Difficult times encourage patriotism, hope
During the many hours I spent in Cairo following the recent protests, the appearance and the opinions of the protestors surprised me more than anything else. Citizens of Cairo are generally very down-to-earth, easygoing people with a great sense of humor, and this mood was evident during the protests, despite the harsh conditions. I was also surprised at the lack of animosity the protestors displayed towards the United States in light of the support and aid the U.S. has given to Hosni Mubarak’s regime in the past. Every time I got into a taxi, the driver could not wait to give me his opinion of American politics — which generally boiled down to “Bush: Bad, Carter: Good” — and assure me that he still liked America and wanted to travel to or live here someday.