eatbees blog

“Let’s invent our cultural revolution right now, without waiting, as a matter of urgency…. The great work of thought, reflection and culture must get started as soon as possible.”

The excluded class at the bottom is frustrated and angry, but they are the victim of years of social engineering designed to teach them passivity and resignation. February 20 activists will have their work cut out for them if they want to connect with this group, but it represents the only potential for February 20 to expand its base and become a majority movement.

In light of the constitutional reform proposal of King Mohammed VI, perhaps it would be useful to take a look at this recent article about Jordan, which calls it a “liberalizing autocracy” gifted at creating the illusion of change.

The Arab Spring with its revolutions and uprisings opened a window in Morocco, for a frank and open exchange of views on all the essential questions. With a proposed new constitution in which things change only to remain the same, I fear that window is closing.

When a society is in flux and its conditions are changing, the old adaptations no longer work, and it is likely that those at the fringes, the outcasts and eccentrics, will discover qualities that had previously been shunned….

At times the February 20 Movement in Morocco has been criticized for not having a coherent leadership or a clear set of demands. A few observations from Syria may provide some encouragement.

“We are working closely with the military… to ensure a continuation of a dominant role of the military in the society, the polity and the economy.”

“Lurking in Egypt’s police and intelligence files are mountains of materials on significant human rights abuses…. In some of these cases, the United States government knew what was going on or had agents in the room.”

Today, foreign journalists are being attacked by pro-Mubarak thugs in Cairo, because Egyptian state TV has spread rumors that they are Israeli agents.

“President Hosni Mubarak lost his political power on Friday, 28 January…. What other forces were behind this sudden fall of Mubarak from power? And how will this transitional military-centered government get along with this millions-strong protest movement?”