the “no” votes are picking up even more steam

In the email exchange among Egyptians on which I’m being copied, momentum is really building to support a “no” vote. Though again, I am impressed by how the disagreement is amicable and without ridicule.

One thing I’ve noticed is that the “yes” votes are being a bit defensive about the Brotherhoodesque gentleman who oversaw the proposed reforms. Every Coptic Christian I know, without exception, opposes the Referendum as well, and this may be because the “new” Constitution retains the old provision that Egyptian law is based on Sharia law.

I agree that this should be removed. However, I’m not versed enough in Egyptian jurisprudence to know how much practical effect this ever had. Lots of the stereotypical Sharia stuff, applied so stringently by groups such as the Taliban, has never had a place in modern Egypt. There are no stonings here, no legal whipping, no amputation of limbs, no killing of homosexuals (though some discrimination and legal persecution, yes), and the last I heard an average of just 2 executions per year (though many more death sentences are given out than that), and 2 executions is simply a brisk afternoon for Texas.

Furthermore, it should be remembered that there are multiple recognized schools of Sharia law, some much more moderate than others.

Also, that doesn’t even seem to be the main issue, though I can see why it would be a particular disappointment to Christians. The main issue seems to be that it simply hasn’t been changed enough compared with the previous Constitution, and that more of a “Federalist Papers” period needs to be gone through to ensure that the New Egypt has a solid Constitutional foundation. Remember, just 5 weeks ago tonight, Mubarak was still making a defiant television speech. That does seem a bit quick to think that the country can already be reborn from scratch.