A Blog by the Editor of The Middle East Journal

Putting Middle Eastern Events in Cultural and Historical Context

Monday, September 23, 2013

Egyptian Farmer Arrested for Labeling His Donkey "Al-Sisi"

This story would seem to imply that despite the recent proliferation of Sisi sandwiches and other things  (recently, Sisi chocolates have been reported as well), perhaps not everyone is drinking the Sisi brand Kool-Aid(TM)?

Longtime readers may recall that back in the SCAF era, a Member of Parliament quoted a folk saying, "we let the donkey get away while holding on to the saddle" (نترك الحمار ونمسك بالبردعة). He was accused of calling Field Marshal al-Tantawi, Sisi's predecessor, a donkey, though he hadn't really done so exactly. (And the accusation got more publicity than the original quote, just as I imagine this photo would not have gone around the world if the man had not been arrested.)

Himar (donkey) is a standard insult in Egypt.

UPDATED: I just noted the donkey has a sidearm.

1 comment:

J. Jackson said...

Well, at least he didn't have a dog.