Religion and nation, sanctity and security What is there to mock in ­contemporary Egypt?

With humor interpreted as a disapproval of moral and societal values, this analysis—based on several publicized examples—addresses words (and deeds) and politics through the lens of security parameters in contemporary Egypt. A lack of distinct legal borders between what may be said and what it is forbidden to express publicly paves the way for the military power to legitimize itself by posing as the defender of untouchable sacred (religious and secular) symbols.