The only one perfect clear definition of the term “Freedom” is that it is the common dream for both West and Middle East – the two sides of the globe. It is a grieve mistake to claim that the Middle East alone lacks freedom; West does too. The West seeks freedom from fear caused by Middle East ignorance and radicalism which threaten West security all the time. However, the freedom sought by the West is dependent on the freedoms sought by the Middle East. For the West to achieve its freedom, it must work on freeing the Middle East from such ignorance and radicalism. Here lies the common ground upon which both West and Middle East should stand hand in hand for freedom. In their common struggle; the West and the Middle East should keep one thing in mind. That is; the freedom requires the change of mentalities as well as surrounding circumstances. Middle Easterners should understand and subsequently believe that the West is not an enemy but rather a prospected helpful friend. Simultaneously, the West should take the initiative to help the Middle East to reach this belief which will definitely result into positive practices.

Yet, what are the specific needs of the Middle East in its struggle for freedom? The perfect answer of this question can be extracted from the famous Four Freedom Speech which was delivered by US President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the State of the Union Address to the 77th United States Congress on January 6, 1941. Roosevelt enumerated four points as fundamental freedoms humans “everywhere in the world” ought to enjoy: (1) Freedom of speech and expression, (2) Freedom of every person to worship God in his/her own way, (3) Freedom from want – individual economic security, and (4) Freedom from fear – world disarmament to the point that wars of aggression are impossible[1] . If these freedoms are guaranteed to the Middle East, both the West and the Middle East shall witness prosperity and freedom.

Thereupon, how can the West help the Middle East to achieve these freedoms? Human rights education, individual freedom, and economic competition are the magical keywords for the solution.

The Middle Easterners should realize that they are respectable humans, just like those living in the rest of the world. The lack of human rights education in the Middle East, led the citizens to accept living as slaves to their governments and dictators. Democracy is not a big deal and no one looks forward for change. Hence, Middle Easterners need to learn what it means to live with dignity and to respect one’s own rights as well as to respect the other’s rights. In this perspective, the role of the West could be limited to providing financial and moral support to the existing human rights associations and NGOs. That is not all; the West should also help the Middle East to learn and to adopt new methods to spread human rights culture and to raise awareness among people. At the same moment, the West should provide the Middle East reformists and activists, who are suffering from the tyranny practices committed by their states, with much moral support through campaigns, petitions, political intervention, etc. Thereupon, the Middle East can be healed from the serious diseases of radicalism and extremism. At the same time and as a result, the fears of the West can be eliminated for ever. Thus, the opportunities of mutual rational and fruitful cooperation between the two sides of the globe, in all fields and on all possible levels, will be highly expected.

The individual freedom refers, in a very general sense, to the state of being each individual free (i.e., unrestricted, unconfined or unfettered). Each one of us is a unique human who resembles no one else. That is why we are as individuals are able to form the integral harmonious whole. Thereupon, this sense of individuality should be enhanced and kept unconfined by the so-called “general interest of the group”. Every person is free to identify his/her own goals and responsibilities as long as it does not affect the freedom of other individuals. This way, every one shall be responsible for the consequences of his/her actions and decisions, and subsequently paying more attention for doing the right thing. In this regard, the West should launch campaigns and establish comprehensive and innovative multimedia plans and methods to support religious freedom and women’s freedom in the Middle East. If both of these freedoms are reached, much progress could happen. They are jointly forming the basis upon which the democracy could survive.

Some economists believe that for any country to achieve political freedom, it must have economic prosperity. Despite the fact that the Middle East is the greatest exporter of oil all over the globe, it is a relatively poor region. The main reason behind this is the lack of economic competition and open markets even at free zones spread all over the Middle East countries. Ironically, these claimed “free” zones are strictly “fettered” with naïve laws. The Middle East needs to learn how to enjoy the risk by providing equal economic opportunities for its citizens based on one rule; which is “the gainer gains all, the loser loses all”. This will ignite competition between individuals. Competition shall result into excellence. Each individual will do his/her best to reach the best quality in his/her area of specialization. Such excellence on individual level will lead to greater excellence on society and country level. High quality will bring more money, which means economic prosperity. The West has a prestigious experience in this sense. Hence, the West is expected to help the Middle East to let the dream of economic prosperity come true. At least, this may provide the West with a new market and a unique opportunity of investment. The West should deliver its own experience to the Middle East, yet in a proper manner that fits the cultural and social background of the Middle Easterners. The West experience may be delivered through education channels and media. At the same moment, the west should interfere to change the current laws fettering economic competition in free trade and open markets in the Middle East.

