Egypt's Strange Fascination with Pharaoh

Egypt will be moving a famous statue of Ramses II from a crowded, dirty square in downtown Cairo to a cleaner area near the pyramids.

I never really understood Egyptians' fascination with glamorizing Ramses II. By most accounts, he is the actual Fir‘awn (Pharaoh) that persecuted the Children of Israel, and followed Prophet Mūsā (Moses) into the Red Sea, only to be drowned when the sea collapsed on his army.

According to all Abrahamic traditions - whether Islamic, Christian or Jewish - he was one of the most vile, tyrannical people to have ever walked the face of this Earth.

So then what's the deal? Why are Egyptians so fascinated with him? Think about it this way: imagine if 4,000 years from now, excavators in Germany uncover Hitler's body, and they erect statues throughout the country honoring the guy.

Time should not erode how vile a tyrant is in the minds of people. It's one thing to preserve and document history, and another to glamorize a tyrant.

Egypt to Move Famous Ramses Statue in Cairo, Egypt to Move Famous Ramses Statue From Downtown Cairo to Quiter, Cleaner Area Near Pyramids - CBS News

Official Google Blog: How to move Ramses II