“Gentlemen, we'd best hang together, or we'll most assuredly hang – separately!”
-Ben Franklin
American Inventor, Statesman, Publisher, Author
1706-1790
“Give me liberty or give me death.”
-Patrick Henry
Orator and Politician
1736-1799
In recognition of the unprecedented recent events in Egypt, we are breaking from our normal editorial focus to express this statement of admiration for the people of Egypt.
Freedom demands that you face your fears.
What would it take to get you out in Times Square with a protest banner? How difficult to overcome your reticence?
How about you and a neighbor in Westlake Plaza marching to change city politics? What if there were police?
Consider: You and 25 close friends demonstrating in front of the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion? What if they had riot armor?
Plaza at Las Colinas: You and 50 colleagues protesting government infringement? What about the tear gas?
Noon in Courthouse Square: You and a hundred true believers, for fair wages? Against armed thugs?
Grant Park: Look at the crowd you've assembled to resist the secret police... they draw weapons and cut off your retreat.
Bayfront Park: 25,000 ran the marathon. For the protest tomorrow – not so many. Now the water cannon is targeting you...and not to keep you cool.
Consider that last week, the people of Cairo were threatened, beaten, gassed, firebombed, cannoned, detained and tortured, and yet still they remained in Tahrir Square to make themselves and their issues understood. They demonstrated to the world what is required to make changes. Crowd counting is a notoriously imperfect art but somewhere between three hundred thousand and three million people showed up and stayed. And stayed.
Political change requires a level of commitment, sustained dedication and willingness to face personal risk…An unparalleled level of commitment. The process has begun. Let’s hope it comes to a lofty end. We salute the people of Egypt. It’s ironic that the people in Tahrir Square have something to teach us about dedication, commitment and fearlessness in the face of danger.
Public protest entails risk. What would it take to motivate you to take part in a public protest? What would it take for you to face armed opposition, physical violence, threats and potential loss of life to make yourself heard, to put your nation on the right track?
Our nation began in revolution against tyranny. We hung together. The Egyptians have overcome their fears and must now hang together to create their own future.
Their lesson – and ours…Freedom (of whatever flavor) demands that you face your fears.
In your life: What are you afraid of? Confronting a misbehaving family member? Telling the whole truth to Dad? Eliciting the honest truth from your partner?
At work: Is it asking for a raise or promotion? Is it taking on a new responsibility or moving on to start a business of your own?
In the town or community: What needs to be brought to the attention of the authorities? What must change about the schools or environmental policy?
The example of the patriots in Egypt should inspire us to face our fears and reach for greater heights.
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