The Facebook Revolution

Mark Zuckerberg what have you done!!!

This morning...at 4 am...an egyptian woman, speaking from Tahrir Square in Cairo, said over BBC Radio,"The young people, The Facebook People we call them, will move this revolution forward."

The Facebook People. What do they want? Who are they?

From what I heard they are secular, educated young people who have found no future in the Egypt. Over the last thirty years, the Mubarak years, the middle class has been disappearing. Many young people, long out of university, still have not found jobs. Facebook has brought them together, and while there are merchants, doctors, and daily wage earners in that multitude in the square, it is the Facebook People who form its core and driving force.

These are secular people,cognizant of the rewards of western democracy.They do not want a theocratic government.They say that if the Muslim Brotherhood is to take part in the government, it must leave its religious side behind. And there's the rub!

It's pretty clear that the Brothers will use any avenue to power, and hiding their true goal would be an acceptable ruse. If they participate they will have to be watched intensely. Even then, there can be no guarantee of safety.

Still, it looks as though, once the transfer of power from Mubarak is set up, the Facebook People and the rest will be sharing power with the Brothers. What will ultimately come out of that we have no way of knowing. Our fate is linked tightly to theirs, and I wish them luck.That's all they want from the West for now. Good wishes. Given our thirty year failure to press Mubarak for change, that should come as no surprise.

So, goodluck Facebook People. We support you!

And we are happy that at least, and at last, an American has given you the tool to start the process of change.

Yes, Mark Zuckerberg, look what you've done!