the revolution of 1952 was not only a turning point politically or militarily.. but it was a turning point in every minute manner in Egypt. it changed the course of life completely. it changed the social structure, the laws of property, attempted to ensure that all Egyptians are equal before the law.... -a dream yet to be achieved-started projects.. major ones for development and Egypt became way more vocal as a leader of the developing world. the revolution and Nasser's charismatic character suited the masses of the Egyptian community and few of the elites at the time but not the rich people.. which is understandable.. the laws changed for the sake of the poor...so that changed the face of Egypt... as my dad used to say.. let us not forget that the last national project for the government of Nahas pasha was to counter bare feet.. مكافحة الحفاء ... in the views of many, Egypt was in dire need of change.. new blood.. new policies.. etc. i was not born yet during those years but it was interesting to know about it from the educational perspective, due to the fact that in the course of our school education we have to learn our looooong history since the stone age until recently.. i don't know who was the genius who believed that things that take place in the current time can be taught as history! but anyways.. the first encounter with these issues started in school books then getting to hear about different perspectives from family members who are pro-or con the experience and the changes and later through people who served in different governments during Nasser's time.
i will elaborate more in my next post on these perspectives and how far an upbringing that discusses political dimensions from different point of views can create tolerance towards the other even without conviction that the other is right!
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Monday, June 7, 2010
too excited to sleep...
well.. well.. whatever the reason is behind the lack of sleep.. zombies are used to that :)
thinking about where to start about the different generations of women that i have witnessed or a personal experience.... guess the first need me to conduct interviews with some of them..so the latter might be easier... one discussion about how one reflects the house one is brought up into initiated this idea... brought up in a house that is mixed between politics and law.. i am a living example of this. i guess i should start with my dad.. that is the easy way to speak about someone else that influenced my life a lot.. god bless his soul. my dad came from a big family.. their numbers can fill up a governorate.. he was born in 1933. his grandfather had a lot of land and he was the mayor of the village. he was a very strong character and the least we can say was not such soft hearted person in dealing with the farmers.. who mostly came from his family but where poorer than he is. this guy, that Ahmed Fouad Negm wrote about him in Al Fagoumi, married 4 women, including the grandma of my dad, he died on them with 28 kids, who included my grandpa. my grandpa went to Cairo and got his education and joined the administrative staff of the Court of Appeals in Cairo. he was a very kind man, married to a lady with Turkish origins that was brought up in Cairo (my grandma) and he left the administration of his inheritance, agricultural lands, to his elder brother, who became the mayor after the death of their father. with this background, since an early stage in his life and although he was not the elder brother, my dad became responsible for running some errands for the family and due to some difficulties that his father encountered with his brother in relation to the land and the revenues, my dad was sent by his mum to collect the revenues from his uncle. during those years, Egypt was a kingdom and all the laws were in the favour of the land owners and not the farmers... my dad witnessed how his uncle treated the other members of the Negm family who were working in his lands... and he saw how unfairly treated were those poor lads... Egypt in the 40s had a vibrant political life and my dad was one of the people who were interested since an early stage of his life in politics. So, he tried to explore the different parties that were running the political life in Cairo at the time and none of them satisfied him... and with his readings and what he had seen taking place within his family... he started to turn into a socialist, which was strange for someone who is brought up relatively sheltered in a community like ours. nevertheless, witnessing injustices affected him a lot and drove him to think and read more and more. he was also influenced by his teachers at school... he used to tell us that history teachers were so adamant to show them realities of the ruling family in Egypt at the time... he had a teacher that used to finish teaching them the lesson as it comes in the curriculum of the government then he spends more time elaborating on the lies in that lesson... the outcome in the high school, my dad used to read a lot and go into demonstrations against the British occupation and against the king. he tried later to join a party or two but it was not enough to satisfy him and when the revolution of 1952 brought a change into Egypt and bringing new sets of ideals... he felt that it fitted his dreams for a change and he became a supporter of Nasser's policies. That of course changed the course of his life completely.
thinking about where to start about the different generations of women that i have witnessed or a personal experience.... guess the first need me to conduct interviews with some of them..so the latter might be easier... one discussion about how one reflects the house one is brought up into initiated this idea... brought up in a house that is mixed between politics and law.. i am a living example of this. i guess i should start with my dad.. that is the easy way to speak about someone else that influenced my life a lot.. god bless his soul. my dad came from a big family.. their numbers can fill up a governorate.. he was born in 1933. his grandfather had a lot of land and he was the mayor of the village. he was a very strong character and the least we can say was not such soft hearted person in dealing with the farmers.. who mostly came from his family but where poorer than he is. this guy, that Ahmed Fouad Negm wrote about him in Al Fagoumi, married 4 women, including the grandma of my dad, he died on them with 28 kids, who included my grandpa. my grandpa went to Cairo and got his education and joined the administrative staff of the Court of Appeals in Cairo. he was a very kind man, married to a lady with Turkish origins that was brought up in Cairo (my grandma) and he left the administration of his inheritance, agricultural lands, to his elder brother, who became the mayor after the death of their father. with this background, since an early stage in his life and although he was not the elder brother, my dad became responsible for running some errands for the family and due to some difficulties that his father encountered with his brother in relation to the land and the revenues, my dad was sent by his mum to collect the revenues from his uncle. during those years, Egypt was a kingdom and all the laws were in the favour of the land owners and not the farmers... my dad witnessed how his uncle treated the other members of the Negm family who were working in his lands... and he saw how unfairly treated were those poor lads... Egypt in the 40s had a vibrant political life and my dad was one of the people who were interested since an early stage of his life in politics. So, he tried to explore the different parties that were running the political life in Cairo at the time and none of them satisfied him... and with his readings and what he had seen taking place within his family... he started to turn into a socialist, which was strange for someone who is brought up relatively sheltered in a community like ours. nevertheless, witnessing injustices affected him a lot and drove him to think and read more and more. he was also influenced by his teachers at school... he used to tell us that history teachers were so adamant to show them realities of the ruling family in Egypt at the time... he had a teacher that used to finish teaching them the lesson as it comes in the curriculum of the government then he spends more time elaborating on the lies in that lesson... the outcome in the high school, my dad used to read a lot and go into demonstrations against the British occupation and against the king. he tried later to join a party or two but it was not enough to satisfy him and when the revolution of 1952 brought a change into Egypt and bringing new sets of ideals... he felt that it fitted his dreams for a change and he became a supporter of Nasser's policies. That of course changed the course of his life completely.
only a beginning
i am not sure why i am starting this blog... i am not yet sure that i will even continue writing in here... but during the last week, while talking with friends around about several things that i met through my life so far.. 2 of them told me that i should write books about certain things.. many of my old friends always thought that i am fit for writing about different things. maybe .. maybe not.. so by all means.. i thought starting this blog may assist me in laying down some ideas that can be basis for articles or books.. time will tell... i was just named an ego centric narcissist self absorbed maniac...because of this idea.. however.. i don't care. sharing some of these ideas with whoever will be interested in them.. i think it might be worth it.. i always say..what is the use of having a lot in our minds without sharing them.. why should we lock them into our brain! an idea is worth it when it is shared... hence.. i will try to share my ideas through the history of events that took place and i witnessed myself.. and time will tell how it goes!
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