Today’s story on CNN about protests in Egypt describes them as “an unprecedented display of anti-government rage.” It further ascribes the rage to similar anti-government tumult in nearby Tunisia. I would also offer the influence of last week’s referendum in neighboring Sudan, which had roughly 99% of southern residents of that nation demanding independence from the northern half. What is going on in Northern Africa?
Couple these events with our own recent shootings, and I would say we have plenty of evidence of anti-government rage right here at home. Although the pundits continue to speculate on the motives behind the Tuscon rampage of Jared Loughner, and the shooting of four police officers in Detroit by Lamar Moore, I can think of no better way to characterize these actions. We continue to live in interesting times. The question is, are they getting more interesting? I think I can certainly make the argument that the trend has not decreased. But are these stories becoming more prevalent?
I have no empirical evidence to offer, but as I think back to stories from the past nine months or so, the incidents seem to be increasingly common to me, at least anecdotally. When you consider the sometimes violent reactions to austerity measures in place like England, Ireland, and, most dramatically, Greece, even Europe is not immune to the anti-government sentiments. Are we headed towards some kind of global crescendo? It is starting to feel like it.
[Update Feb 3, 2011] More dominoes are now wobbling, as anti-government protests have spread to Yemen, Albania, and even Moscow.