I will add it to the page. Thank you. NATO codes of Riot Control Agents (RCAs) … Continue reading
At the Muslim Brotherhood election campaign rally
It was around 7 PM Cairo time when I incidentally passed by an election rally set up by the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), the Muslim Brotherhoods political wing. Conditioned no doubt by having grown up during Mubarak’s rule, I involuntarily walked away. Then, after actively reminding myself that elections were only a few days … Continue reading
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