by Erik Bonthron

Created on: February 14, 2011   Last Updated: February 16, 2011

First of all let me congratulate the people and youth of Egypt for their mostly peaceful protests. It does prove that anywhere that people want to be free they can cast down the chains of the their oppression. I would caution the people of Egypt that all actions have consequences even elections. Especially elections.

After thirty years under Mubarek and having no representation in their own government, the people of Egypt stand at the precipice of monumental change. Though most won't understand the easy part is over now. Many people can gather and agree that a time of change is needed. Now then though, we have to deal with the shape of change and what it will bring. The question of whether the Muslim Brotherhood should be part of the government is a little touchy.  My first thought is that we are advocating free and fair elections. That being said, the 'we' don't have a choice of who runs for what office and who get appointed to where.

Being married to an Egyptian has opened my eyes to a lot of things over the years and the one thing I know for a fact is that we don't always agree to how some things happen. When you grow up in a country and the boogeyman of the west, in this case the Islamic Brotherhood, is the one helping the poor with food, shelter and other necessities of life even though they are outlawed by the regime, it makes it hard to think of them in the same light as we do. When we deal with things like politics we tend to look at it through our own paradigm, the problem with this is that how we see things doesn't always matter. It also doesn't make it right either.

Remember the part about elections having consequences? We have been hearing it over here from the right for two years, in this case the same point holds true. In order to have a legitimate government in Egypt, the Muslim Brotherhood has to at least be able to stand for election. Whether we want to see them in control or not is totally irrelevant. As with many organizations we could point to good and bad within it. The other side of coin also presents itself, that little thing called self-interest.

Regardless of whether the West wants an New Islamic block or Caliphate which the Islamic Brotherhood supports, it is their right to form it if they want to. As long as it is a nonviolent transition then it is not for us as a country to do anything about it. We are not and should never be the World's policemen. If they do take a majority of the government is it any worse than a Dictator? Before anyone demonizes another government before it even starts, don't we have to if they hold to their (not our) constitution?

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