Since I wasn’t there, I looked online for recordings, and found this
Check it out. Democracy doesn’t happen “behind closed doors” – get involved in electoral politics, reach out with your message in ways that work in your culture and society – and believe in yourself.
He also was interviewed and spoke in Washington, DC last month – he thinks that democracy can be reclaimed in the United States and that “Occupy” can “win” – here is that interview, as well
Ahmed Maher has been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize for determined smart, peacefull civil disobedience and his continued work nurturing democracy and positive change in Egypt – the final chapter of that story has not been written.
But free speech, peaceful assembly, and speaking truth to power whether “power” wants to hear the truth or not is absolutely necessary if we in the United States of America are going to remain a true representative democracy, and not a sham democracy acting as window dressing for a plutocracy and tyranny of wealth.
So Ahmed is right – freedom of speech and assembly re critical. He is also correct that the people must be educated (John Adams and Thomas Jefferson agreed about that – that an educated citizenry would be key to the success of the new republic).
Bring back civics! End government by the few, behind closed doors, where the lobbyists write the legislation. And remember that without access to justice, open government, and freedom of speech and assembly, the rule of law dies.
