Yes, that's the big news.
I regret very much that some of the folks I've been discussing the Egyptian Revolution with, who have fearfully predicted violence, have been proven right. You were right. There.
But I'm publishing this brief dispatch because it's important to understand why: Evidently, because of the execrable actions of the exact same jerkwad who's been tyrannizing the Egyptian people for 30 years.
If you've been ruling a country of 80 million people by fear all this time, you can certainly roust up a couple of thousand thugs on a week's notice – to go out and rough up peaceful protestors, to instigate violence, to foment chaos. So that you can cling to power as the saviour from chaos. Bastard.
Don't take my word for it.
CAIRO - Whipped up by state television and spoiling for a fight, thousands of supporters of President Hosni Mubarak flooded into the center of Egypt's capital Wednesday, sparking violent clashes.
The president's supporters fuelled the showdown with a charge by men riding camels and horses, wielding whips and clubs.
The coordinated nature of Wednesday's events suggested that his supporters were determined to show, as Mubarak had warned, that the country faced a "choice between chaos and stability."
In Washington, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs called the violence "outrageous and deplorable" and warned that if any of it was "instigated by the government, it should stop immediately."
Human Rights Watch condemned the Egyptian government for what appeared "to be organized attacks on pro-democracy demonstrators" and called on the United States and the European Union to intervene.
Mubarak's supporters essentially laid siege to Tahrir Square, and appeared to have come prepared for the vicious fight that ensued.
Three people have been killed and 600 injured. The Egyptian people need our support now more than ever.
Mubarak's supporters essentially laid siege to Tahrir Square, and appeared to have come prepared for the vicious fight that ensued. It was alleged that they were paid to take to the streets by the ruling party, by the police or by wealthy businessmen with deep ties to the government.
But their dedication to the cause didn't seem to match that of their opponents; as the evening wore on, their numbers dwindled sharply.
While I'm eating crow, I want to point out that the Egyptian people's brave self-liberation (even with the recent skirmishes) sure makes the American liberation of Iraq – with it's horrifying, bloody, five-year insurgency – look like utter crap in comparison. As a model for liberating a nation from a dictator, this model is about 145 billion times better.
It must succeed. (You can maybe help a tiny bit: if you're technical, you can donate bandwidth and your IP to the Tor Global Proxy cloud to provide Egyptians with net access; if you're rich, you can kick in a couple of bucks to support servers for same; if you're neither, you can sign a, okay probably meaningless, petition. All on Access' Global Movement for Digital Freedom.)
Also, a very happy birthday to my awesome sister Danielle.
If you, or anyone you know, is on the market for a fully qualified MSW in social work, an enormously talented photographer, or an experienced live music booking agent, Danielle Fuchs is currently considering opportunities. You can contact her on .
Absolutely glorious run, and day, today. I must have done about six miles, probably my longest and strongest lunchtime run of the year. Also first jacketless expedition; sublime.
Afterwards, I stood in the bright sunshine on Westminster Bridge and watched the people go by – and even gave directions and took a holiday snap or two. It was a really lovely afternoon to be alive. And I so wished my father were here to enjoy it.
