Xchoboomer

A defining moment in the story that is Egypt.

Egypt has been at the center of civilization since before the dawn of recorded history and signs of humanity are evident as far back as 10,000 BC. The rise and fall of Pharoic dynasties, pharohs, and kings, and foreign occupiers has always been a mainstay of Egpytian history. The great Egyptian dynasties which were founded in 3150 BC eventually fell to the Persians in 343 BC. The Persian rule lasted a short 9 years until a Alexander the Great, a westerner liberated Egypt in 332 BC and founded Alexandria, an important center of the Hellenistic sphere that served the western world. The Ptolemaic dynasty was annexed by the Roman empire after Cleopatra VII was captured by Augustus and committed suicide. Egypt remained in a Roman-Byzantine state until it was briefly taken over by the Persians once again in the 7th century AD until the Muslim Arabs absorbed Egypt after defeating the  Byzantines. In the middle ages the Muslims lost control to the Turcs and the Ottoman Empire but not before influencing much of the country with a Sunni Islamic culture that persists till present day. Even Napoleon Bonaparte invaded Egypt in the late 18th century briefly until the Brits came in and pushed the French out. Modern day Egypt has been just as plauged with war and power struggles and has been complicated by the establishment of an Israeli state after WWII. In 1981, President Sadat was assassinated after making a historic visit to Israel which resulted in a peace treaty being signed.  Hosni Mubarack succeeded Sadat after his assassination. And here we are today…

Today Mubarack once again defied his people and asserted he will remain in power after the Egyptian governement sent communications and indications to its people and the U.S government that Mubarack would be stepping down. Egyptian people are gathering by the hundreds of thousands as they have been for the last two weeks. Today has been the largest crowds since these protests began and they are angrier then ever after Mubarack slapped them in the face last night. It remains to be seen if these mostly peaceful protests will become violent.  The army has resisted harming the protesters but it also remained neutral as Pro-Mubarack supporters unleashed violent acts against Egyptians and foreign journalists. With the will of the Egyptian people as well as the U.S government funding the Egyptian military, I find it highly unlikely the military can remain loyal to Mubarack and his regime for much longer without losing credibility and power themselves even though they have just announced they are backing Mubarack until a transfer of power can take place. Mubarack has very few military options without enflaming the world and has arguably no control over a country that wants him out. If history gives any insight Mubarack is only fighting the inevitable.

Will the protesters march on the palace?

Will the army resort to violence if that happens?

Will there be a coup d’etat?

Will the U.S remain an influence over the Egyptian government after the transfer of power, however that happens?

Will a real democracy take root?

Will the Muslim Brotherhood take control?

Egypt will fall. It’s just a matter of who’s hands it will fall into this time.

So apparently Rage Against the Machine has just announced a show next week, July 23 at the Hollywood Palladium in support of SoundStrike which supports PUENTE Arizona and The Florence Project all in protest of  SB1070, Arizona’s controversial immigration law.

I was excited to hear that today. Minus Coachella and Rock the Bells  in 2007 which were just east of LA and both large festivals, the LA band hasn’t played a show in Los Angeles in ten years. Considering one of there last performances in LA was at the Democratic National Convention and got shut down by 2000 police in riot gear shooting rubber bullets and getting some “stick time” in, as they(cops) like to put it, this rare LA show is welcome news to Angelino’s whom have largely opposed SB1070 in masses. So a show at a legendary and intimate venue like the Hollywood Palladium with the most politically influential and loudest voices in the Rock and Hip-Hop world is gonna be off the hook! Now the problem is gonna be getting in? I’ll have to figure that out as they haven’t yet announced when tickets are going on sale and its just 8 days away!

True to their roots of political activism, led by the revolutionary Zach de la Rocha, RATM are catalysts of the democratic process and are doing what they do best. Using there massive influence and turning awareness into action by galvanizing the masses and changing the system from within to act upon policies that don’t make sense all in the name of freedom and democracy. Awesome! I hear after the show Zach de la Rocha is leading a convoy straight from the Palladium into the heart of Flagstaff, Arizona for a coup d’etat! Who’s in?