To achieve the above goals, the positive change on all levels should be aspired, particularly on the intellectual level. The West is not expected to support the Middle East to change only the fettering laws and the barren ideas and inherited traditions, but also to change the mentalities of the Middle Easterners. Much effort is supposed to be exerted by the West to give and the Middle East to receive properly. However, no matter how tiring this is, as long as the prospected results will be for the interest of the two prospected friends (i.e. the West and the Muslim World).
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Footnotes:
[1] Wikipedia website; Four Freedoms Speech; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Freedoms_speech#The_four_freedoms_and_disarmament (visited on 25 August 2006)

We need candidates to see the strength of the peace vote in this last week so we are asking you to organize a peace visibility event in your communit y anytime between today and Election Day. Gather a few peace-voting friends outside the campaign headquarters of a candidate in your area, at a busy intersection, or at a community event. Hand out Vote For Peace flyers or make large signs that say you are a Voter For Peace! Be sure to post your event on the VotersForPeace event listing so that other peace voters in your area can attend. Then send a picture of your event to Action@VotersForPeace.US so we can feature you on our website!

If you cannot organize or attend a visibility event, please call the campaign offices of your candidates for federal office and tell them how many people have signed the VotersForPeace Pledge in their district. Remind them that they can win the votes of peace voters if they change their position on Iraq and future wars of aggression!

Most importantly, remember to vote on Tuesday, Nov 7th! You can use this link to remind your friends to vote, too! Visit the Peace Majority Report for peace ratings of all federal candidates, and go to Vote-USA.org to find state-by-state information on voting poll locations and ballot candidates.

We need to put pressure on candidates who have yet to support withdrawal from Iraq. We need to impress upon our candidates that we do not want a pre-emptive strike against Iran or North Korea. We need to let the press know that we are united as peace voters and committed to making our voices heard! We can only do this with the energy and commitment of our pledge signers. Please consider taking one of these actions today!

Be a peace maker
Go to: http://votersforpeace.us

You know what? While watching Egypt dying, I remembered a poem that I once read. It is an Egyptian colloquial poem written by the creative Egyptian poet Ahmed Fouad Negm. “Get up Egypt!” ["Eshi ya Misr"] was written by Negm almost thirty years ago, when Egypt was in war with external enemies. However, it applies to our current misery caused by the interior enemies.

I translated it into English, hope you like it.

Get up, Egypt
Get up, Egypt
Shake your crescent
Get triumph

To be Egypt, to live Egypt

Stretch your arms
To reach this age

To be Egypt, to live Egypt

Wake up Egyptian brave labor
Understand the role you play
in your shift
Whatever the efforts you exerted
Whatever the works you produced
All the results are for thieves
Your effort, your work
The money due to your kids
Your sweet in which you sink
Is not for you

Change yourself
Maintain your factory
Manufacture Egypt

To be Egypt, to live Egypt

Wake up green Egypt farmer
Be able, be greenable
Be shine, be beauty
Spark your field with seeds
And protect the sparked seeds
Against disease
And misuse
Your land, your home and your honor
Became the playground of the broker
We would rather to thirst
To drink the impure water
This is what doctors prescribed, O’ Egypt

To be Egypt, to live Egypt

Get up soldier
Avenge for martyr;
My uncle and your uncle
Your brother and my sister
To be relived and relaxed
Shoot fire on the traitors
O’ son of people, O’ people’s guard
You’re the hope when time is hard
Get up soldier; with your ankle hit the ground
Free Egypt, clean Egypt

O’ Egypt get up, live and be Egypt
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The origional Arabic:

اصحى يا مصر
اصحى يا مصر
هزى هلالك
هاتى النصر
كونى يا مصر وعيشي يا مصر
مدي ايديكى
و طولي العصر
اصحي وكوني وعيشي يا مصر
اصحى يا عامل مصر يا مجدع
وافهم دورك
ف الوردية
مهما بتتعب
مهما بتصنع
تعبك رايح
للحراميه
جهدك عملك
رزق عبالك
عرقك مرقك
ولا يهنا لك
اصحى يا عامل
غير حالك
صون المصنع
واصنع مصر
اصحى و كوني وعيشي يا مصر
اصحى يا زارع مصر الخضرة
قدره وخضره
ونور وجمال
أبدر غيطك
و احمي البدرة
ضد الافه
والاستغلال
أرضك عرضك
باب الدار
صبحوا مداسه
للسمسار
نعطش
و لا نشربش عكار
وصفه قالوها الحكما يا مصر
اصحى و كوني وعيشي يا مصر
واصحى يا جندي
يا تار الشهدا
عمى وخالك
أختي و أخوك
لجل ما تهدا وتارك يهدا
فرغ نارك ف اللى خانوك
يابن الشعب يا حامي الشعب
أنت أملنا في يوم الصعب
اصحى يا جندي ودق الكعب
حرر مصر وطهر مصر

اصحى وكوني وعيشي يا مصر