Democracy and Medals

An American science-fiction movie tells the story of a spaceship that sends some “experts” to subdue an American town as a prelude to taking over the world. The invaders from space intend to subdue the town by injecting into the human beings a drug that spreads to all body cells, preserving their intelligence but transforming them into robot-like beings controlled by electronic signals from the aliens’ command center. The first task of every person injected is to recruit his wife, kids, and friends.

In this science-fiction horror movie, we see how individuals begin spying on their relatives and friends and sending regular reports to their masters. The irony is that the town maintains the appearance of stability and civilization and democratic elections are held despite the predetermined results.

As one follows the movie, a comparison of events on the screen and reality leads to a sense of astonishment and fear. In our world, regimes do not inject people with a drug, but skillfully subdue their subjects. People just looking out for their livelihood are controlled by rulers who threaten their life means. If this is not enough, then the regime uses wealth or status to command its subjects.

Thus, intellectuals, human rights activist, and key opposition figures are into ministerial posts, co-opted under the justification of “building from within.” Then people see yesterday’s symbols of justice and conscience as today’s decorated ministers and defenders of the regime.

We hear stories of university professors trapped between losing their promotion or paying homage to the regime; of the Dean who remains close to the regime regardless of any academic, scientific, or cultural considerations. A professor in an Arab university told me that, under threat of being dismissed, arrested, or charged with plotting a coup, he is prohibited from speaking to the President of the University because the administration found out that he brings up political matters in his conversations.

Another professor told me that his students write reports of his “political corruption”, his sympathy with the opposition. Another that he could talk politics only in the street because the state security used the automatic memory in his fax machine as proof of his writings and correspondence critical of the regime. A writer once told me that the “system” confronted him with pictures and recordings of a relationship he had with a lady. Afterwards, he dutifully wrote his reports and stopped talking about politics for fear of a scandal.

Nonetheless, the masses in the Arab world go to the ballot boxes every few years and cast their votes in presidential and parliamentary elections with all the hype. Simultaneously, prison cells fill with opposition figures and free thinkers.

At the end of the movie, the hero is the only one who has not been drugged. He discovers a bomb that can destroy a whole town. The movie ends with our hero approaching the control panel to launch the bomb.