Glenn Beck History Lessons: Faulty Opinions on Egypt Uprising

Glenn Beck told Bill O'Reilly the uprising in Egypt is extremist led and part of the jihadist movement, but Middle Eastern history and politics do not back this up, even as recalled of an expert's opinions on Egypt decades ago.

Years ago in 1961, Noury Alkhaledy spoke to students at Portland State Colllege, in a small cafeteria klatch, about Egypt's issues. He had at one time between the head of the opposition against Gamel Abdul Nassar, leaving the country and beginning a new life in America after losing the battle to gain political control in his country. What he said makes sense in the state of affairs in Egypt right now, that Egypt has distinct background from other countries that might make rebellion not what Glenn Beck claims, but a unique posture for Islamic democracy in some of the better ways possible.

Beck declarations to O'Reilly focused not on the complexities of Islam nor the fact that for the most part the seeming revolt appears peaceful. Instead, as the Huffington Post showed on its video of the occasion, Beck said he was sure that the uprising "is being orchestrated by the Marxist Communists and the Muslim Brotherhood,." To his credit, according to HP, O'Reilly is said to be skeptical when Beck further explained the fall of the Egyptian government might signal return to a caliphate form of government. Beck's emphasis was on America's interest, but in a selective way, when he said, "We have to stand for something," he said. "[Mubarak] is torturing people with our money!"

The professor from years ago, Dr. Al-Khaledy, had a point of view significantly different than Beck, as I recall, being one of those students at the table that time. What he said was this, as I paraphrase now, "Egypt is tired of rule by royalty. It hungers for democracy. One day that is what will happen. It will likely not be long. There are tenets within the better parts of Islam that can guide democratic government, not in the ways Westerners believe, but nevertheless that can work."

Those words echo during the events being played out in the Middle East right now. Al-Khaledy, was open to Western ways of living, making his way in America in the 1960's and having to redo his doctoral degree in order to have accepted education to teach in U.S. universities. But he also had the wide view that encapsulated Islam in the long-range view of history as well.

For Islam focuses on community needs, while highlighting individual responsibility, as historians say. It highlights being a good neighbor, at least in the dominant ways. The worst that can happen, in situations like the movements occurring now in the Middle East, is that extremist groups, that also can gain the upper hand in other places in the world, might gain the upper hand because of chaos, experts tell us. That, however, is not necessarily a real avenue of change sought by most of the people, as Al-Khaledy explained decades ago, that Glenn Beck maintains in his statements to O'Reilly on this.

Dr. Al-Khaledy is likely no longer around. He was nearly 50 at the time he talked to his history students so many years ago. Who knows what he might think were he here today about the uprising in Egypt? But in memories still fresh of a fine, loving man, it is likely he wouldn't support Beck's declarations, even as many Middle East commentators and others don't either right now.

References

Glen Beck To O'Reilly: Egypt Uprising Led by Communists, Jihadists
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/01/glenn-beck-oreilly-egypt-communists_n_816761.html
The Huffington Post

Adil Salahi
Importance of good-neighbourliness
http://www.islamawareness.net/Neighbours/neighbourliness.html
Islam Awareness.net