A Long Tweet

This was supposed to be an SOS to some close-to-the-regime tweeps but brevity is not an easy skill

Let’s assume that this tweet is sent to@aymanHsafadi who seems to be a willing-to-engage guy who despite being (maybe was) an insider seems to keep his cliches to a minimum (kind of) and may pass this message along. Any other official online can also passes it, if he sees any worthy substance in it.

So let’s ignore all the noise. We are aware by now that reform in Jordan is unfeasible. The regime has been built on the status-quo since 1958 with cosmetic changes during the times of crisis. There is no reform, no change, no nothing. Too many beneficiaries, too much authority with zero responsibilities and too little pressure to challenge it. The whole reform movement is all about better distribution of crumbs trickling down from the palace and its contractors, and even with the best intentions in mind, the whole reform movement is about exerting this minute pressure to slightly increase the crumbs and maybe speed up the inevitable cosmetic changes.

However with that said, it would be catastrophic to see the so-called reform process lead to a regression in the situation. Even the pathetic and regressive social contract that we have with the leadership is being breached. Jordan’s regime sold itself to us as the protector of stability and security. The tired cliché of “amn wa aman”which made the strongest reform and even change enthusiast get occasional second thoughts about the worse alternatives. But over the last few months things have been changing.

The feeling of lawlessness. People waving knives and swords in public under the watch (and the protection) of police forces. The wide spread of guns and automatic rifles documented on you tube. The blatant mobilization of people against each other, are all signs that the social contract (as flawed as it is) is being breached. Which is simple scary, and it is practically another official regime-sponsored call for the famous “put up or give up” also known as “love it or leave it”. Again it is scary and it is a call for a regression to a stage to a much more retarded situation than the "we-are-kind-of-content-with" status quo. The law was never fully enforced, but the more it is disregarded and publicly getting stomped on , the more vivid the message being sent: 3ammo this is Swaziland.

There is a famous urban legend about King Hussein (who you may disagree with or hate as much as you like) when he summoned a family of well-connected brothers to his office after they refused to pay an outstanding loan to a famous bank. The story goes that he left them standing for two hours waiting for him without chairs in sight in his office, then walked by them and said “biddeesh za3raneh o gillit 7aya bil balad” and walked out. (Loosely translated: thugs and assholes will not be tolerated in this country). Whether this is true or not, there was an impression that there was some redlines that the only decision maker was always careful not to cross in this country.

Today, I came to a face-to-face encounter with parliament member Yahya Saoud and his gang of thugs at the loyalty fest around Regency Hotel; about 35-60 menacing-looking guys in army uniforms, face scars and “3alia gharami” green tattoos who called their infamous MP master “3omdah” (mayor). After he instructed them to follow him in a motorcade of cars to a certain location, a three-star police officer (naqeeb) approached him and shook his hand humbly, while his crew surrounded him. This is scary, period.

Jordanian people have put up with a lot of things, but resorting to the formation of state-sponsored militias will be another level of lawlessness, that will not be tolerated and will prompt many country-loving Jordanian citizens to …..to….to give up and file for immigration to Swaziland.