Classic Rant #447 (February 17, 2011): Pyramid Scheme

This rant is going to be short but not too sweet.

Lots of people are getting excited about what happened in Egypt. Their ruler, who was to some nothing more than a dictator, was ousted in swift fashion after a 30-year rule.

People danced in the streets, and the world took notice.

Happily, the U.S. government somewhat distanced itself from this revolution, although during its final week, Washington put some pressure on the Egyptian government to ease out and allow a new government to form.

Israel, which has had a fairly decent relationship with Egypt for decades, watched and also tried to stay clear of this mess.

As I explained to others too ignorant to understand (my opinion), democracy means different things to others. We know what it means here, but overseas, democracy doesn't necessarily mean the same thing.

And that was unfortunately brought to the fore the other day, when word came out of Egypt that reporter Lara Logan was brutally assaulted by a gang of Egyptians.

Yes, in that part of the world, it appears that democracy means anarchy.

We, as a country, should watch from afar what is going on there, and let's not jump on the bandwagon that the change is necessarily a good thing.

We have had a decent relationship with Egypt, and who is to say that a more hardline government won't come into place there? And who is to say that Egypt won't change its "peaceful coexistence" stance with Israel, our one true ally in the Middle East?

And, more to your wallet, you know that the oil companies are going to seize upon what has happened over there, and what is spreading through that region, to either keep gas prices where they are or raise them even higher.

Will we then rejoice, like some dummies are doing, with what has happened over there?

And what of Lara Logan?

Democracy doesn't mean raping and pillaging, you know.

At least in the U.S.A. it doesn't.