Fight or Flight.

Decision Points

“I'm not Egyptian and don't fully comprehend the burden that's been lifted by Mubarak's decision to step down, but I can empathize with their joy.”

- D. Elias

The revolution in Egypt is nothing short of remarkable.  The power of a people united never ceases to amaze me; it can literally move mountains.  Watching a group of young and educated Egyptian citizens mobilize and convince an entire nation to stand and fight made me reflect on my grandfather’s generation and how they performed similar miracles in this country.  But throughout the weeks of articles, editorials and interviews, one person who deserves a lot of credit for this historic event, fails to get mentioned.

Hosni Mubarak

It’s not everyday that I choose to side with the oppressor in a civil issue but it’s the simple concept of choice that creates this anomaly.  Mubarak was the President of Egypt for three decades.  Regardless of your view of his effectiveness as President, I am sure that he felt like he was doing the best job possible and was not prepared to leave anytime soon.  When you do anything for that long, it ceases to be just a job and becomes apart of you.  To one day wake up and have his entire country tell him to leave must have shocked him to his very core.

But he had a choice.

He too could have made the choice to fight for what he believed in.  He most certainly had the power and influence to hold on to the one thing that has defined him for the past 30 years.  But amidst political pressure and personal pride he chose to do the right thing.  He not only chose to peacefully step down to allow a free election, he made assurances to keep Egypt’s existing agreements with Israel and the United States.

Supporters of the Egyptian movement may not sympathize with Mubarak or want to give him any credit for his role in this event.  And those that don’t, are well within their rights not to.  But when any man is faced with options and chooses the right path, especially when that path is against his own self-interests, there is a goodness that deserves recognition.

He could have made the same choice that Gadhafi made.