Thursday, February 24, 2011

Neighborhoods & Social Connection, Part II

Following up on yesterday’s post, this article from Chiesa examining the current revolts in the Middle East, validates the new global community that is growing as the web grows.

An excerpt.

“But the revolt that is inflaming the Arab countries today, from Egypt to Yemen, is not going up against foreign powers: Israel, the United States, the West. Much less against the Christians. The enemies are internal, they are tyrannical regimes. The demands are simple. The first of the revolts, in Tunisia, stemmed from inflation in the price of bread.

“Khaled Fouad Allam, an Algerian with Italian citizenship, professor of Islamic studies at the universities of Trieste and Urbino, has explained to the newspaper of the Italian episcopal conference, "Avvenire," that the protagonists of the current revolt are the young generations:

"The young people between 18 and 30 have a religious practice of a devotional type. Islam is no longer seen as the solution, as would probably have been the case ten or fifteen years ago. The young no longer believe that the Qur'an will give them work, as their fathers might have believed. They are believers and practitioners, but they do not have any ideological baggage. From Yemen to Algeria, we aren't hearing any religious slogans."

“And again:

"Then there is the aspect of globalization: a global awareness of democracy is developing. A young man from Algiers who corresponds over the internet with a friend in Rome asks himself why in the world there is freedom on the other side of the Mediterranean, but not in his country. This creates a very powerful sentiment. What counts is not computer technology in itself, but its effect, which is an acceleration of the maturation of awareness."

“The revolt does not show any precise direction. It does not have leaders. It does not have great organizations. "It will take a long time," Allam warns. Without predictable results.”