At Seton Hill, Christina Michelmore is about to speak on the Egyptian Revolution. -- Jerz's Literacy Weblog (est. 1999)

At Seton Hill, Christina Michelmore is about to speak on the Egyptian Revolution. Packed house at Reeves Theater. #Michelmore 7:00 PM Feb 22nd
Michelmore is chair of the History Department at Chatham University. She studies images of Muslims in the Western world. #Michelmore 7:07 PM Feb 22nd
Setting up extra chairs for “What’s Happening in Egypt and Why Should We Care?” #Michelmore 7:09 PM Feb 22nd
I can’t be inconspicuous by tweeting the Egypt talk. I’m in the front row directly in front of the speaker. #Michelmore 7:10 PM Feb 22nd
1) broad overview, 2) current status, 3) major actors going forward, 4) lessons learned. #Michelmore 7:11 PM Feb 22nd
Egypt hopes sparked by Tunisia success in demanding leadership ouster. “Something is sweeping across the Middle East.” #Michelmore 7:13 PM Feb 22nd
History has two models… Popular protests can spark brief regime changes, as in France 1848, or long term, as in E Europe 1989. #Michelmore 7:15 PM Feb 22nd
Social networks, CNN, cell phone cameras drive the revolution. Egyptian cabinet has left minister of information vacant. #Michelmore 7:16 PM Feb 22nd
Middle East remarkably young. Population pyramid almost reversed in US. Middle East education is widespread but poor quality. #Michelmore 7:18 PM Feb 22nd
Education leads to expectations, but those are not being met. No job means no money for an apartment, means no marriage. #Michelmore 7:20 PM Feb 22nd
Autocratic governments have shown their people little respect. Petty, grinding, everyday corruption. #Michelmore 7:21 PM Feb 22nd
Egyptians find dealing with their authorities demeaning. #Michelmore 7:22 PM Feb 22nd
Professionals must deal with “fat sweaty policeman” that turns them into fawning supplicants. #Michelmore 7:23 PM Feb 22nd
General understanding amine leaders that non violent protests are the solution. #Michelmore 7:24 PM Feb 22nd
Peaceful protests worked in Tunisia and Egypt, but not so effective elsewhere. Difficult to maintain order among protesters. #Michelmore 7:25 PM Feb 22nd
Police must agree it is in their interests not to kill protesters. Egypt has a professional army. #Michelmore 7:26 PM Feb 22nd
Tunisia almost gave up too soon… Leaders had been expecting the uprising soon. #Michelmore 7:27 PM Feb 22nd
@RachelFaith836 You are typing faster than I can manage! I’m impressed! 7:28 PM Feb 22nd in reply to RachelFaith836
The movement for democracy has either succeeded, or succeeded in installing a military dictatorship. #Michelmore Tue Feb 22 19:29:53 2011
Army has not released protestors or repealed 30-year-old emergency legislation. #Michelmore Tue Feb 22 19:31:25 2011
There are two armed forces in Egypt. Most conscripts have not much loyalty. Officer corps comes in at the top, well paid. #Michelmore Tue Feb 22 19:32:38 2011
Army is a privileged part of the regime. Misleading to think of the military as a neutral arbiter. #Michelmore Tue Feb 22 19:34:02 2011
The army is willing to get rid of Mubarak. Is it willing to give up its privileged position? #Michelmore thinks not. Tue Feb 22 19:34:49 2011
Financial crisis, foreign investors freeing. Egyptians have not gone home– the protestors do not say it’s over. #Michelmore Tue Feb 22 19:35:59 2011
Americans want to see the Egyptian army as good because we see Ismamist forces as bad. #Michelmore says the 1st is wrong, 2nd is “wronger.” Tue Feb 22 19:37:30 2011
#Michelmore questions fear of the Muslim Bros. The only opposition that was not crushed by Mubarak. Middle class, opposing British rule. Tue Feb 22 19:39:40 2011
Muslim Brothers have a violent wing, a social welfare organization, and a coalition-building political organization. #Michelmore Tue Feb 22 19:40:45 2011
Muslim Brothers run as independents, problematic position on Christians, but it’s “nuts” to confuse them w violent radicals. #Michelmore Tue Feb 22 19:42:35 2011
Most young Egyptians don’t want prayers and sheiks and beards. Want more freedom, less control. #Michelmore Tue Feb 22 19:43:33 2011
What Muslim Brothers failed to do for 80 years, young protestors did in 18 days. Mus Bros would win maybe 20% in an election. #Michelmore Tue Feb 22 19:44:59 2011
Anti American sentiment has flourished on American support of repressive regimes in the name of stability. #Michelmore Tue Feb 22 19:45:43 2011
#Michelmore says democracy needs to be an end in itself. We call anything we like democracy, but elections may not be enough. #Michelmore Tue Feb 22 19:47:02 2011
No straight line from fall of a dictator -> elections -> democracy. Violence more likely. Democracy is a process, not product. #Michelmore Tue Feb 22 19:48:40 2011
Social networks not the real story. Successsful revolt depends on local conditions. #Michelmore Tue Feb 22 19:49:32 2011
Different communities see different impediments to shared human goals of bettering the lives of our children. #Michelmore Tue Feb 22 19:50:10 2011
#Michelmore explained the importance of ethnic and geographic differences in other national conflicts that might otherwise seem similar. Tue Feb 22 19:52:50 2011
Lybia — very difficult to tell who’s shooting who and for what reason. Lots of oil, few people. #Michelmore Tue Feb 22 19:53:28 2011
Incredible nervousness. Getting the right balance between legitimate US interest in stability & the people’s demand for change. #Michelmore Tue Feb 22 19:54:24 2011
#Michelmore says keep these issues matters of state, not part of the craziness of election year politics. Tue Feb 22 19:55:11 2011
Arabs tend to like Americans and American rhetoric, but dislike our actions. “Promise less, or deliver more.” #Michelmore Tue Feb 22 19:56:09 2011
@RachelFaith836 Between us, we did pretty well! Tue Feb 22 19:56:41 2011 in reply to RachelFaith836
Response to a Q from our institutional researcher on how to find good sources: “Just Google Egypt.” (#Michelmore was a little vague there!) Tue Feb 22 20:01:31 2011
Q: Will this young generation driving the revolution see change? #Michelmore: protesters likely must wait for bread-and-butter changes. Tue Feb 22 20:04:22 2011
We need to listen to Egypt and offer help they ask for, rather than presume our solutions are what they need. #Michelmore Tue Feb 22 20:05:12 2011
Lybia is the country most likely to fall apart. #Michelmore Tue Feb 22 20:06:14 2011
I got called out as a techno-geek when I asked #Michelmore whether shutting off the Internet affected the course of the revolution. Tue Feb 22 20:12:07 2011
@RachelFaith836 Would cell phone footage spread fast & far without the Internet? Still, cable TV is a powerful old-school force. #Michelmore Tue Feb 22 20:44:44 2011 in reply to RachelFaith836
SetonHillNews At Seton Hill: Let Egypt tell U.S. how to help, expert suggests http://bit.ly/hnUXQs http://fb.me/SplaSEun Wed Feb 23 08:52:23 2011 via Facebook Retweeted by DennisJerz