Never Know About Tomorrow

I sit in my apartment room now, hearing the not-too-distant chanting from Tahrir. It's not as vociferous as before, perhaps the day's events are done.

In many ways, today has been much like any other. We went to our usual chicken and rice restaurant, even found some time to go to the local military museum (which, interestingly enough, is chock full of info from the revolution of the mid 60s), and generally relaxed. What is telling is the palpable difference the events of the past 24 hours have done to the Sana'ani psyche. No longer are we having to drag information out of our Yemeni friends in regards to the protest movement; instead, a few have come to us to express concern. Many people who only a short few weeks ago we were unwavering in their belief that this would all blow over are starting to have doubts. During a taxi ride to the other side of the city, it was noticeable the number of people carrying clubs and forming little street groups. Every day is a contradiction here, as is every hour and minute. Sometimes, we do feel like there is the potential for things to change. 5 minutes later, we're walking down the street under unusually cloudy skies without much of a care for anything. It is for this reason that we as foreigners are having difficult grasping the situation at hand. Certainly, it is nowhere near what I perceive as the media most likely blowing things out of proportion with 'if it bleeds, it leads' type journalism, yet hearing gunshots while standing on your rooftop at noon does give even the most ardent optimist brief pause.

It's very difficult, even while here, to get an accurate, all-encompassing understanding of Yemeni society and psychology. They are simultaneously a very warm and open people, yet with a culture steeped in tribal warfare where family revenge is most important. This dichotomy is manifested throughout all the culture, from those with their head in the proverbial sand in regards to the protests, to those who believe civil war is just a matter of time. Pinning down a Yemeni interrogatively and forcing an opinion out of him is as delicate a balancing act as any, nearly impossible. Therefore, it's very clear to my why people in the West may have whatever misconstrued idea of Yemen they envision. The true is that Yemeni society is a very complex fabric, woven with interests from all of the tribes yet struggling to rebirth itself as a modernizing nation. Caught in the crossfire is a strong-arm president who is using the same strong-arm tactics he's used for the past 30 years, students who are proud of their heritage yet eager to see Yemen realize its moderate potential, and the laymen who are simply trying to get on with their jobs undisturbed. Perhaps it is the latter category who are most caught in the crossfire, those preferring peace to more bloodshed, yet also cognisant of the possibility they may have been cheated by their government. In times like these, it isn't the extremists who decide the fate of the nation, be it the neo-revolutionaries who want change merely because they ideologically think it better, or the prohibitive, self-indulging government that is sapping the country dry of its resources. Instead, it is the everyday man who must decide between risking his short-term peace for the long-term gain of his children. The battle lines have been drawn, it's simply down to see if the Yemeni man will do something very uncharacteristic and choose an ideal over a government bribe. Tahrir Square is packed with those who are content to sit and eat chicken and chew qat, bereft of any self-pride that may induce the desire for self-advancement. These people are what has kept the country held back for so long, their complacency convincing them to be content with the status quo for another day. Governments are, by nature, expected to be self-preserving, as past history can attest to, and it is up to the people to change that. Yemen has its best, and most dangerous, chance to do so right now. Whether the ubiquitous Yemeni chewing qat while sitting on the sidewalk will remain the national image, or if he gets up and decides to change something is anyone's guess. Whether this is even for the best, in terms of the great risks it incurs, is also fodder for endless debate, yet it is apparent that Yemenis are going through a period right now that may determine their collective societal personality for a long time. In the short term, I go to bed not knowing what the government has up its sleeve for tonight, or what course tomorrow will take. But it was I who signed up for this, and I'm certainly not complaining.