My dear Egyptian brothers and sisters,
I chose to write because since yesterday, once again, I have received death threats. They are related to my political affiliation. I have also received messages accusing me of being a US agent in my capacity as Chairman of the Egyptian National Competitiveness Council. This is not why I am writing this message, because I am capable of refuting these allegations, and I shall survive the death threats. I am writing this because I am confident many other secular nationalists will receive similar threats over the coming few weeks. In order to stand up to whoever is behind this new show of terror and force we need to unite. I believe that in unity there is strength, and although there is a shimmer of hope that the seculars are uniting, I still see major issues.
Yesterday’s 4th of December secular rallies in both Tahrir and Ettihadeya were epic. The energy of those present surpassed that of the 25th of January. The tweets and Facebook posts preparing for this rally were awe-inspiring. But there was one over arching problem. People were confused on where to go, and when? What were we going to demand for in our rallies? How long do we stay once we get there? Is there logistical support we can provide to each other, like transportation, food, water or blankets? In our divine wisdom, as a nation, we got most of it right on our own. No one, and no one should ever again under estimate the genetic code of the Egyptian intelligence. These genes have been developing for over 5000 years.
I had decided that morning that I would go to Tahrir first then to the Presidential Palace at 7. When I got to Tahrir it was already packed. The chanting gave me goose bumps, but I got a call from some of our Party youth at the Ettihadeya that they had stormed the barricades. Two tear gas shells were lobbed at them, but the police officers ordered their soldiers to move back and leave the demonstrators march on to the palace. I was overwhelmed with joy and asked the Party youth in Tahrir to move on to the Palace as quickly as they could. I wrote a message to Ahmed Said, the head of the Free Egyptians Party, who was in a reunion with Dr. El Baradei, Hamdein Sabahy, Amre Moussa and others. I recounted to him the situation and asked what this team of leaders desire us to do? Till the moment I am writing this note, I have not received an answer. It is 11:00 am on the 5th of December.
This recount is a case study of our malaise. We are a majority of Egyptians who need strong, young, energetic, dynamic, leaders and a group of elders who would be our moral anchors. Like a “board of trustees” in any successful business or academic institution. Our elders need to hone in on three or four young talents who are to become the lightning rods of this new movement. They will be the faces that will lead us into the political battles we will face in the near term. I am sure that others will surface on the long term, once they see that the “elders” are giving way to the younger generations.
I urge the leaders of all the secular political parties, all the revolutionaries and their organizations, to hold a general meeting that will last for as long as it takes to come up with leaders and plans for our future. The Americans did it in the Grand Convention at Philadelphia which took place from May 25 to September 17, 1787, to address problems in governing the United States of America before they wrote their constitution. Even the French and the Bolsheviks did it after their revolutions.
The delegates who are to be sent to this convention must be instructed to meet "for the sole and express purpose of uniting against political fascism in all its force and charting a road map for Egypt’s political and economic future." Although the men and women delegates will hold very different views, they must agree on questions of human nature, the causes of political conflict, and the object and nature of a democratic government. The “elders” will be called "the fathers of the Nation" and perhaps they will become the most influential members of the convention in translating political philosophy into party, and governmental architecture.
Today, until the above process is put in motion, our “elders” and existing movements need to meet daily and issue a morning communiqué on how they want us to act and react.
I rest my case my brothers and sisters and pray that God, in his infinite wisdom, protect you and guide you to what is best for our beloved Egypt.
