Special words from the Ennahda Email Leaks

I have been reading some of the emails belonging to Ennahda's Secretary General, leaked by Anonymous. Generally, the emails show an incredible level of organisation, planning and awareness that is simply staggering. While skimming through the emails, I found this one email by someone called Tayyeb B., titled "An Idea." The email is short, and I share the contents in their entirety below.

When we say this is a "doctor" or a "lawyer" or a "professor " or an "engineer", we understand that because there are colleges and schools and institutions that hand out these certificates for those who deserve and earn them. And when we say this man has a license/certificate for "driving" or "haircutting" or "trade", we understand that because there are authorities which licence and testify to that. But when someone says he is a "democrat" or a "modernist" or.... how can he prove these descriptions fit him? Then, how could he deny these descriptions from others, especially his political rivals????? There is no university or power or authority that could give the "modernist" or the 'democrat" these descriptions except the people through their voting for or against him, and through his own works; does he respect the people and their choices and their freedoms and the freedoms of others, and does he accept them winners or defeated? As for my own opinion, I say let us forget about dead ideology (this is a secularist, and this is an islamist, and this is a modernist, and this is a leftist, and this a democrat), for we are all democrats, being the original state. And he who claims otherwise must bear the burden of proving his claim. Come to a fair and just speech, that all of us contribute in making Tunisia march its steps forward and progress on all sides and fronts. The essence of democracy, the revolving representation of the people in the conduct of its public and general affairs and interest, rules for exchange and alternation of power, the transformation of majorities into political minorities, and the transformation of political minorities into majorities. But only - but only - but only through work, seriousness, and convincing programs for the voting peoples, not through cursing and foul language, the obstruction of the efforts, the doubting and the incitement against the majority.

Here is the original Arabic:

 عندما نقول هذا "طبيب" أو "محام" أو "أستاذ" أو "مهندس" نفهم ذلك لأنه ثمة جامعات ومدارس ومؤسسات تسلم هذه الشهائد لمن يستحقها. وعندما نقول هذا له رخصة/شهادة " سياقة" أو "حلاقة" او "تجارة" نفهم ذلك لأنه ثمة جهات ترخص وتشهد بذلك. ولكن عندما يقول أحدهم انه "ديمقراطي" أو "حداثي"  أو.... كيف له أن يثبت لنفسه هذه الأوصاف. ثم كيف يمكن له ان يحجب هذه الأوصاف عن غيره وخاصة خصومه السياسيين؟؟؟؟؟ ليس ثمة من جامعة ولا سلطة و لا هيئة تسطيع أن تمنح " الحداثي" او "الديمقراطي" هذه الأوصاف غير الشعب عبر تصويته له أو ضده وغير أعماله هل يحترم الشعب واختياره وحرياته وحريات غيره ويقبل بهم منتصرين أم منهزمين. اما رأيي الشخصي فأقول دعونا من الإديولوجيا الميتة ( هذا علماني و هذا اسلامي و هذا حداثي وهذا يساري وهذا ديمقراطي) فكلنا ديمقراطيون، وهو الأصل، ومن ادعى خلاف ذلك على غيره فعليه عبئ اثبات دعواه. تعالو الى كلمة سواء ان نسهم جميعا في تتقدم تونس خطوات الى الأمام وعلى كل الجبهات. جوهر الديمقراطية، النيابة الدورية عن الشعب في تسيير شأنه العام، تقضي بالتداول وتحول الأغلبيات الى أقليات سياسية و تحول الأقليات السياسية الى أغلبيات و لكن ولكن ولكن عبر العمل والجد والبرامج المقنعة للشعب الناخب لا عبر السب و الشتم و التعويق والتشكيك و التحريض على الأغلبية.

Interesting words. However, they would have been better without the reference to incitement "against the majority" at the end.

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