Triumph in Egypt
The second revolution in Egypt can be seen as as a triumph of secular education and plain common sense over radical and oppressive Islamic dogma.
The Muslim Brotherhood has always been a small, secretive group isolated in the ivory towers of a Cairo university. It has always had strong links to the most radical and conservative of the Islamic movements. Perhaps the best-known student who was influenced by the its radical beliefs was Osama bin Laden.
The moderate people of Egypt clearly do not want a bunch of extremists running their country into the ground. There have been clear signs that the brotherhood was set on a path of dictatorship.
Perhaps the final straw for Egyptians was the appointment to government office of a radical figure, well known in Egypt for his suspected involvement in the 1997 massacre of tourists near Luxor which resulted in 62 people being gunned and stabbed to death.
Revoltingly, a note praising Allah was found inside one disembowelled body. Tourism was a major source of income in Egypt. It has seriously declined in the wake of these events leading to widespread unemployment.
Nipping tyranny in the bud has got to be a positive move for a pluralistic society. MIKE LEACH Hamilton happen again. It can’t not happen on the Horsham Downs, Henderson, Kay Rd, Lake Rd areas, especially Thursday nights and weekends. Girls and guys, I’m sorry but you are a hazard on these reasonably narrow winding roads, even with all your safety gear and how late you are using these roads around this area. ANNE HOOKER Hamilton given a wide berth by other road users.
The same cannot be said about our beautiful country.
The lack of dedicated cycle lanes, the aggression of the drivers here, the impatience and the lack of respect for cyclists, who are legitimate road users, is shameful.
Are we to be known here and overseas as the clean green dangerous country? I hope not. HILARY LYNCH Te Kuiti able to meet these ends, it is the right of the people to institute a change, laying its foundation on such principles that shall seem most likely to effect their pursuit of happiness. But it is not to say that well-established governments should be changed for flimsy causes; but experience has shown that we are more disposed to suffer than to right ourselves by changing the government to which we are accustomed.
But with a long list of negativity and ill luck following it even after two terms, I think it is every New Zealand citizen’s right to get a new set of guards for their future security. (Abridged) DILIP M KURIEN Hamilton