Tunisia protest banner: Mark Zuckerberg good, Ben Ali evil

Alexis Madrigal at the Atlantic blogs the photograph above. "The Watergate is across the street from the Saudi Embassy, so I happened to spot it as I was walking around," he says. "Has anything been more Bruce Sterling ever?"

Zuckerberg's inclusion appears to symbolize the role of social media in helping the Tunisian people organize themselves for the overthrow of the government. The cover was Photoshopped to include a lipstick kiss on Zuckerberg's cheek.

• [jphilby]

  I’d be interested in seeing Sterling’s description of this scene just to see how he works the word ‘favela’ into it.

• [benher]

  Don’t get Zuckerpunched Tunisia!

• [Anonymous]

  The Chemist – This photo was taken in Washington. Poon Hound – This is not likely in Tunisia. Ben Ali made the mistake of smashing the Islamists completely. Now he doesn’t have the bogeyman to scare everyone into supporting him. The Egyptians, by making sure that the Muslim Brotherhood is the only viable opposition, have made sure that they will have international support against any uprising like this.
  Can any Arabic speakers help me with the sign the guy is holding up at the back? I haven’t seen it before -
  الساكت عن الحق شيطان اخرس

  Is it ‘He who is silent about the truth is a dumb devil’? Looks like it might be from a hadith or something.

  • [The Chemist]

    The translation is correct, but the word “dumb” (in case you’re using a computer translator) in this case means “mute”, and yes it is from a hadith.

    That said, I meant this situation is unfolding in Tunisia. I didn’t mean that the photo was taken there.

• [Anonymous]

  Do people no longer get arrested for demonstrating within 400 feet of an embassy in Washington DC?

• [Manooshi]

  WOW! That picture is such a surreal mindfuck! LOL.

  And, I forgot how Francophone the Tunisians are because that sign in Arabic kinda looks like the handwriting of a little kid, or of a student in a beginning Arabic class in college. Just sayin’.

  Also, @Poon Hound: (uh, nice name) – I don’t think Islamists have a hold on Tunisia. It’s supposed to be pretty liberal culturally- speaking compared to the rest of Middle East/North Africa (MENA).

• [olr]

  Interesting to note that King Abdullah of Jordan is in the “who’s next” list on the right there (lower right).

  Mubarak, Gaddafi and Assad are obvious candidates here – but who’s the guy in middle left picture?

  • [Ugly Canuck]

    Do not know his name or title, but I think it may be the head honcho in Algeria.

• [Frank S.]

  I don’t know what kind of person Zuckerberg truly is. After all, he is not yet 30. Still, that picture brought a tear to my eye. Imagine, only 26, a billionaire, and now on posters for a postive revolution and you didn’t have to die for the honor.

• [Felton / Moderator]

  Ha! Mark Zuckerberg as revolutionary hero. Never saw that one coming.

• [Anonymous]

  Given Wikileaks role in the Tunisian Revolution, it’s especially ironic that Time blocked their readers’ choice of Assange in favor of Zuckerberg.

  http://newsfeed.time.com/2010/12/13/julian-assange-readers-choice-for-times-person-of-the-year-2010/

• [Anonymous]

  Well, what about the fact that the Libyan People’s Bureau (Libyan Embassy) is IN the greater Watergate complex?

• [kmoser]

  I wonder how long they’ll continue to love Zuckerberg when they realize Facebook apps are publishing their phone numbers and addresses.

• [Pantograph]

  They’ll soon change their minds about Facebook once Zynga brings out Revolutionville.

• [chumpmeat]

  Id like to think that the bearded gent holding the sign applied that loving smack to Zuckerberg’s cheek personally . . .

• [Anonymous]

  Mark? How about Julian Assange?

• [Avram / Moderator]

  Well, half right, I guess.

• [Anonymous]

  Evil? How’s this?

  “For his part, Zuckerberg heaped praise on his fellow president. “It’s one of the things I’ve always admired about you,” he said to Bush. “You’ve always stuck by your principles and pushed through.”"

  http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/nov/30/george-bush-mark-zuckerberg-presidents-together

• [Poon Hound]

  Wait until Islamist groups inevitably start taking over the government, then you will see Facebook condemned for speading western decadence and blasphemous pictures of the prophet.

  • [The Chemist]

    I think you’re missing the part where this is in Tunisia.

  • [eviladrian]

    If they were Islamists they’d have Bert from Sesame Street on their sign.

• [Anonymous]

  That banner looks like it was printed on the CIA’s “Color LaserJet Uprising 4000 XL” that they rolled out a few years ago.