The New York Times wants to tell the world that China is the most democratic country in the world and the entire history of this planet. Honest. Or else they don't know what they are writing about. More precisely they don't know what their writers are writing about. Look here, my friend. They have an article written by one of their own and published on May 28, 2011 under the title: “Pay Attention”. The piece is basically a way they have employed to talk to the Administration. This is how they put the thing: “But I only hope that Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton understand that right now -- right this second -- Egypt needs something more from Washington than money: quiet, behind-the-scenes engagement with Egypt’s ruling generals over how to complete the transition to democracy here.”
Further down the article they elaborate on that thought by saying this: “That said, though, it is important that senior U.S. officials engage quietly with the generals and encourage them to take heed of the many Egyptian voices that are raising legitimate concerns about a premature runoff.” And they end the piece like this: “I just hope the Obama team is paying attention. This is so much more important than Libya.”
And so you ask yourself what might be the thing that triggered this river of thoughts and insights on their part. Well, you find the answer to this question in the very first sentence of the piece. It goes like this: “I had some time to kill ... so I rummaged through the 'Egyptian Treasures' shop. I ... was intrigued by a stuffed camel ... I turned it over to see where it was manufactured, it read: 'Made in China.'”
So you say to yourself that if the logic of the New York Times is to the effect that Egypt needs assistance with its march to democracy because it does not manufacture its own souvenirs such as the stuffed camels which it imports from somewhere else, then it must be that China is a democratic country because it makes those camels. Moreover, China makes souvenirs like the Eiffel Tower of France, the Big Ben of Britain and the Empire State building of America, not to forget the American flag which also happens to be an icon that belongs to America. And all this must say to the New York Times that China is the most democratic thing in the world today and the most democratic thing this planet has ever seen since the beginning of time.
But then the part of your brain which scans for the logic of what you read sends out frantic signals indicating that a mammoth deficiency in logic has been detected. You look closely and swear by the fleas of all the camels roaming this planet that you have never seen anything as illogical as this. It is the following: If China is more democratic than America then why would the New York Times ask America to tell Egypt about democracy and not ask China to take charge of this? As we say in Canada; eh!
But what is the problem in Egypt according to these people that they want America to stick its nose in their affairs? Well, they seem to have talked to a number of prominent people over there who are also key players in the events which are unfolding at this time. Here is a sample of what they heard in Egypt as quoted in the article:
“We have had a revolution here that succeeded -- but is not in power. So the goals of the revolution are being applied by an agent, the army, which I think is sincere in wanting to do the right things, but it is not by nature revolutionary.” This is according to the Egyptian novelist Alaa Al Aswany.
“Liberal people are feeling some concerns that they made the revolution and the Muslim Brotherhood can now take it. This is not true.” This is according to Esam el-Erian a leader of the Muslim Brotherhood Party.
“The liberal parties need more time to organize.” This is according to Naguib Sawiris who is an Egyptian billionaire that organized one of the liberal parties and wants all liberal groups to run under one banner so as not to split the liberal vote.
“You will have an unrepresentative Parliament writing an unrepresentative Constitution.” This is according to Mohamed ElBaradei, the former international atomic energy czar now leader of a reform party discussing the possibility that the Brotherhood may win big in the September election.
“Because the Muslim Brotherhood is ready, they want elections first ... We as secular forces prefer to have some time to consolidate our parties. We must thank the army for the role it played. But it was our revolution, not a coup d’état. ... If there are fair elections, the Muslim Brotherhood will only get 20 percent.” This is according to Osama Ghazali Harb, a leader of another reform party.
When they have this kind of “vibrant” democracy vibrating in Egypt only months after the revolution, what makes the folks at the New York Times believe that Egypt needs: “...quiet, behind-the-scenes engagement with Egypt’s ruling generals over how to complete the transition to democracy here.” or that Egtpt needs this: “...engage quietly with the generals and encourage them to take heed of the many Egyptian voices that are raising legitimate concerns about a premature runoff.”
Are the folks at the New York Times sick or something? Or are they just plain stupid? When I first came to this part of the world nearly half a century ago I was told about an Arab saying that I never heard of it in Arabic because it was never said in Arabic. Besides, I did not see the need for someone to ever want to say something like that. This is the saying: “May the fleas of a thousand camels infest your armpits.”
But you know what my friend; I am changing my mind and I am now telling the folks at the New York Times: May the fleas of a thousand camels infest your armpits. There! I got it off my chest.