Arab Spring posted by Thane

[CSJournals-migration]

In this European Winter, let's not forget the green shoots of democracy on Africa's North Coast.

 

Maybe some Arab world dictatorships had reached tipping points. Maybe regime change was imminent. Or maybe it really takes one act of courage by one person.

 

We Westerners are scared of sovereign debt defaults, unemployment, double-dip recessions ... When we're out of work, we skip a gas payment, run up credit cards, and get fat on cheap, low-nutrition, high-calorie food.

 

But the people of North Africa and the Arabian peninsula have entirely different fears. When a Tunisian or Gazan or Yemeni is out of work, he feeds his children half a meal and starves himself. He moves into a one-room house with ten other people.

 

Most of us would die for our children. But would we die for our beliefs? for our countrymen?

 

The suicidal immolation of one fruit vendor in Tunisia, as political protest, began this year of revolt in North Africa.

 

See more journals by Thane

[noow]

 

"10 years ago we had Steve Jobs, Bob Hope, and Johnny Cash.

Now we have no Jobs, no Hope, and no Cash"

 

Well, exept for us coinees

[Mokiechan]

We have revolution in the Arab World, we have yet to see if they will result in real lasting democratic governments. I'm a bit cynical.

[jackson64]

Tunisia had rioting this week..in Yemen there is civil unrest, Egypt is now firmly under control of the Muslim Brotherhood and are murdering Christians...from bad to worse and now the anarchists want civil unrest here also. Won't be long before there are store fronts smashed and rioting like what is already happening in Italy...strange times indeed.....

 

 

[Ultra Cameo Collection]

If they riot in my town there will be more than enough people with the means to stop them. Sometimes we just have to take the law into our own hands. All I know is if there are people shot and lying in the street because they rioted or broke some law, then that may deter others from following suit.

 

I've always wondered why they don't cut off people's hands when they steal. It would effect whole families, ie hey grandpa why don't you have a left hand, well its because I stole when I was your age! that would be enough for me to never steal anything EVER!

 

Prison/jail doesn't seem to deter people from committing crimes.

[GSA_Gem_Quest]

Very interesting coin. Can you give us some information about it?