Egyptian protesters dealt U.S. a ‘stunning blow’ as well

Trying My Best
Frank Erickson

When it comes to our government’s exported violence, their words do not coincide with their actions — and our mainstream media are more than happy to further it along.

A McClatchy newspaper article in the Feb. 12 Pioneer Press stated that “if the Egyptian revolution delivers on its promise of a march toward democracy, the protesters will have dealt a stunning blow to al-Qaida and other radical groups, whose propagandists argue that their way — violence and a Puritan form of Islam — are the only way to save the Muslim world.”

But violence is our way, our number-one choice, and no one is using more violence in the Muslim world than the U.S. government. How can you not include the U.S. within the “violent groups” that received a “stunning blow” by this successful nonviolent revolution in Egypt? Why does U.S. violence get to float above and not be affected by what is unfolding in the Middle East?

If this revolution in Egypt is able to deliver a “stunning blow” to al-Qaida by using nonviolence, why then does the U.S. government continue to tell us that al-Qaida can only be dealt with by using violence? If the nonviolent revolution shows that al-Qaida’s violent approach is not the only way, then it also proves that the United States’ violent approach is not the only way.

Our government’s downfall is their belief that they are the overseers of violence, that they are the most responsible and effective users of violence. Yet going into “battle” with that belief leaves them vulnerable, because it is not reality.

These “radical groups” that see violence as the only way of saving the Muslim world are in that respect no different than America, which sees violence as the only way of saving itself from these “radical groups.” Put them both together and you have a perfect recipe for endless escalating violence.

What a blessing to all of us that the Egyptian protesters saw past this, saw that the only real and effective change would happen through nonviolence. Our thanks to those who made it happen, especially those who lost their lives.

And the speed of it all! Less than two months! How long has the U.S. been “warring” in Afghanistan now?

Frank Erickson lives in Minneapolis.