As Egyptian Copts celebrate Orthodox Christmas, I herewith compile a thread on my personal experience regarding how the treatment of Copts has changed in Egypt.
I grew up in Heliopolis, #Cairo. A suburb that has church for every Christian sect in the Middle East. A top #Coptic Church is next to my primary school. (Both still exist)
It was perfectly normal for anyone to play in the church courtyard. No guards. No security walls. 2/— Nervana Mahmoud (@Nervana_1) January 6, 2019
Gradually things have changed. Some Muslim teachers were hard-core #Islamists, and started to mock Copts, especially during religious study lessons. The whole focus was to highlight how Islam is better than Christianity and how #Copts are wrong and delusional 4/
— Nervana Mahmoud (@Nervana_1) January 6, 2019
At university, things have gone worse. Most student groups were either all #Muslims or all #Copts. Again that was not an administrative policy, but a social trend. Some mixed friendship survived, but nlt within their bubble ( mostly rich and elite) 6/ #Egypt
— Nervana Mahmoud (@Nervana_1) January 6, 2019
Such anti-Copts theme were louder and bleaker in Upper Egypt. Minya and Assiut are two major examples.
Mubarak government, although not directly inciting against #Copts, but it turned blind eye to the rising sectarianism in #Egypt. 8/— Nervana Mahmoud (@Nervana_1) January 6, 2019
2011 revolution have brought the ugly reality into the public sphere. Finally, what #Mubarak regime tried to cover was out in the open.
Brotherhood and Salafis did not feel obliged to hide their feeling or pretend to be moderate.
In short, the bubble has burst 10/— Nervana Mahmoud (@Nervana_1) January 6, 2019
12/ #Sisi is trying to balance his gestures towards #Copts but without triggering anger of his Ultra-Conservative backers. Nearly impossible, especially as the Brotherhood brand him daily as a “Pro-Coptic Jew”!
— Nervana Mahmoud (@Nervana_1) January 6, 2019
It will take #Egypt decades to uproot #sectarianism. A drastic alteration of education and a new approach from Al-Azhar. I personally doubt that will happen. Sheikh Al-Azhar only hapoy to pay lip-service to reform efforts, but unwelling to counter #Islamism 14/
— Nervana Mahmoud (@Nervana_1) January 6, 2019
Finally, I really wish my #Coptic friends a very happy #Christmas.
Hope the future brings more harmony and less security walls and no terror attacks.
I wish #Egypt can revive its bygone era of harmony and love between Copts and Muslims. 16/#EndofThread— Nervana Mahmoud (@Nervana_1) January 6, 2019
Nervana 
Hi there, Nervana. I appreciated your take on the Cathedral opening and especially on the 60 Minutes interview with el Sisi. I think you have a fundamental understanding of what’s going on in Egypt that many people could gain insight from. Truthfully, I think your point of view is rather illuminating. Unfortunately I think that your voice (at least on twitter) may get lost in the shuffle. I humbly suggest that it might be prudent of you to engage a little more deeply on twitter by way of replying to the most popular tweets regarding CBS erroneous reporting on the Muslim Brotherhood with a link to either your twitter thread or even this blogpost. Please take this suggestion in the spirit it’s given.
Best.
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Many thanks for your kind feedback. In addition to tagging CBS and 60 minutes on every reply, I engaged with other “popular” tweets, but only got attacked and framed as “pro-coup”. Sadly the Islamists have brain washed many liberal pundits and reporters.
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Thank you for your reply. Might I suggest finding other liberal pundits with larger followings to retweet as a potential strategy? I say this because by leveraging their audience for your message you might find some inroads you didn’t know were their. This is just my American-centric point of view, mind you. Even though I know your RT aren’t endorsements, retweeting ideological comrades like Yasmine Mohammed, Melissa Chen, or even Sarah Haider might result in some reciprocity that exposes you to a larger audience. Perhaps something to consider, perhaps something you’ve already done to some extent. Don’t want to take up too much of your time with my thoughts, but I enjoy your perspective and hope it gains larger dissemination.
Best,
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