Hi Barrett.

A lot has happened since I last spoke to you.  We've progressed
beyond standing on the streets and travelling in groups etc.

Not sure if you saw, but I was involved in some joint letters
regarding the actual confrontation, mainly to get ideas out
there.  You can see them here:

http://mutazilah.org/tunisia.htm

(some linked to anonnews)

But we're beyond the physical confrontation too.  On the same
page you can see what I had in mind for winning the political debate.

But we're largely beyond that too!!! Egypt has entered the picture.
And that's a tougher political battle to fight.

I have constructed a board with what I have in mind for that, but
it's also "just a thought" to get the perspective out there.

I'm pretty sure we come from diametrically opposed perspectives.

However, we do have a common cause in Tunisia, and I assume
Egypt too.

As such, perhaps we need to give two (or maybe several?) worldviews
documented to the maximum accuracy possible, even if they are
opposites?

Perhaps if Egyptians etc vote along perspective lines rather than mutually
agreed lies, it will produce a better result?

One thing I noticed when I was writing those letters in piratepad with
Anons was that they were able to point out things that I had said that
were controversial that I didn't even know (ie was inherently blind to)
were disputed.  Obviously I have no way of knowing for sure, but
perhaps that allowed a meme to reach Tunisians that it otherwise
wouldn't have reached.

I really have no idea what, if any, political impact is possible. But what
I do know is that there are Egyptians (e.g. Sandmonkey and BP) who are
virtually clones of me (or me them), and the political debate they have
with their countrymen is very similar to what happens outside, so we
can basically continue the fight on the street or whatever.  Just a though.
Here's what I've come up with:

http://forums.mutazilah.org

You can see in the "egypt" forum that someone challenged some of
my information, and we both recognized the supremacy of science to
resolve.  But debate at that level helps weed out technical inaccuracies.

Perhaps if the major western worldviews are accurately documented,
an Egyptian Osama Bin Laden can add his worldview that ends with
"and then we genocide all Copts" and it will be easier for Egyptians
to identify with one of the worldviews that doesn't end with that? ie
simplify politics so that people have to deliberately choose "genocide
Copts" rather than inadvertently tick "Muslim Brotherhood since I'm
a Muslim myself"?

Here's a link from someone else similarly looking for a strategy for liberal democracy ...

http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/will-the-muslim-brotherhood-rule-egypt/

These stats also reveal a possible strategy by the Brotherhood’s domestic opponents and the West. The key is to dispel the notion that the Brotherhood is a democratic group as nearly 70 percent believe, particularly by pointing to its own doctrine and tying it to Hamas and Iran. Its commitment to elections and political freedoms must be brought into question. ElBaradei’s affection for Iran and allegations that his campaign received Iranian financing must also become a part of this narrative.

Their opponents need to also make the case that the Brotherhood’s primary concern is Sharia and that the group is not qualified to manage the economy. It must be stated that a radical agenda will inhibit foreign investment, tourism, and economic improvements. A Western threat to cut off all aid if the peace treaty with Israel is abrogated can underscore these points. These lines of attack would play upon the Egyptians’ nationalism, fear of Islamic extremism, longing for democracy, and desire for modernization.

It is also critical that broad freedoms are immediately granted to allow the Brotherhood’s domestic rivals to play catch up to its decades-long head start in organizing, offer alternative ideas, and, most importantly, put it on the defensive. The West can provide aid in preparing for a democratic transition and elections as it does in other countries and focus these efforts on making the entire country as competitive as possible for the contesting parties.

It is foolish to think Egypt will become the Arab equivalent of Israel towards the West, but it doesn’t have to become the next Gaza Strip or Lebanon either.

BFN.  Paul.






-----Original Message----- From: Barrett Brown
Sent: Wednesday, January 19, 2011 11:12 AM
To: Paul Edwards
Subject: Re: free tunisia

Thanks for getting in touch and for offering your input. I agree with you on this.

Take a look at this and let me know what you'd like to do specifically.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/1/18/937219/-Lets-help-Tunisia-achieve-liberty


On Mon, Jan 17, 2011 at 6:01 AM, Paul Edwards <mutazilah@gmail.com> wrote:
Hello.  I saw your post on Daily Kos via a link from Anonymous.

Your message asked for people who wished to assist Tunisia
to contact you, so here I am.

I'm from Australia and have no actual relation to Tunisia other
than we apparently both oppose dictatorship.

Note that I think to secure victory in Tunisia the concentration
needs to be on replacing the dictator-linked politicians with
technocrats.  Otherwise there is a very good chance we will
just see one dictator replace another dictator (e.g. Iran 1979).

BFN.  Paul.





--
Regards,

Barrett Brown
512-560-2302