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As in Tunisia, so in Arizona. In Arizona, they say that shooting a congresswoman and killing federal judge--as well as her staffers and constituents--is not a political act. "It is the act of a madman"--as if the two were clearly and cleanly mutually exclusive. But saying that does not make it so. Saying that is itself a political act--one that calls out to be contested.
In Tunisia, a young unemployed university graduate, Mohamed Bouazizi, has his unlicensed vegetable and fruit stand confiscated by authorities. It is unclear how many times this has happened to him, but it has happened more than once. And it has happened to many more people than him, many more times than anyone can count. Surely, this is not a political matter, not a political act. It is just the way of the world. It is an administrative police matter, a code violation, nothing more. Complete routine. Unexectional. It is like a traffic stop in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles on August 11, 1965: nothing political at all.
Until the definitions are changed:
The protests were triggered by a young unemployed university graduate, Mohamed Bouazizi, who set himself aflame after his unlicensed vegetable and fruit stand was confiscated by authorities in the city of Sidi Bouzid, in central Tunisia. Bouazizi's fate resembled that of many Tunisian youths, educated but with few job opportunities before them. The dramatic and tragic image of a young man aflame shattered the myth of the 'Tunisian economic miracle' and in its own way, what little legitimacy Zine Ben Ali's rule seemed to enjoy both domestically and internationally.
In no time at all, virtually, Tunisia's social media-driven revolution spread from seemingly isolated small-town ritos to envelop the entire nation. Within a month, the mythical "economic miracle" of Tunisia has been swept away by the whirlwind. The 24-year rule of Zine Ben Ali is no more, and in its place I hear The Mighty Sparrow sing "(Wanted) Dead or Alive:"
The rule of the tyrants decline
The year, 1979
From Uganda to Nicaragua
It's bombs and bullets all the time
So they corrupt, so they vile
So it's coup after coup all the while
Human rights they violate
They thought they were too great
So in disgrace now they live in exile
Gairy is a wanted man
Idi Amin is a wanted man
Shah of Iran fighting hard to survive
He too was wanted dead or alive
Strikes, demonstrations & wars
Injustice is always the cause
Politicians turn too soon from
poor people into tycoons
Corruption must bring horrors
South African Vorster resign in disgrace
Muzurewa take away Ian Smith place
The Uganda devil was easily cat straddled
Beaten up and chased, what a waste.
Gairy is a wanted man
Patrick John is a wanted Man
The Shah of Iran fighting hard to survive
He too is wanted dead or alive
The Shah have a short time to live
Because the Ayatollah don't forgive
When you see church ruling state
With pure vengeance and hate
Situation must be explosive
General Somoza from Nicaragua
Thought it was easy with the Sandanista
With the help of Venezuela, Panama and Cuba
They kick him straight to America
Gairy is a wanted man
Bokassa is a wanted man
Ali Bhutto tried so hard to survive
He too was wanted dead or alive.
Grenadian Mongoose was bad and so brave
They send the old Bishop straight to his grave
After that, well Gairy skip town
With his diary and him obeah gown
No more people to enslave
Trinidad neighbours all expecting mayhem
Anytime anything could happen to them
Eric Williams taking a back seat to avoid banana
but everyone know he 'fraid Carl
Gairy is a wanted man
Park Chung Hee was a wanted man
Achempong tried so hard to survive
He too was wanted dead or alive.
But it only happened because--starting with one man, Mohamed Bouazizi--the people of Tunisia questioned the handed-down definition of what was political and what was not. The very essence of democracy is that we all get to define what is political, and what, if anything, is not.
If we do not define it for ourselves, then others will define it for us.
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