The recent protests in Tunisia which lead former President Ben Ali to flee and abandon government, is said to have had a domino effect on neighbouring countries Algeria, Egypt and now Jordan and Yemen.

According to official sources, Egypt is Africa’s third most populated country, so it is of no wonder that the scenes of the protests are absolutely astonishing.

Rumours are spreading in some Western media outlets that the Muslim Brotherhood encouraged these ongoing protests. Egypt is home to the Muslim Brotherhood or <em>Ikhwan Muslimoon</em>, an Islamic political organisation founded by Hassan Al Banna in the late 1920′s. Notable members of the group were Sayyid Qutb and Al Qaeda’s Ayman al-Zawahiri. Although the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt has been quiet for time, especially after it was banned from open political activity, the number of Egyptians who back the movement are not known. According to the <a href=”http://www.ikhwanweb.com/”>Muslim Brotherhood website </a>, the MB and the opposition called for ‘largest protests’.

On the other hand, MB involvement can be dismissed by many as absolutely ridiculous and even offensive. Reporters as well as demonstrators on the ground are stressing that this is the uprise of a frustrated young media savvy generation that has only lived to see the same man in power. The Facebook and Twitter generation (which the Egyptian government have acknowledged and currently having blocked both sites).

On the streets up and down Egypt, it is evident that the poor man stands alongside the wealthy man in defiance against a 30 year old oppresive regime.

My personal opinion is that the Egyptian are fighting against a corrupt government in order to recieve the freedoms in which they have missed out on for decades. The MB have very little to do with it, and may use the demonstrations to claim “responsibilty”.

I am curious to know your opinion. Do you think the Muslim Brotherhood have anything to do with the recent protesting or is this the Egyptian people united under one wing, trying to free themselves?

http://delightfullyimmigrant.wordpress.com

As much as I believe flag burning is utter ridiculousness and quite often comical I have decided to give these flag burning individuals some tips on how to burn a flag successfully and really hurt the feelings of the enemy country.

TIPS ON HOW TO BURN A FLAG SUCCESSFULLY
1. Why purchase the flags with your own money? If you burn it, you’re burning your money. Steal the flag instead.
2. Actually don’t steal the flag. That means that you are robbing your poor local shopkeeper and damaging not only his business but even the economy. (Note to those in developing countries)
3. If you still insist on burning a flag, then do it outside of your home country. Preferably burn the flag in the enemy’s country. That’ll make them angry. Not only are you robbing their shops but you are burning their flag on the enemy’s soil! That’s hitting two birds with one stone!
4. No, don’t burn the flag in your enemy country. You’ll probably get assaulted by the locals.
5. Instead of even purchasing/robbing a flag. Make your own one somehow. So when you’re burning it, you really feel that your hard work paid off.
6. You know, as much as you might hate that country and as much as you would love to burn their flag, you’ll only damage the planet by constantly burning material. We do have to share this Earth with those we love and hate. So, I mean, let’s just forget it. Okay?
7. If you desperately want to burn a flag. Bake a cake and decorate the cake with icing in the style of the flag. While you enjoy your cake, you can also enjoy eating your enemy’s flag!
8.Or better yet, burn the cake in the oven and then eat it!

http://moderatelycontroversial.wordpress.com/2010/12/29/flagburning/

The former BBC political editor expressed his dislike towards “angry” bloggers at the Cheltenham Literary Festival in Britain, last week.

“OK – the country is full of very angry people. Many of us are angry people at times. Some of us are angry and drunk. But the so-called citizen journalism is the… rantings of very drunk people late at night. It is fantastic at times but it is not going to replace journalism.”

Inevitably, his remarks have been and are being refuted in the cyberworld by “socially inadequate” individuals like myself. Paul Staines, a high profile political blogger almost outwitted Marr in calling him a “jug-eared old man sitting in Auntie’s basement.”

Now, let me finish off Staines’ job. My time to tell Andrew Marr that he is afraid that one day traditional journalism is going to be of no value. That one day, the population will no longer turn on their televisions to watch the news, they will enter my url in their address bars instead. Not only will we hijack the jobs of millions of qualified journalists, bloggers will transform the world. We will destroy the Murdoch empire too. Time for world domination.

