#nottwominutes: The Problem with Words

I always feel sorry for words- we make them cheap, expensive, world-changing, out of context, perfect, offensive, loving, critical… words must have a huge identity crisis with all the ways they are used. Poor words…

Words can get you in trouble- for instance for writing lyrics that oppose an oppressive regime, or saying something that scares those in positions of power. They can get you beaten up and thrown in prison. And then, most of the time, all other people have left are words of protest.

Galal El-Behairy wrote lyrics for the song "Balaha" (The date) by Rami Essam and was beaten, tortured and imprisoned for those words. They are critical and somewhat insulting, but throwing someone in jail for their words is to criminalise self-expression.

A government has more than words at their disposal to silence dissent. Making use of those powers in such a fashion goes against so many articles of the human rights convention that it is linked for you to make your mind up about which ones this kind of action breaks.

This is not an individual case- Human Rights Watch details numerous cases of abuse, imprisonment and infringement of basic rights that should be self-evident. I've grown weary, trying to count all the names.

If you feel there is something you can do about this, do. If not, there is at least one petition to sign. I'm not a fan, but sometimes, voicing protest is all you can do.

Failing that, more words.

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