democrati.net
Elections
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
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
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
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
Disenfranchisement as a means of political suppression in post-revolutionary Egypt
In an article, published on Voice of America’s Middle East Voices, I discuss the problem of disenfranchisement, or the act of preventing a citizen from voting, and concerns that it may be used as a means to undermine democracy in post-revolutionary Egypt. My article is based on an earlier report published by Aljazeera which deliberates … Continue reading
Can an election boycott in Egypt work? A few thoughts
The answer is NO and here’s why. Last year, calls for an election boycott were louder and it still had little effect. This year the calls are hesitant, and weak. In another article, I discuss the historical lack of effectiveness and the dangers of election boycotts in general (Egypt, how effective are election boycotts?). Here I … Continue reading
Egypt, how effective are election boycotts?
Please also refer to this related article: Can an election boycott in Egypt work? A few thoughts November 28, 2010 was the date that marked the most fraudulent election polls in Egypt’s history. And exactly one year later, Egypt’s first post-revolution elections will take place. This should be cause for jubilation; sadly however, many of the … Continue reading
democrati.net 