The resignation of Hosni Mubarak and the deafening sound of celebration in Egypt (via the Guardian).
Egypt. A victory for peaceful protest (even though they had to fight off attacks).
Going forward, things will not be easy, but for today, euphoria. Will Wilkinson has an excellent essay, in which he puts aside his natural skepticism for a little while:
It is impossible, for me at least, to watch the crowds in Egypt, overjoyed at Hosni Mubarak’s hotly-desired resignation, with dry eyes and an unclenched throat. … Whatever the future holds, there will be disappointment, at best. But there is always disappointment. Today, there is joy.
–Will Wilkinson (2011) Egypt’s Euphoria
Fireworks are necessary:
The singing (via NY Times) before Mubarak’s resignation:
And after:
To be liberated is one thing, but to earn your freedom is fundamentally at another order of magnitude.