Thousands protested against President Hosni Mubarak today in the apparent start of a Tunisian inspired revolution. Protesters demanded Mubarak to 'go' and resign as President, because they insisted Egyptians no longer supported his regime or 'system'. Thousands of people began taking to the streets to protest poverty, rampant unemployment, government corruption and autocratic governance of President Hosni Mubarak, who has ruled the country for thirty years. The Huffington Post reports the following: "These were the first protests on such a large scale to be seen in Egypt since the 1970s. The government responded by blocking Twitter, which was being used by organizers to coordinate protests." It seems that Egyptians finally want to achieve a state of government that allows self-determination. This seems to be a legitimate demand of the Mubarak regime which has continually oppressed Egyptian youth instead of reforming their government to become more modern and free. In fact, Egypt, economically and socially, is not as it should be. This is because "protester grievances [rightly] focused on police brutality, state emergency laws, lack of free speech and elections, high unemployment, rising food prices, inflation, and low minimum wages"; and these are all issues that the Mubarak regime has done little to solve. Because the regime continues to oppose any idea of change within their government and has blocked certain social media sites, the protesters have been able to gain the support of the international community. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said the following concerning the "Day of Rage" campaign that occurred today: "Human and political rights of people are fundamental, and the economic challenges that face many of the people in the Middle East, as well as elsewhere, are important." It is clear that the non-violent demonstrations, marches and labor strikes in Cairo and other cities in Egypt are legitimate. For now, however, Hosni Mubarak shows no signs of lifting his tight rule on Egypt to allow any valid democratic elections or true reform.
