Jordan's political Pandora's box is open

Jordan's median age is 21 years old. Picture is from recent protest.

As Jordanians continue to show unwavering support for Arab revolutions through social media, the majority of commentators seem to stand a little short of calling for similar action in their own country, partly due to a culture of self-censorship and partly to what seems to be uncertainty in what a democratic makeshift would lead to. Meanwhile, King Abdullah, being leader supremo in the country called his shots, calling for immediate and "real" reform, but also standing short of enforcing anything in this regard. Some western media reported the recent government change in Jordan as a sign of change, disregarding the fact that Jordan has had dozens of government changes since its independence from British colonialists in the 1940s. Almost each government was asked to perform adequate "reforms," but never stayed long enough to see that such aspirations are implemented.

The leader also expressed his, and Jordanian citizens "dissatisfaction" with how reforms in the past have not lead to substantial change that meets the ambitions of young Jordanians. Instead they continued with centralizing an ever shrinking government service sector, widened national debt, and hoped for foreign direct investment to fill in the gaps. Even as investments poured into the country, a very small minority of Jordanians could feel the effect - partly because of elite personal agendas, a fierce, capitalist class segregation, and because of social factors - i.e. Jordanians refusing to do low-wage jobs.

Jordan's king has, not too long ago, said Jordan is undergoing a democratization process and expressed clearly that he does not think that the country is ready for a real democracy, yet. Meanwhile, the blame game has been abound- while officials put the blame on "directions from the top", the king is asking officials now to shoulder their responsibility, saying there's no such thing as "directions from the top."  As a leader, he seems to be concerned with the low performance of his appointed governments, while a weak elections law gives unwavering support to the establishment, regardless of who runs the show. Meanwhile, the opposition is old fashioned, ragged, and carry decades old slogans that do not fit for Jordanians 21st century aspirations.

Jordanians of all origins are worried. For once they are discussing the future of their country at homes, schools, workplaces and off record, with little discussion going on record on social media. Nevertheless, Pandora's box is now open - and what seemed to be totally bizarre ideas are now becoming options -- notions such as an elected government, and a renewed role for the King to be a constitutional monarch, European style, with an independent judiciary system.

Election law must be reformed to begin with- no doubt about it. A fair representation of men and women, Jordanians of all origins, must be ensured, if the establishment is serious about a plural and democratic progression. The aspired dialog is not a means to an end, it will be an ongoing process even as real democratic changes take place, if they ever do. Pandora's box, or national dialog, are not steered from the top, and will put all questions out for the mainstream to judge on. 

A nation does not become democratic in one day, but it requires a very brave and well deserved decision or revolution to begin the process. The time now is ripe for answers, when all questions are being raised.

First and foremost question: when will Jordanians, like fellow Arabs, be "ready" for democracy according to our appointed leaders?

Why should any Jordanian citizen be obliged to like the status quo, and obliged to love an establishment that s/he does not feel like a stakeholder in?

Why should I be stopped on the highway by a solider, to find out that he is my poor cousin from the north of Jordan whose reality is ultimately grim and shockingly different than mine due to class segregation?

Why should kids shut up when they are beaten or mobbed in schools, at homes, and by friends because they dared to speak their mind?

Why should travelling between Amman and refugee camp slums or provincial villages feels like travelling through ages of human development?

Who should bare responsibility, when supreme leaders blame the people they are accountable for, for their "incapability" to become "reformed"?

(insert your own question here).