An NPR correspondent (Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson, I believe) had to make her way this morning to a land line in Cairo, Egypt to phone in her update after all internet, cell phone and satellite phone signals had been cut off or jammed by the Egyptian government. Egypt is currently experiencing its largest popular protests in 30 years.
She described the one protest she had witnessed as growing to 10,000 – 20,000 protesters after Friday prayers, in which the imam had supported the peoples’ right to protest but called for peaceful, non-violent demonstrations. The correspondent noted this as significant, given the role of imams in the governing structure of Egypt.
It is being widely reported that the police are using rubber bullets, water cannons and tear gas to disperse crowds, and this particular journalist herself had been affected. Apparently many Egyptian citizens not protesting themselves are driving around Cairo, offering rides to those who look afflicted by tear gas. One such young man, who said he does not “have the lungs for it,” was driving around throwing eggs at police and gave her a ride to a land line.
Nelson reported that the police were using so much tear gas, it “spread across the neighborhood and some people were ‘fainting on the streets’.” In fact, Nobel Peace laureate Mohamed ElBaradei, who had returned to Cairo for the protests was “soaked by water cannon and forced to take refuge in a mosque,” according to an AP report, and according to The Telegraph, UK, is now being held by authorities.
The Telegraph also reports, “For the first time, his government has expressed its willingness to enter into “dialogue” with the opposition. But it has also warned or dire consequences for anyone participating in the protests.”
Those warnings do not seem to be diminishing citizen involvement, however. Guardian reporter Jack Shenker commented on Democracy Now! yesterday that the “fear barrier seems to have been broken. These are sort of middle-class people who are generally enjoying quite a comfortable standard of living… They’ve got a lot to lose, and yet they’re still being motivated to come out, to be beaten, to be hit by water cannons, to be carried off into the desert,” he says. “There’s so much energy and so much momentum behind what’s going on…”
Beginning with Tunisia and continuing in Egypt and Yemen, it seems a match has been struck in the middle east that will not easily be blown out, at least not before some political restructuring.
Yesterday in Yemen, thousands of people are demonstrated against President Ali Abdullah Saleh in the capital Sana’a for the second time in less than a week. The demonstrations appear to be the largest ever to directly oppose Saleh’s three-decade leadership. Saleh has been an important U.S. ally in the Middle East, as has Egypt’s Mubarak. According to Democracy Now!, “classified U.S. Department of State cables released by WikiLeaks show the United States and Saleh have covered up the use of U.S. warplanes to bomb Yemen.”
Graffiti,
Consider the plight of poor Juno. Last month during the lunar eclipse she was opposed by Uranus (exactly) and Jupiter. She was squared exactly by Mercury retro who was conjunct the Sun and opposed the Moon. Even the nodes squared her and Pallas too. Even Chiron and Neptune were quincunx her. It was all very irritating and of course being a lunar eclipse, it was all very emotional.
Early this month Venus in Scorpio was very supportive by sextile to Juno and Mars trined her as he headed out of Capricorn, but Mercury, having turned direct came back to square Juno again.
Juno had had enough. She went retrograde herself on the 19th and even the Sun trined a blessing to her. But the very next day her hubby Jupiter opposed her again, as he is wont to do. Yesterday (Thursday) as Vesta stoked up her fire to the break-point, she sextiled a message to Chiron, then squared Juno with a full fiery blast. Tomorrow (now today. Saturday) Chiron will quincunx Juno again (ouch) provoking her to do what? Juno will fight for fairness wherever she sees those who can’t fight for themselves. Being in Virgo, perhaps she will influence the Egyptian army in an attempt to be of service to the people of that country.
Well, I can tell you this much. Uranus will parallel Juno on Feb. 1 and maybe we will get a surprise. On Feb 2, the Aquarius New Moon will conjunct Mars on one side and Ceres on the other side, while Mercury trines Juno and Venus squares her and Uranus will still be opposing her. Fortunately for Juno, Jupiter will have moved on a little way, but Vesta will be breathing a fiery square at him now, along with the nodes, and with Pluto’s approval who’s only a mere 4 degrees away. Looks like most all the gods and goddesses have a bone to pick or a score to settle. Even Saturn seems content to let the New Moon team do it the Aquarian way, with Pallas challenging him in a square from Capricorn.
Whatever the Sun, Moon, Mars, Ceres team has planned, only the Groundhog knows. The rest of us will have to wait and see I guess.
be
There is one other thing about the astrology here. This separate comment is posted with caution and not a little trepidation. One cannot ignore synchronicity, however, which sometime speaks in strange and stangely straightforward ways. Two words: the Moon.
GraffitiGram: i would agree with Eric that all of this synchronizes with Uranus square Pluto. i would even agree with the “pure” part. Yes, there are other factors such as Jupiter now under the disposition of Mars. Also Chiron on the anarectic degree of Aquarius. Those add some informative detail but it is best not to lose focus on the big cardinal square with a long-lasting effect.
Fe: Excellent and precisely concise analysis, thank you. Your use of the term “something is up” is every bit as important as Eric’s use of the word “pure”. Yes, something is indeed up and that’s where Neptune chasing Chiron comes in.
When Al baredei says Mubarak must step down, and our Sec State says we support the democratic wishes of the Egyptian people, and the army is supporting the people , something is up and Mubarak is toast. The problem is if he falls, what type of military guy could make the most of the opportunity and Egypt ends up with something they want even less.
I hope to see some good postings on Planet Waves about the astrology of the Egyptian protests.
This is sacred spirit, that should be supported. Thrilling live continuous coverage on Al Jazeera English:
http://english.aljazeera.net/watch_now/
this is from an email from FreePress.net:
i don’t know that i’d call it shocking, given that corporate interests seem not to be concerned with freedom of speech so much as freedom of profits. but interesting to get info on a specific company involved. len and carol van strum mentioned the likelihood of US-supplied technology in emails over the last couple days.
Here is a blog post I ran across last night which gives a good timeline of significant events in the development of this revolt:
http://promotingpeace.tumblr.com/post/2969260999
couple of nice photos here too.
Include Jordan too. they are also protesting. http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/01/2011128125157509196.html
It is a flashfire across the Arab world. I only hope there are no (or little) casualties and the museums and antiquities are spared. Unfortunately, I heard that some have died already. Damn. I feel a sense of energy and excitement mixed with a sense of forboding and devastation over the loss of life. Uranus square Pluto indeed.
Real time Egypt streaming video, courtesy of Al Jazeera English: http://english.aljazeera.net/watch_now/
I am affected deeper than I thought because I have lived among Arabs, eaten with them, married one (long ago), loved them, and felt like a soul-kindred with their passionate desert cultures. They used to tell me I am an Arab in my heart because of my passionate nature.
:::sigh::: This is progress but at such cost.
I would say this is pure, unadulterated Uranus square Pluto.