The popular uprising in Egypt has been re-energized by a very powerful and emotional television interview of Wael Ghonim on Monday, February 7. Ghonim is the Google executive turned activist who was arrested by Mubarak's thugs in late January when the protests in Egypt started. He was freed on Monday.
In this stunning interview, seen by millions of Egyptians on Egypt's Dream TV, Wael passionately poured out his heart, and defended the peaceful actions of the protesters. He also fired back against the accusation made by the Mubarak regime that the protesters are nothing but traitors. His heartfelt display of patriotism convinced many Egyptians who were on the fence to join the protest movement. On Tuesday the numbers of protesters were the largest ever, and many credit Ghonim 's appearance on television the night before. The Toronto Star reports:
Watch the interview for yourself, and see Wael's honesty and passion. We should rejoice that he is not afraid nor ashamed to express raw human emotion on television. Caring deeply about people is a mark of true leadership. Let's hope that Wael finds his voice, and helps the Egyptian people win their freedom.Wael Ghonim, a 30-year-old marketing manager with Google Inc., is the sudden hero of Egypt's uprising. The man behind the Facebook campaigns that inspired millions to take to the streets on Jan. 25 was released Wednesday after spending 12 days, blindfolded, in government detention. During an interview with an Egyptian television channel Monday night, Ghonim sobbed when shown pictures of the dead. His internet-based movement was intended to be a peaceful one.
"I'm not a hero, but those who were martyred are the heroes," he said and then broke into a chant of "Mubarak, leave, leave." Although Ghonim says he "just typed on a keyboard," his charisma invigorated the crowd as he called for unity among them. Young girls clamoured to get a glimpse of him. Many called on him to run for president.
Wael Ghonim's Interview on Dream TV: Part 1. Part 2. Part 3.
