The following is my reply to a post on the Hannity blog site... (2-10-11)

 

I'm glad to see someone on this board who isn't blindly walking in lock step with the Right Wing conspiracy theorists who insist the emergence of a worldwide radical muslim Caliphate via the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood is the only possible outcome for Egypt's revolution. Demonizing anything that is related to Islam has become standard practice for those on the American Right, and unfortunately they probably won't concede that anything positive could emerge from this historical event.

 

Of course you always have to consider the effects of radical muslim influences on governments in that region, but this revolution was predominately fueled by decades of economic and social inequity, and has more to do with mass corruption, oppression and acute poverty than religious Jihad. It is unwise to liberally apply Glen Beck's "Muslim=Evil" equation to this event, or to the world's Islamic population as a whole.  

 

Those who haven't noticed how much youth and technology have played a role in this movement are missing a key trend that's been affecting oppressive regimes all over the world. Young people in these countries are rejecting the status quo of oppressive political and religious institutions because they now see the world outside of their "bubble" and the opportunities they've been denied. They now want change and are willing to fight for it. 

 

The Muslim Brotherhood has been regarded as the most organized opposition group in Egypt, but they've been consistently more moderate than the extreme factions that have hijacked the Muslim faith in the name of Jihad. They've maintained peaceful relations with Christians and have attended to many of the humanitarian needs of the Egyptian people. They've also condemned the violent actions of Al Qaeda, and have labeled those actions as a perversion of the Muslim faith.

 

The Muslim Brotherhood will definitely influence the future of Egypt, but I think it's premature to assume that this political minority will plunge Egypt into the grips of an Islamic theocracy like that of Iran. People also forget that many in Iran are resisting religious oppression as well, and may be inclined to step up their efforts to overthrow that regime if the revolution succeeds in Egypt.

 

What's happening on the ground in Egypt is out of our control, and it's up to the people of Egypt to fight for the future they desire even though the outcome may not look exactly like what we accept as democracy. We should strive to be a positive influence and role model for those who choose to fight for freedom.

 

The conspiracy theories and Caliphate prophecies are mostly conjecture designed to incite fear of the Muslim faith as a whole. Before you indict the Egyptian version of the Muslim Brotherhood, which is known to differ from other organizations around the world bearing the same name, you need to step back and examine the motives of those who fuel this bigotry. Much of this rhetoric is for political gain and is intentionally designed to draw attention away from real issues that affect Americans.

 

To see this in a clear light Americans need to step away from the American political white noise machine for a moment to see the Egyptian revolution for what it is. This is an oppressed and abused society that includes both Christians and Muslims who have bravely united to change the future of their nation for the better. This is not Jihad.

 

Undoubtedly, outside influences will attempt to steer these events to their advantage; but as Americans, we need to offer our support to those in Egypt and other nations who want a sincere opportunity for freedom. We also have to acknowledge that the vast majority of those who practice the Islamic faith in this world are not extremists who want all Americans dead or stone their women on a daily basis. 

 

Sharia law has become a major bogeyman in American politics, and although it influences legal code in most Muslim countries, most moderate muslims don't practice extreme applications of Sharia law. Most Muslims have rejected radical fundamentalist interpretations of Sharia law, which makes these latest prophecies of world Caliphate offered up by our Nostradamus of Fox News highly suspect. I don't see the possibility of Sharia law amended into the United States Constitution anytime in the near future.

 

To those who see only the negatives in this situation; how about having a little faith that maybe these brave people might help transform the Middle East from what has been a violent an oppressive region into something that could help bring more freedom and a lasting peace to this world. 

 

I admire the anti-government protesters in Egypt, because they're risking all to get a taste of freedom. I think in this country we've taken our freedom for granted, and rarely stop to appreciate the very sweet taste that these people may soon experience for the first time. Rather than reject this revolution out of fear incited by others, I would rather wish them the best, because it appears that the price for their freedom may increase greatly in the very near future.