What a Week

As weeks go, this last one was amazing. And, no, we are not referring to a certain football game, botched national anthem, an endearing Darth Vader commercial, Chrysler's moving tribute to Detroit or how the television profanity police somehow overlooked a certain MINI ad. (Do tell us, though, why the NFL halftime producers insist year after year on people feigning spontaneous enthusiasm for and 'dancing' at the feet of whichever band they've hired for the Big Show. Those dancers, if you dare to look closely, could be the children -- or grandchildren -- of the band. NFL: Forget bands at halftime. Go with Frisbee-catching dogs instead. Please.)

No, we're not talking Super Bowl. We're talking something much more powerful, something truly historic. Something we may never again see in our lifetime. We're talking two successful fights for freedom. We're talking Egypt and the birth of South Sudan.

Let's begin in Cairo's Tahrir Square (shown here before and during the demonstrations), where tens of thousands came together largely peacefully and in a mere 18 days -- 18 days! -- toppled the 30-year regime of Hosni Mubarak. An event of astounding proportion.

A number of elements stand out for us, including:

• The relative lack of bloodshed

• The army providing safety to the protesters

• Mubarak's eventual resignation from office, and

• The controlled, Army-led, constitutionally-defined deconstruction of the government.

As revolutions go, this one has to find its way into the all-time top 10. A 30-year regime deposed peacefully in 18 days. And while the comparison may not be completely fair, it took millions of people in dozens of marches and protests over too many years to accelerate our country's departure from Vietnam. (To be fair, it may have been the North Vietnamese who, more than the protesters, hastened our withdrawal from their civil war. Even so, we'd like to think the millions of protesters had something, anything, to do with the end of that war.)

In Egypt, no bloodbath. No destruction. No pitched battles (though Mubarak's supporters certainly tried). No body counts. Eighteen days. A dictator ousted. In the Middle East. Who could have possibly seen this coming?

What moved us though, truly moved us, was not the speed or success of the Tahrir Square protest. Instead, what captured our imagination and our heart was the passion and commitment the Egyptians showed for a free Egypt. Risking everything to be free. Taking the streets to demand the right to live life unencumbered by an all-controlling regime. Coming together to create an Egypt in their image, one that might fulfill their dreams. As a people. This is what moved us.

While we're watching football and a goofy halftime show they were in the streets demonstrating for and winning a free Egypt. Not a fair comparison, to be sure, but a comparison nevertheless.

The road for the Egyptians will be a long and arduous one. The consolidation of power under the military, the disbanding of Parliament, the suspension of their Constitution and elections in six months. Opportunity for disaster at every turn. Yet, we at TJOW offer our respect from afar for the courage exhibited by those who risked it all for a free homeland. You've taught the world what shared passion and commitment can accomplish. Please keep teaching, as this is a lesson we've not yet mastered.

Also last week, a referendum for freedom was held in Sudan and the result will be the globe's newest country. Another astounding story of courage and conviction. With 98.8% of the region's 4 million inhabitants voting in favor of secession, people in the southern portion of this civil war-torn land stood up, stood together, and declared their desire to govern themselves, to live in peace. And in July their dream will be realized: South Sudan.

Another people risking it all for freedom, here in the face of on-going brutality and near-incomprehensible murder and destruction.

In many ways, the events observed in southern Sudan are even more monumental than those witnessed in Egypt. While the Egyptians were fighting for freedom, the Sudanese were fighting for their very lives, and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Their public referendum to secede from the country came after years of unimaginable, systematic slaughter -- bloodshed that hasn't ceased following the vote. (Darfur is only part of the story.) The ability of the south Sudanese to stand together with courage, determination, and perseverance in the face of death is awe inspiring and a lesson for us all. We at TJOW applaud you.

South Sudan. Proudly coming to a map near you in July.

[Interested in the plight of the Sudanese? Consider Dave Eggers brilliant 2007 book, What Is The What, the autobiography of Valentino Achak Deng and his walk across southern Sudan to safety. Read it. You won't forget it.]

An amazing week. People standing together in large numbers -- some in the face of violence -- to win what they'd never win on their own. Courage, passion and new-found freedom nearly everywhere you look. Maybe we're on a roll.