Wael Ghonim and Egypt's New Age Revolution

(CBS News) 

This Sunday night, for the first time in more than two weeks, traffic is flowing through Cairo's Tahrir Square. In Egypt, businesses are open, university classes are back in session and a new military government rules with popular support and a promise of coming democracy.

Egypt is an ancient civilization with a youthful population - nearly two-thirds of them are 30 years old or under. Many of them are educated but unemployed and angry.

Their 18-day revolution began not with terrorism and tanks, but with Twitter and texts and satellite TV broadcasts.

This week an aging autocrat who ruled as a modern pharaoh fell victim to those weapons of the young - out-organized and outmaneuvered by social media, by kids with keyboards.

In Cairo, CBS News correspondent Harry Smith had a chance to talk with the man who emerged as the symbol of the leaderless rebellion, Google executive Wael Ghonim.

Ghonim was jailed for his Internet organizing; when he gave a live interview on satellite TV following his release, he galvanized the movement. Though he was at the center of the "new age revolution," he has no ambition for leadership, nor any way of knowing what comes next.

Segment: New Age Revolution
Extra: Revolution 2.0
Extra: Inspired By Tunisia
Extra: The 18-Day Revolution
Extra: Google Fought For Ghonim's Release
Extra: Stronger Than Mubarak

Wael Ghonim: The regime was extremely stupid. They are the ones who basically ended themselves. They kept oppressing and oppressing and oppressing and oppressing. Right after I came out of jail, I wrote a status message that we are gonna (win), because we don't understand politics, because we don't understand their nasty games. We're gonna win because our tears comes from our hearts. We're gonna win because we have a dream. We're gonna win because we're convinced that if anyone stands up in front of our dream, we're ready to die defending it.

Harry Smith: Two and a half weeks ago, when this started, did you anticipate this outcome?

Ghonim: When I went on the streets on Tuesday, on the 25th, I was like, 'Whoa, it's gonna happen.' Because the only barrier to people uprising and revolution is the psychological barrier of fear. All these regimes rely on fear. They want everyone to be scared. If you manage to break the psychological barrier, you're gonna definitely be able to do the revolution.

That wall of fear fell in the last few weeks, as hundreds of thousands of Egyptians defied their government and demanded change. Helping to lead the charge was 30-year-old Ghonim, Google's regional marketing manager for the Middle East. In his spare time, he created a Facebook page, posting information about the brutality of Egyptian police.

He was especially angered by the killing of a 28-year-old Internet activist, who was beaten to death after trying to expose police corruption.

Smith: How important is his story in what happened here in the last three weeks?

Ghonim: By the way, his name is Khalid Sayid, name translated in English into 'eternal happiness.' His photo, after being killed by those police officers made all of us cry. Made all of us, you know, because he's coming from middle class. I personally connected to him. I thought, 'This could be my brother.' You know? And I know the police in Egypt. You know, they used to act like they controlled the world. You know, they'd beat you up. You are someone basically who have no rights. So when he died I personally got deeply hurt. I decided to start fighting this regime.

Produced by Tom Anderson, Andy Court, Harry A. Radliffe II, Jeff Newton, Amjad Tadros

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[typrice]

To really understand what happened and is happening in Egypt click here:
http://66.147.244.196/~theinvio/?p=1707
http://66.147.244.196/~theinvio/?p=1813
http://66.147.244.196/~theinvio/?p=1961

[VAJoan]

I think the power of the social internet, regardless of who created it, is the story here. On one level, we have all known this to be a powerful source, but seeing a government replaced essentially peacefully was a truly amazing thing to watch unfold. In this blog post, http://******/gOZgis, I discuss some aspects of how we can look at this.

[robkev4]

It's great to see Harry Smith back in action doing substantive interviews. 60 Minutes should add Harry to the team. I, for one, would watch more often. Great job with a really important interview Harry!

[JulieNewmar1]

Your interview with Wael Ghonim was extraordinary.
Egypt is the most important event of the 21st Century.
Thank you for narrating my Biography Special.

Julie Newmar

[DSmith7088]

Wael Ghonim is this generation's Paul Revere.
He should be very proud of what he has done for his country and his country should recognize him for the hero he is.

[skepticalJM]

Yeah, the benevolent corporations "freed" Egypt! Just like they have freed the United States! Power to the Empire Makers!

Ha!

[morriswise]

Freedom is like a fire that must be fed. It is now up to the American taxpayer to make sure that the flame of Egypt`s new freedom will not go out.

[mrsherman]

You must be making a joke. If it is, it's a poor one. We're broke from forcing "democracy" on two middle-eastern nations already! Let's take care of our problems here and export our values by example instead.

[tmittelstaed]

I have only one thing to say about what Ghonim said. Ghonim said "we don't need the Western governments" However, Twitter, Google, Facebook were all AMERICAN companies. The Internet was STARTED IN AMERICA. The fact is that NONE of that, The Internet, Facebook, Google, etc. would have existed if it hadn't been for the US Government and it's support for the Internet.

The Internet was NOT created in someone's garage. It was created in a US Government research laboratory in conjunction with US research Universities. The protocols that define it were created by collaborative effort of hundreds of networking engineers - many working on the US Government's dime - and some working overseas in other countries, particularly in Japan.

Private industry did NOT create the Internet, and in fact private industry only demanded to connect to the Internet after they had tried and failed to create their own proprietary, unable-to-connect-with-each-other, networks.

So, let's have no more of this nonsense. The fact is that the US culture of openness was what did in Egypt's dictatorship. The Internet has been wildly successful in exporting that culture of openness and freedom, so much so that people like Ghonim actually believe that it's their own culture, now.

[PMaxIII]

Yes, Vint Cerf and a bud created it actually, and now, he's also a Google EVP. I met him the first time back during Desert Storm, when he gave me 1 mil voice mail boxes as an MCI VP then, so our soldiers and families could stay in touch (I'm a 6 year VN vet and 1961 pc repair school) way before Facebook and Twitter. Ironically, he's now looking at our InZeroSystems for Google security & more, as it's the ONLY 100% in the world. The kids hate it when I say that, but it's true!! If the new 'kids' all over the world can now talk online to each other, then us 'old folks' can say we passed along the way HOW we can ALL finally communicate without fear! Any language (Google translate) & any geography. Yes, we are going towards making it a better place and dropping all forms of dictators, from corps or gov'ts as I see it these days. Ghonim is a fantastic example of the world class thoughtfulness and kindness that's evolving because of that freedom, and I believe we're ALL becoming 'AMERICANS' in principal very soon! Namaste'

[LindaChapin]

First I want to thank 60 minutes for bring Harry Smith on board!
The Egyptians have spoken for there country and I hope they will bring about a government that they can live with. My fear is that it could go the other way, but as it was said the people have lost there fear.

[soonerpete]

This year I used Facebook to Google my maiden name to see if there were any others with my name. There was only one and she lives in town outside of Cairo. I asked her to become Facebook friends and we have been corresponding. She is young, like most of the country. I think most Americans are unfamiliar with Egypt and that many of the young people have studied English. They are educated but have few opportunities for employment and receive low wages, especially women. I pray that the people of Egypt will continue their demands for a democratic government, economic, political and social reforms, and that they are independently successful.