Wrong turn Sir— The people of Egypt were given the perfect opportunity to replace a repressive dictatorship with a government which would represent the people and create opportunity and democracy. Instead, they chose a government with extremist views. Now they seem to be confused and enraged because this newly elected government is consolidating power while abusing the will of its citizens. And they're shocked about this? From what I know about the Muslim Brotherhood I would have been shocked if they had not taken this course of action. At one time I felt sorry for Egyptian citizens and the repressive lives they lived under Mubarak. Now, my position is this: you made this decision, now wallow in it. If you sacrificed your lives to bring down a repressive dictator in the name of freedom and then turn around and elect someone like the Muslim Brotherhood, you got the government that you deserve. Robert Wernstein New York USA True leader Sir— President Morsi played an important role in the ceasefire in Gaza, stood firm against propaganda over necessary presidential powers, and is now going ahead with unity between two Palestinian rivals. He is truly a genuine leader. Omar Nagi Cairo Egypt Slum rule Sir— From what I know Mubarak's judges and Mubarak's media elite are continuing to refuse to accept the democratic majority that elected Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood to power because they believe the so-called liberals have a birth right to rule and will not be ruled by people from the Cairo slums and the countryside who elected the Brotherhood to power. This hatred of the people is why no secular liberal party will be elected to power in Egypt for a very long time. Sara Geiser Washington USA What we have Sir— You Arabs think the dream is the West. It is not. Misery, individualism, working to live, having no time for your wife or family. This is not the dream. This is not the land of milk and honey. I urge you to think again of what you have. Safeguard it. You have something, and there is a massive worldwide campaign trying to take it away from you. It is an alternative way of living, and there are some of us here in the West who know of it, long for it, but cannot have it. Do not become capitalist addicts. Keep to your faith, families and communities, putting your wealth last. There is a larger war at stake here, and you must attempt to see past what is superficial. There are greater implications. Sarah Jones Montreal Canada Secularism kicked out Sir— Secular Mubarak was the leading figure in Egypt for decades, yet what happened? Egyptians rejected him. So coming to the conclusion that secularism is the only way out is absolutely incorrect. Mubarak's problem was not secularism, it was dictatorship. Let me make it clearer; it's secular democracy that is needed. There is no such thing as Islamic democracy or Christian democracy or any other redefinition of democracy that forces people to vote for only one person. Mai Ismail Cairo Egypt Syria's future Sir— Egypt's interest in Syria is geopolitical as the fall of Al-Assad would facilitate adding a Sunni dominated regime aligned with the Muslim Brotherhood and serve to unhook one of the few remaining friends of Iran. Does President Morsi want Al-Assad out because he is Alawite or because he is killing scores of civilians? Time will tell what his true colours are. Lisa Hussey London UK Morals missing Sir— The flyer of the Muslim Brotherhoods' FJP calling for an anti-sexual harassment campaign has a message for Egyptian women: “Don't be the reason for harassment.” Well and good but this is a lopsided solution because eye candy girls are not the only motivation for involvement in such vile behaviour. Some young men engage in it just for kicks, others to prove their machismo over women, and a third group out of carnality and repression, even when women are dressed appropriately. As Anna Quindlen puts it, “Each instance of sexual harassment has to be judged on its merits. Facts, timing, motives and credibility: all must be considered before we make up our own minds what to believe.” Thus, a penalising code, in my opinion, is only one option but it's not the magic bullet to stem these moral delinquencies. The government should cooperate with Al-Azhar, the Church and all civil organisations and concerned bodies to find solutions to the real economic, social and educational factors which gave rise to it. Osama Gad Cairo Egypt
