Can Egypt Truly Become Liberal?

                Can democracy truly be implemented in an Islamic society? That is the question I ultimately drew from the video we watched on Tuesday. This here video served two purposes. First, to repudiate the American media's general view of the Middle East, bringing a much needed sense of diversification to an overly generalized topic. Second, to shed light on the political situation that is currently happening in Egypt. As of right now, Egypt is nearing the ends of revolution - that is to say - a political revolution. After President Hosni Mubarak was removed from offices, the country has endured fifteen months of militaristic rule. The fifteen months have been filled with nothing but protests, economic crises and just general anarchy that have resulted from the soon-to-be occupied political seat. But as Harvey Dent said, "The night is darkest just before the dawn". The darkness left behind by Mubarak's dictatorship is now being followed by one thing: Democracy. An idea that is almost seemingly inconceivable is now taking hold of the country. For the first time ever, the citizens have the right to elect their own president despite the unpredictability of the election: the polls are not reliable and the looming threat of a run-off. Despite the cry for reformation, two of the running candidates are former ministers from ex-President Mubarak's former government. This already poses a threat to the newly found sense of potential democracy. And even more pressing is the idea of an amalgamation between Islam and liberalized views. Being a country that has inherently been under strict religious regulation for the last few thousand years, it is no wonder that opinions are divided. Change is terrifying but sometimes it is inevitable, especially when the views of the young contrast those of the old. Although some might argue that democracy is impossible for a country that intertwines religion and government so closely, they are forgetting that our democracy is a reinterpretation of the one used so long ago in ancient Greece. In fact, religion has long dominated politics. A religious government may in fact serve to keep the people united, especially in a time as trying as this.