The eyes of all nations are fixed on the growing turmoil in the Middle East. And what's most ironic is that this Friday, the Muslim day of prayer, protests and displeasure with the current regimes has reached a pinnacle. In Yemen, pressure from the masses has forced long time President Ali Abdullah Saleh to capitulate and state his intentions to leave office when as soon as a stable transition can be reached. In Syria, troops fired on protesters who had set a bronze statue of the late president aflame causing thousands to retaliate against government backers. Bahrain has imposed martial law to prevent protesters from furthering inciting revolt against the ruling Al Khalifa family. Even stable Saudi Arabia, saw protests calling for the release political prisoners and an end to Sunni discrimination against Shiites.
It seems we in the West are now witnessing what could be the greatest series of revolutions since the 19th century. Corrupt and idle regimes have long exploited and treated their citizens with carelessness. What is most interesting is how the current rulers are addressing these revolts. In the United States and other democratic nations, our leaders take dissent into account and work to create compromises that satisfy the people. We usually don't think about our blessed circumstances on a daily basis because we have become so accustomed to them. In our society, the people rule the nation through the right to vote. Conversely these Middle Eastern dictators and monarchs have used heavy handed tactics to deal with the displeasure of their citizens. This demonstrates differences in values of communication between our two cultures. Whereas the West takes into account opinions of the people and uses non-threatening, non-offensive language to address issues concerning the people, those in power in the Middle East have used more aggressive words and brutal tactics to deal with dissent. In short, we should be glad that at least the rhetoric of our leaders shows us they care about our well-being.
It definitely seems like that with the rise of a new generation in the Middle East, many of the Arab nations have finally reached a breaking point. People can not take anymore of government oppresion or corrupt leaders, and they are expressing their beliefs and their desires to force change to happen. I think these recent events show that even in countries that do not grant their citizens the right to speak or protest, the power of the people still exist. Ordinary citizens can still spark a revolution.
ReplyDeleteI agree that in the United States, the government seems to take the people's opinions and feelings into almost every decision they make. Leaders care about making us feel content and worry about offending us because they know that we ultimately choose who leads the country.
I agree that we are extremely fortunate to live in a society in which our "leaders" take our viewpoints into consideration. Because of this, we are not forced to become a subordinate citizen who has to obey by the rules of dictators who have planned our lives for us without any thought to what the people really want. In our country, we are able to voice our opinions in a public and democratic way which allows our society to be ruled by, in essence, ourselves.
ReplyDeleteWe definitely do take things for granted when it comes to our civil liberties and our power to choose the people who represent us in our state and our country. Seeing the things that are happening in the Middle East, we are really able to reflect on how gifted we are as a country to be able to protest and share our opinions with the government without the fear of being shot. Hopefully these revolutions are a part of a great movement to grant the people of the Middle East a more fair and stable government.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the recent events in the Middle East is cause for us to reflect and be grateful for the way in which our government works. Having the ability to speak out and voice opinions on matters of importance seems completely necessary in order for a government system to function effectively.
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