The Rewriting of Egypt’s Recent Events

The rewriting of recent events is about to begin.

A rewriting where Egyptian President Morsi was forced to put the November decree into effect to ‘save’ democracy — and that opposition to his decree were brainwashed into thinking it was unethical for any president to have no checks or balances. Never mind that President Morsi could have easily worked with the opposition to carry out revolutionary measures, as opposed to simply forcing through a constitution in a few days.

A rewriting where the opposition are accused of being guilty of thuggery, and are paid agents to engage in violence and destruction around the country. But without any mention of the fact that it was supporters of the president that descended upon a peaceful protest in front of the presidential palace, causing a conflict that left eight dead. Even in death, the narrative is being rewritten: now, all dead are supporters of the president, and none are opposition. As though it mattered, but it is not even true.

A rewriting where the opposition are all guilty of the outrageous Tweet by Alaa al-Aswany, the Egyptian novelist, who insisted illiterate Egyptians (some 30-40 percent of the country) should not have the right to vote in the referendum. Forget, of course, that he received immediate and harsh criticism from supporters of the opposition.

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