"As the Brotherhood continue to break their promises, the people themselves will [begin to] understand." http://goo.gl/ZJfqx #Egypt
In Egypt, young revolutionaries feeling despair
Los Angeles Times 
An Egyptian couple sit under a bridge in Cairo. Some young Egyptians say they are considering leaving the country because they are dismayed by postrevolutionary events. (Nasser Nasser, Associated Press / December 27, 2012)
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CAIRO — Many of Egypt's twentysomething generation, hungry for a just society and economic opportunities, say they see themselves as lost after last month's clashes over the nation's constitution.
Young Egyptians like artist Mahmoud Aly and student Mohamed Abdelhamid were shock troops of the revolution. They gathered in the streets in February 2011 and shouted for then-President Hosni Mubarak to go. They cheered in amazement when he did.
But they look around now and wonder who, if anyone, is guarding their interests following the battle between ruling Islamists and the liberal opposition.
Aly, whose ripped-up jeans are often marked with the paint he uses to draw political images across the sidewalks and public buildings in the coastal city of Alexandria, said the current government does not represent him or his friends and family. He lost faith after President Mohamed Morsi and his supporters in the Muslim Brotherhood pushed through an Islamist-drafted constitution in December, ignoring the objections of many Egyptians.
Abdelhamid, a university student in Cairo who marched for the opposition last month, believes that the new rulers will do little for people like him.
Despair like theirs could be dangerous for the Islamists, who risk alienating the larger population with heavy-handed measures, and also the opposition, which may be adept at protests but is unable to offer a compelling vision for governing or mobilizing grass-roots followers at the polls.
"This way of politics cannot lead to stability," said Ammar Ali Hassan, a prominent political sociologist and writer who estimates that 60% of Egypt's 82 million people are under 40. "Nobody will be able to create another authoritarian regime, and nobody will be able to remain in power for long without reaching out to the youth."
Aly has produced vibrant graffiti to convey his message of freedom. His work depicts young protesters confronting the country's leadership, dominated by the Muslim Brotherhood and ultraconservative Salafist movements. Through his work, Aly hopes to help promote political awareness and youth empowerment.
"When people see my work, I do not want them to accept my point of view, I just want them to think," he said. "Maybe I am wrong and so is my message, but I let people think and make their own decision."
