A Revolution By Any Other Name

By | Feb 11, 2011
History, Latest, topics

By Niv Elis

For the Czech Republic it was Velvet.  For Serbia, it was a Bulldozer.  For Iran, it was distinctly Islamic.  But nobody has yet settled on what the freshly minted Egyptian Revolution will be called.  Will it be floral, like Tunisia’s Jasmine, Kyrgyzstan’s Tulips, Georgia’s Roses and Portugal’s Carnations?  Will it be woody, like Croatia’s Log and Lebanon’s Cedar Revolutions?  Perhaps it will be colorful like Ukraine’s Orange and Iran’s failed Green one, or maybe, like the bloodless overthrows in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, the revolution will be a Singing one.

Some have bandied about Papyrus as a descriptor for the Egyptian popular uprising.  Other suggestions might include the Pyramid revolution, the Mummy revolution, the Tahrir (liberation) Revolution, the Facebook Revolution or, in a tribute to the Bangles hit, simply “Revolt Like an Egyptian.”  Ultimately, the only thing that will matter to Egyptians is whether the newly empowered military will bring about a democratic change for the country that has so long suffered dictatorship.

What are your suggestions?

3 thoughts on “A Revolution By Any Other Name

  1. Vlady says:

    I suggest to call Egypt revolt – Brotherhood. Under any repercussion this definition fits the situation. Democracy – Brotherhood. Army – military Brotherhood. Islamic – Brotherhood. I hope that the Egypt Army led by strong man will seize the power because I do not see any credible leader on democratic side, while the only organize political force prevailing in Egypt is Muslem Brozerhood.

  2. vinks says:

    Hello, did you notice how many women were out there in those streets?
    And isn’t Democracy a system that tries to get away from the One Strong Man paradigm? I hope Egypt continues forward with the diversity that made this Revolution happen ~

  3. Craig Hanoch says:

    The 2/11 Revolution. Unlike 9/11, this revolution was peaceful. Credit to Roger Cohen for noting the transformation of the Arab street — and of our own attitude — from a 9/11 mentality to this new 2/11 one.

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