The violent persecution of Coptic Christians in Egypt is becoming harder for the free world to ignore. This is true thanks to thousands of Copts who recently expressed their decades of frustration and anguish in street protests across the globe. One moving example took place in West Los Angeles, Calif., last month. With American flags in hand, over a thousand Copts peacefully demonstrated. One boy simply said, “It is very dangerous in Egypt that is why we need America to help us.”The protests were in response to a January 6 shooting that left six young Copts dead in Upper Egypt. The victims were gunned down outside the steps of their church while leaving a Christmas Eve service...
Copts are among the most ancient of Christian communities. They trace their roots back to the Gospel writer Mark who brought Christianity into Alexandria, Egypt, in the first century. Estimated to be about 10 percent of the population in Egypt, their long term survival in that country is in doubt. Their protection is also essential because they represent the largest Christian community in the Middle East...
In his State of the Union Address, President Obama said, “For America must always stand on the side of freedom and human dignity. Abroad, America's greatest source of strength has always been our ideals.” Interestingly, the United States may be in the best position to help the Copts. Egypt receives close to $2 billion annually in American aid, placing it high on the list of beneficiaries of American largesse. The United States has never leveraged that assistance for protection of Copts. American ambassadors too have largely ignored their plight.
While the United States has exerted pressure for democratic reform in Egypt, little has changed. The current administration has an opportunity to pivot on Egypt, taking a moral stand with the persecuted, and sending a strong message to all religious minorities in the troubled region. One thing is certain: The continued suffering and witness of Copts will remind the free world that more must be done to protect religious liberty, the core freedom due to every human being.
Read here the entirety of Ray Nothstine's excellent article.
