* * *
“There is no substitute for legitimacy,” said Morsi, who has received an ultimatum from the military to work out his differences with the opposition by Wednesday or it will intervene to oversee the implementation of its own political road map.
Morsi demanded earlier that the army withdraw an ultimatum to resolve the nation’s political crisis, saying that he will not be dictated to.
Al Jazeera. “Egypt’s Morsi says he will not step down.” July 2, 2013.
* * *
Senior Muslim Brotherhood member and FJP leader Beltagy condemns tacit opposition support for arson, thuggery, murder and vandalism terrorizing citizens across Egypt over the past few days.
* * *
“This is a very critical moment in Egyptian history – we are facing a moment very similar to 1952,” Freedom and Justice Party spokesman Murad Ali told Reuters on Tuesday. In that year, Gamal Abdel Nasser and the Free Officers overthrew King Farouk.
“Egyptians are very aware that there are some people that are trying to push the country back in history and back to dictatorship.”
Reuters. “Morsi Supporters Urged to Resist ‘Coup’.” Huffington Post, July 2, 2013.
* * *
Remember: it is never the narcissist.
No matter how bad things get for others, now matter how awful the feedback generated, no matter how right the critics may be, the dictator’s position must be not only more right and unassailable but ruthlessly defended to make it seem so.
* * *
“I am the hero of Africa.”
Idi Amin
&
“Who says I am not under the special protection of God.”
Adolph Hitler
&
“There is no state with a democracy except Libya on the whole planet.”
Colonel Qadaffi
&
“It may be necessary to use methods other than constitutional ones.”
Robert Mugabe
* * *
What Egypt’s intelligent public knows about what it elected — at the time and with Mubarak deposed the only “dance partner” left to work with the military — has to do with sacked generals, jailed journalists, nepotistic hires, corruption, intimidation, and torture, all of which claims if web searched produce an abundance of rich reporting. In that light, Muslim Brotherhood whining about democracy shares more in its disingenuous aspect with Robert Mugabe than Thomas Jefferson.
I would expect to hear from President Morsi, a gentleman who has been confronted by literally millions of constituents who have come out on the streets to voice their displeasure with him, to respond in unfortunate character with the same benighted, florid, and grandiose perception of himself as others of his type.
Morsi may step out of character, of course, but the world has yet to see any indication that he sees anything wrong with anything he has done during his first year in power.
* * *
Altogether, the unrest in Egypt would see not to have to do with social Islam or the nature of Muslims, which well demonstrated by Egyptians on Sunday and this day, isn’t much different than anyone else’s character in modernity confronted with a similar circumstance and puzzle about the nature of political power: it is about humanity everywhere and the faulty personality and sometimes criminal genius of a few to believe themselves empowered directly by God Almighty to do as they may wish with others using, perhaps, “methods other than constitutional ones.”
Additional and Contributing Reference
For months, as the Morsi government has taken steps to consolidate power, quash critics and marginalize independent civil society groups, President Obama and his top aides have been largely silent in public.
Fox News. “Egypt teeters on brink of overthrow, seven reported killed in clashes.” July 2, 2013.
Middle East Online. “Tsunami of resignations hits Morsi cabinet.” July 1, 2013.
The Economist. “It’s hard being charge.” May 9, 2013:
WHEN a swarm of locusts recently engulfed Muqattam, a posh suburb of Egypt’s capital that houses the Muslim Brotherhood’s headquarters, humorists lay in wait. “Official spokesman: locusts retreat following President Morsi’s promise to fulfil all their demands,” quipped a popular Facebook commentator, hinting that after eight months in power, Egypt’s Brotherhood-run government is itself something of a plague.
BackChannels 
You have a point, but what’s the impact? What should or will happen now?
LikeLike
When one comes into possession by invention or legacy a self-concept inimical to others, the reflection of that self at play in the world _should_ respond appropriately and in some ways shift energy and license toward accommodating and growing with the criticism. Unfortunately, abusive families and dictatorships alike become closed systems impervious to criticism from within and truthful feedback without. When a person does as much within the developed western context — i.e., runs off the rails on his own trip, an encounter with bankers, police, lawyers, and psychiatrist may be in the offing (such in fat, messy crayon terms may comprise how we see from the outside an instance of the expression of bipolar disorder — but when a political party takes similar license, they are taken at their work and their actions merely contested — and the good and innocent may lose.
That above is the “should” — adjust to the emerging normative values of a greater and ever evolving new world.
If we can agree some on my “Facsimile Bipolar Political Sociopathy” idea, than what will happen is those who believe themselves specially anointed and licensed by God to control and exploit others for their greater glory in tandem with “God’s plan” — or their struggle . . . whatever — will ignore the pleas of their neighbors, make up enemies they don’t really have, and attempt to launch a great repression to assert the finality of their power and legitimacy of their self-concept.
As an onlooker, I feel Egyptians have found themselves in the odd position of having elected (setting aside the details of that ordeal) and allowed into power an autocrat whose interests are not with their own well being and now must appeal to latent powers within the military to preserve their freedom and set the stage for a more moderate and more genuinely productive political process.
LikeLike
Also: the political and social efficacy of blogging seems to me a wildcard. There are a lot of questions, starting with the quality of insight offered and ending with the receptivity and clout of a readership or even just one reader. We’re all throwing pebbles in a pond, roiling it, and hoping some part of our signal proves helpful.
LikeLike