CAIRO: It started with the best of intentions; a new generation refused to follow the path laid out for them and took to the streets demanding change. Bread, freedom, fairness and dignity were our demands and a better Egypt was our dream. Looking back now its clear that the absolute worst-case scenario has played out. A bigger plan was at play and our revolution has officially been hijacked. On February 11, 2011, then President Hosni Mubarak stepped down, that was the high point for us. Our vision of Egypt was finally beginning to seem possible. The Egyptian Supreme Council of Armed Forces suspended the constitution and dissolved the old Parliament, members of the old regime were arrested and there was even that historic day when the trial of the century began. Airing all over the world, that moment we first caught glimpse of him behind bars gave everyone a sense of pride to be Egyptian. He was being held accountable for his actions, they all were! WE were holding them accountable. The revolution was well on its way, or so we thought. The outcome of the constitutional referendum was the first time we were truly faced with the crimes of the previous regime. That, topped off with the results of the parliamentary elections confirmed our fears. They illustrated how decades of bad governing and corruption had resulted in so much ignorance and poverty, how years of oppression has diminished the mentality of the Egyptian people allowing them to be used by groups who have neither their, nor their country's best interest at heart. The elections along with the delaying of a civil governing structure, the Mohamed Mahmoud clashes and the horrors now referred to as the Maspero and Port Said massacres, put a dent in our dreams, and our hearts started aching. Then came the big one, the presidential elections; the one that really counted. Liberal parties failed to unite, idealistic youth refused to play politics, and the worst possible outcome was the reality. We were at a crossroads, would we go down in history as the people who re-elected the regime they revolted against or the ones who brought the Muslim Brotherhood to power? Those were our options and that was the moment we hit rock bottom, when we realized that after a year of uprising we were reduced to choosing the lesser of two evils. The Egyptian people deserved better than that. We as revolutionaries had failed. “Tahrir Square isn't going anywhere," we were told,"The people hold the only power." We tried hard to believe. Well here we are, personal freedoms being thrown out the window, women's rights being stomped on and religious-founded violence breaking out left and right. Instead of freedom, equality and dignity we got a constitution that punches human rights in the face. A blasphemy law that is so beautifully undefined that just about anyone can get arrested for just about anything. Police brutality and torture continues, channels are being forcefully shut down and murderers, thieves and rapists are set free while others are kept in cages for their thoughts. And now the current governing structure has ignored every definition of democracy known to man and created a constitution declaration that gives all judicial powers to one individual, and to add insult to injury they removed every method of accountability, making him untouchable. That was the last straw, after months of a relatively stable environment, Tahrir square has reopened for business and mass protests have again decorated its territory. A sight that has delighted the revolutionary within us all. The most amazing thing is, parties who are pro this declaration have managed to convince millions of people to support it as well. They've managed to persuade people that this unlawful taking away of their rights is not only for their own good, but it actually helps meet our demands of democracy. They are master manipulators who are taking full advantage of the revolution. Make no mistake, let's be clear; the revolution isn't to blame for the atrocities we've recently been subjected to. All it did was allow us to see just how bad things are. From the gullibility of some people to the manipulative skill of others, our social bubble have been popped and reality has been shoved in our face. If you want to blame someone stick to the ousted regime, what we are currently suffering from is the natural result of their era of bad governing and corruption. The question is, is it over, or is this only the beginning? Are we going to stand back and allow the revolution become a distant memory? Will this newly ignited spirit withstand all obstacles thrown at its course? Will we be content with bones thrown our way and hand over Egypt on a silver platter? Or will this be the event that pumps life back into the Egyptian Revolution, giving us a second chance to do it right? Will Egypt be hijacked? Will be let it? Only time will tell.
