Protest’s Old Guard Falls In Behind Young (Around ElBaradei; Adopted "Hug A Soldier" Strategy)

[Hissyspit]

Source: New York Times

Protest’s Old Guard Falls In Behind the Young
By DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK and MONA EL-NAGGAR
Published: January 30, 2011

CAIRO — Last Thursday, a small group of Internet-savvy young political organizers gathered in the Cairo home of an associate of Mohamed ElBaradei, the diplomat and Nobel laureate. They had come to plot a day of street protests calling for the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak, but within days, their informal clique would become the effective leaders of a decades-old opposition movement previously dominated by figures more than twice their age.

“Most of us are under 30,” said Amr Ezz, a 27-year-old lawyer who was one of the group as part of the April 6 Youth Movement, which organized an earlier day of protests last week via Facebook. They were surprised and delighted to see that more than 90,000 people signed up online to participate, emboldening others to turn out and bringing tens of thousands of mostly young people into the streets.

Surprised by the turnout, older opposition leaders from across the spectrum — including the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood; the liberal protest group the Egyptian Movement for Change, known by its slogan, “Enough”; and the umbrella group organized by Dr. ElBaradei — joined in, vowing to turn out their supporters for another day of protest on Friday. But the same handful of young online organizers were still calling the shots.

- snip -

Others briefed on the meeting said that the group had also decided to encourage protesters to adopt the “hug a soldier” strategy. With signs that the military appeared divided between support for the president and the protesters, these people said, the group decided to encourage demonstrators to emphasize their faith and trust in the soldiers.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/31/world/middleeast/31opposition.html?_r=1&hp

[Solly Mack]

1. K&R

[sabrina 1]

2. 'Hug a soldier'!

I like that. I hope it works. I saw a few people kissing the police also. Don't know why the soldiers would feel any loyalty to Mubarak. Most of them probably have family members who are part of the protests as many of them come from very poor families.

[Citizen Worker]

3. I sincerely hope that ElBaradei isn't more of the same in a different wrapper. Anyone acceptable to

the global elite MUST be immediately suspect.

[Citizen Worker]

4. "Most of us are under 30,” and in that group there are several people capable of leading a nation

to democracy and equality. We've witnessed their courage and commitment to non-violent political change. Within this movement are dozens of people ready, able and capable of leading Egypt toward democracy and REAL change, if given the chance. Let them lead and not rely on the "old guard" for leadership. Advice, yes, leadership, no. This is a student movement and the students have shown their leadership skills and commitment to peaceful democratic reform.

[Overseas]

5. K&R ! //nt

[annabanana]

6. Hey!. . kickerino. . n/t