by Capricorner
The Arab Youth is bringing the Arab World forward, because it demands change and
the young constitute the great majority of the population in Arab countries. These
young Arabs differ from their passive parents. They are the Internet and Facebook
generation. They know what they want and it is not Islamism. They want a secular,
not theocratic state. They want Democracy and rights for women, a western mode of
life, precisely opposite to that propagated by Al Qaida.
The Arab spring started in Tunis and the people there are now pressing for more and quicker change. In Egypt the new Government is pressed by the people for more change, faster. The Egyptians have turned their back to extreme Islam. Even where there has been violence against the Christian Copts, with attacks against their churches Muslims not only apologized for these, denouncing extremism, but they also actively helped repair the damaged churches. Bahraini youth is also at the forefront of the protests there. In Yemmen and in Syria they are there and same for Jordan where people want the King to cede his ruling powers to the Parliament. In Algeria the Internet generation played a leading role to the protests that forced the dictator to “update” his style. In Morocco the young have formed groups, compliments of Facebook and they are demanding a new lifestyle, also asking the King to stop ruling and to simply rein. They want Democracy.
The Internet is to secluded societies, as Muslim societies tend to be (even those in European countries) a window to the world, from which they observe, discover and learn all what in their society they do not. They compare, they adjust and they seek the life they prefer, to the degree they can.
Facebook is, to the Muslim societies, the venue where they meet, exchange thoughts and information, get to know one another and form groups of like minded people, from which activism springs.
Who, in these societies surfs the Internet most? Their youth. Who in these societies looks at the Western world with a critical eye, processes intellectually what it sees and adopts what it deems good and useful? Their youth. Who, on average is the better educated part of these societies? Their youth. Who spends more time with Facebook? Youth.
In every totalitarian regime Youth has been important. It has been the foundation on which such regimes sought to build their new order. The Nazi Hitler-Jungen was but one such example. It is therefore obvious that the fervor of the young part of Arab societies is a catalyst to the change in process. It is also evident by now that Arab societies move forward, to a great extent pushed by their youth and this is the reason why Al Qaida finds itself out of the game there.
Pakistan and Afghanistan are a different story. They are not Arab and the young part of these societies does not have the educational opportunities of the Arab youth, nor extensive exposure to the enlightenment the Internet affords. They are, consequently, the only part of the Muslim world where Al Qaida can still hope to remain entrenched. Bin Laden’s successor has asked Muslims to refrain from suicide attacks in Mosques and other places where Muslims convene. That’s progress by his standards.
Blessed be the Internet oriented Arab Youth for it has rendered a great service to the Arab World and to the Western world as well and many thanks to Facebook for its role in the Arab spring.
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