Egypt, The New World Order, and Grassroots Leadership

It's not very often world power dynamics shift like they did today. The overthrow of the Shah in Iran was one instance, the fall of the Soviet Union another, and now hundreds of thousands of loosely affiliated Egyptians took to the streets of the cradle of civilization to force a 30 year dictator to step out of office. All of this occurred despite the "established" countries of the world trying to hew a close line that balanced their desire for "national security" (ie the status quo comfort of a lack luster enemy) and their stated desires for democracy.

For all intents and purposes, no one knows what a post-Mubarak Middle East will look like. As a stalwart secularist, Egypt was the first nation to declare peace with Israel. As a result, billions of dollars in aid and foreign trade poured into Egypt and Israel could reduce it's own military spending. Egypt also acted as a mediator and go-between for Israel, the United States, Hamas, and the multitude of other actors that engage in conflict in the region. They provided intelligence, military support, and assisted in developing the Palestinian State.

They also brutally repressed their people. Egypt intentionally pushed Muslim Brotherhood fighters into Gaza so that they wouldn't wage war on the regime. They were also one of the major recipients of "exported" terrorists in the infamous CIA rendition program.

In other words, Egypt represented a major entrenched interest for the Western World and a strong proponent of the Status Quo.

So, why do I bring this up in a blog about leadership, fraternity life and higher education? I bring it up because Egypt is a symbol of what happens when your stated values are radically and intentionally different from your actions and that no matter how scary change may seem, fighting for the status quo only degrades any individual, organization, or institution.

If you're unhappy with the way you, your chapter, your school (or any other group is run) consider for a moment the bravery exhibited by the citizens of Egypt. Think of the Berliners during the fall of East Germany. Think of the Ukrainians, the Goergians, and the Russians, all of whom fought against the status quo to reassert their committment to democracy and government for all, not just the select few. Think of the secret police organizations in Iran or Latin America, in Egypt, and Russia as they fought tirelessly to protect the entrenched interest. Think of the students who, in every revolution (be it soft such as the post soviet regimes or at the time of the destruction of the Berlin Wall or violent such as in Iran) were the fore front of the conflict against those entrenched interests. They utilized new technologies and gave up what comfort they had in their lives to go toe to toe with armies and police reputed to be the most vicious the world had ever seen. They did it all because they fundamentally believed that their governments were lying and held money and power to be more important then their citizens.

Think of a moment of all of the things you could do to change the status quo and, relatively speaking, what you are not doing to change.

If you or your organization cannot show how actions align with public declerations, then don't despair. It just means you have to and can take the lead in making a difference. True, change is difficult and the results aren't always pretty or what you had in mind, but change is about progress and committing yourself to not taking the easy way out. It means wanting excellence even when you're struggling with the bare minimum.

Fraternities and Sororities have a built in value system not found in many other organizations. We're respected when we align our actions with our values. But so often I hear that "campus climate" won't let us (stop drinking, stop hazing, stop being disrespectful of others). News flash for you, I'm pretty sure the secret police in Egypt weren't too fond of public rallies calling for the ousting of Hosni Mubarak either. Change, lasting change at any rate, almost never comes from the top down. It comes the other way around as individuals get fed up and aren't satisfied with the bare minimum.

Perfection doesn't come in a day but someone at some point had to say something has to change. If brotherhood is about being honest with each other then it must involve being honest with others because there are, if nothing else, future brothers waiting to join with you.

As Ralph "Dud" Daniel, a founding father of his chapter and the Executive Director Emeritus of the Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity once said -

"Let's be what we say we are, a fraternity, not a club, run by men, not boys, based on ideals, not expediency."