Centerfield

The Thread Has Split

An Arab enthusiast for democracy writes

These are great times in Arab lands. In multiple countries millions are daring to imagine a future radically different from the past. Imagination is a dangerous thing, thrilling and infectious. When it runs amok, revolution is never far behind and from the shores of Tripoli to the Gulf of Arabia, it appears indeed revolution has landed.
...
The United States, France and the United Nations all heard Lebanon's cry and are standing by, preparing to crush any Syrian attempt to interfere again. Iraq replayed? Nothing is impossible.

Still many among Arabs, paralysed by years of tyranny, believe all this is a passing phenomena, that rulers accustomed to engineering repression will prevail. That is missing the bigger picture: those rulers are now seriously off balance; the times are different and today's world stands firmly with those rising in anger. As the Arab saying goes, "the thread has split''. Those worry beads are scattering all over the floor, beyond anyone's control. There is nothing beyond the realm of imagination.

When I hear the word revolution, I reach for my worry beads. :)

Posted by rickheller at March 29, 2005 03:53 PM