Dictators and the Arab Spring (in brief)

Had a rather interesting conversation with a certain indivdual that claimed 'Saddam Hussein was a hero.' I replied with 'I would spit on you but my better judgment tells me not to.' Not quite sure why my inner savage/villager comes out when offended. He also claimed that 'Chemical Ali was a mere illusion' one of course which he claimed was a fiction created by the Americans and the British. Snore. His arguments were unfounded, vague and completely lacking in humanity.

A dictatorship is a dictatorship. I was trying to compare the Arab Spring to dictators of old (hence my Hussein reference). I find it abhorrent that because a select minority have benefited from the lunacy of dictators that they now venerate them!
We only have to look at Gaddafi supporters who agree to the massacre of their own people (Gaddafi has suggested it is Western propaganda that is depicting the illusion of civilian uprisings) to see a general pattern.

Gaddafi has, according to the UN, administered Viagra type drugs to his soldiers for the very purpose of raping women. And this man started off his revolution 4 decades ago in order to BENEFIT his country. Some messed up logic going on.

If your family and your own skin is being saved...you will do anything...as long as you are fed, clothed and paid.

Is this true for everyone?

If you were put in a situation where your country faced mass unemployment, economic sanctions from the rest of the world and were given a job which appeared humane (e.g. working for an oil distillery) would you take it? And then would you support the man which had given you the job?
Would you support said man no matter what?

I believe humanity and human rights, which have come to be venerated in our modern society have always been universally true. I don't agree with theories that 'human rights differ globally'. I think what differs is the relative importance of each right.
eg for some the most salient right is to live and be able to work.
For Western countries it is more likely to surround equality for the disabled, sexual orientation and race.

I think all too often people are blinded by fascism. What people often forget, who have been brainwashed by nationalism, is that we all share 99.9% similar genetic make up.
"There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus." (Galations 3:28)