I agree with Marr, blogging will never replace authentic journalism. It took years of dedication, focus and training for the likes of Andrew Marr to become reputable in the journalism industry. So, why now, when all it takes for an unskilled illiterate pimpled bloke to call himself a journalist, is for him to turn on his laptop and sign up for WordPress or Blogspot.

Although, there is a reason why I blog and I will use Wamith Al Kassab as an example. He is an Iraqi blogger based in Baghad and he and myself write for mideastyouth.com. It’s not only refreshing but reassuring to know that at my fingertips I have access to raw stories from eyewitnesses. Reading a blog post by a citizen living in Iraq, feels much more authentic than watching a BBC journalist who’s staying in Basra for the weekend, stand before a camera with a rehearsed script.

In my politics class, I may choose to base my assignment on the affect blogging and other new media technology has had on the way in which we engage in politics. My lecturers emphasize the importance of citizen journalism but as a journalism student this worries me. Will my years of study, mean nothing, if blogging really does become journalism?

The Facebook group “Wear Hijab on 9/11, Defy “Burn a Quran Day”, had has more than 6,500 fans in protest against the Florida pastors stunt. It has been a platform for Americans around the country to express their outrage of the book burning and encouraging each other to wear a Hijab.

The organiser of “Wear a Hijab” Charell W. Charlie says “I am not a Muslim but I will wear the Hijab on 9/11 in support of my Muslim friends and defiance of “Burn Koran Day” and Islamophobia in general. Will you join me?”

——————————————————————————–

Interview with American activist, Charell W. Charlie

——————————————————————————–

M. Mohamed: The Burka has been in the spotlight quite a bit, while some individuals also claim that Hijab is just as oppressive. Why did you choose to wear a Hijab on 9/11, rather than say, go on a protest?

C. W. Charlie: The foolish preacher in Florida who started “Burn a Quran Day” chose the date of 9/11 so that is the day I chose to wear the Hijab. He is clearly trying to say that Muslims were responsible for the terrible act on that day. I say that Muslims were no more responsible for 9/11 than Christians were responsible for the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995. I might decide to wear the Hijab at a protest in future if an appropriate one should come up. I know a few Muslim women and Hijab is clearly not oppressive to them. They are proud to wear it and I think they look beautiful.

M. Mohamed: What has the overall reaction been towards your protest against “Burn a Qur’an day, both from supporters and those against it?

C. W. Charlie: The reaction has be overwhelmingly positive. Most of the response has been from Muslims around the world expressing their gratitude. I’ve been floating on air from all the blessings I’ve received. I was hoping for more non-Muslims to join but there have been a lot of those too. There are, of course, a small minority who go out of their way to post hatful things in our group. I expected that. I wouldn’t feel the need to do this if it weren’t for the recent rise of hate against Muslims here in America. The Right-Wing has the most control over our media and they are fomenting this hate. Sadly, the ends justify the means for them. It is obvious to me that it is part of a disinformation campaign as a way to gain more power. Unfortunately, there are many gullible people in America who fall for it. I fear it has gotten to a dangerous level. There is a saying, “All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing.” I felt I had to do something. The idea came to me and I acted on it.

MM: Do you believe you are a “true” and patriotic American for going ahead with this campaign?

CWC: I do consider myself a patriot and that this is a patriotic act. There seems to be much disagreement in this country about what it means to be a patriot. For me it is not “my country right or wrong.” Instead, I feel that when you see your country doing wrong, you try to right her. That is my definition of patriotism.

MM: How will “Wear a Hijab day” be performed, are you going out on the streets or uploading photographs of yourselves in Hijab in your Facebook group?

CWC: I plan to wear the Hijab all day as I go about my day. I’m wondering if I should also wear a sign explaining what I’m doing or just wait for reactions and then tell them. There are a lot of Muslim women in the Los Angeles area. I’m afraid I’ll just blend in and the message will get lost. I do hope to get pictures to post on the Facebook group. I have friends who will be joining me and some have already suggested that we post pictures.

MM: And finally, will men be wearing it too?

CWC: Yes, I’m inviting men to join us. The problem is that it’s much harder to find appropriate head wear for men. Most women already have scarves that they can use. Men have been asking that question in the Facebook group. I have suggested that they try to find a skull cap which I have just learned is called a Kufi. By all means, men are encouraged to join us.