Critical perspective lacks in recent Maroon article on our evacuation from Cairo

My response to the recent article in the Maroon:

“The article provides no context for the “bigger picture” our group has been both humbled and privileged to witness. The interviews conducted were narrowly focused on the students’ personal reactions and did not inquire about our understanding of this historic event and the role we are playing in it. We have been studying the significance of this revolution, we care very much about Egypt’s present and future, and we understand that our role includes a responsibility to communicate the events in Egypt and our experience of them to the rest of the world.

“In the author’s defense, I’m sure the article was not intended to misrepresent any party or minimize important issues. Thus, I am very eager to see a response published in the Maroon.

“Each of the Cairo students is drafting a response piece, with consideration of concepts we’ve been discussing in class in the context of our experience, to help insure that the next chapter of this story will offer a more comprehensive account.”

We are writing our responses as part of our new course, “The Politics of Change in North Africa and the Middle East,” which was rapidly tailored for us in light of our circumstance and interests. We will be submitting or perhaps compiling some responses for publication in the Maroon (which apparently has already promised to publish a response piece - if they don’t, we will go to another source).

This is the third time the Maroon has misrepresented us and ignored the significance of the Egyptian Revolution. I had given up hope that they will ever do the story justice. I am planning to help communicate the events in Egypt and our experience of them to the UChicago community when I return, but I’m very glad that our professor is giving us this opportunity to address this issue now. I’m also glad, although the article was controversial and maddening, that it did generate a lot of interest in the situation.