( CNN ) -- Egypt is on the roller-coaster of transition . It 's a bumpy and hair-raising ride to a destination unknown . But the country is moving . And in that , there 's hope . In Tahrir Square last Friday , I was struck by the carnival atmosphere : Vendors sold candied apples and baked yams ; young boys hawked red , white and-black hats and flags ; a crowd gathered to watch cartoonists chalk an oversized military general dressed as Santa Claus . Activists of all political shades shouted poetry and enthusiastic speeches , leading crowds in chanting : `` The people want the end of the military regime ! '' `` The people want a civilian regime ! '' `` We are all one ! '' But by Saturday , Tahrir Square had become a battleground . Crowds shrunk to die-hards throwing stones and Molotov cocktails , while security forces volleyed tear gas and rubber bullets . From the 18th floor of the locked-down Intercontinental hotel ( a barrage of tear gas having abruptly aborted my attempt to speak to those at the edges of the square ) , I watched as the square cleared out , battles moved to side streets , and then the atmosphere turned quiet . Briefly . Demonstrators regrouped . Political leaders across the spectrum aired televised condemnation of the police and support for the protesters . And people started streaming again through the streets , across a nearby bridge , and back into the square . It was a sight reminiscent of the nail-biting days of January . With such off-and-on violence , and rising numbers of dead and injured , some may wonder if democracy is worth it -- or even possible . Many Egyptians are no longer as beamingly optimistic as they were last spring . Then , they dreamed of blooming democracy and booming economies . Today , they want stability . Tourism has slowed to a trickle , and taxi drivers , hotel workers and souvenir vendors shake their heads at the demonstrators . Capital is fleeing , and foreign reserves drying up . As people speak their minds , many others -- from liberals to conservatives â€ ” feel uneasy . Large numbers of bearded men and covered women , demanding a regime based on Sharia law , frighten Christians and Muslims alike . Clashes between Coptic Christians and Muslims create fear that religious strife will rend Egypt 's multireligious society . And women especially worry that their freedoms are at stake . Liberals , far less numerous , can also be intimidating . Many in Egypt believe they do not understand or accept `` real '' Egyptian society and threaten to corrupt it . Last month , a female blogger posted nude pictures of herself and others in a sensational appeal to expand freedom of expression . It led many to complain that too much freedom would corrupt Egyptian society . Anger against America and Israel also worry many . A 20-something Egyptian , working for a foreign corporation in Egypt , pulled me aside in Tahrir Square to explain that former President Hosni Mubarak had known where to draw the line . These people , he exclaimed , gesturing to those around him , do n't understand the hadud , or limits . Like others , he said he worries they would trade Egypt 's welfare for the Palestinians ' cause . But even amid conflict and uncertainty , there 's hope . Egyptians who desperately want to escape from nearly 60 years of military-backed authoritarian rule have what it takes to do so . Egyptian nationalism is strong . Airwaves are filled with nationalist songs , and Egyptian flags abound . Friday 's calls to end the military regime mingled with expressions of nationalism . Huge crowds chanted in unison : `` Christians and Muslims , we 're all Egyptians , we are all one , '' and , most directly , `` Ana Masri ! '' ( `` I am Egyptian ! '' ) There is also strong respect for elections . At Tahrir Square , parties and candidates took advantage of the gathering to distribute pamphlets and urge demonstrators to vote for pro-revolutionary forces . And even with the descent into violence , forces across the political spectrum have urged elections to begin as scheduled . Debates are intense . Egyptians in the square hotly contested the nature of the Egyptian military and goals for the future . The Salafi Hizb al-Nur ( `` Party of Light '' ) called for a regime based on Sharia law ; the Popular Front appealed to secular nationalism ; and the Muslim Brotherhood demanded a civilian , democratic regime with respect and freedoms for all . As one in Friday 's crowd argued , many Egyptians may need to develop respect for diverging opinions . Yet this is true in many nascent democracies . Political forces also are well-organized . The Muslim Brothers not only can bring people onto the streets , but also send them home when the time is right . They were critical in rallying crowds last week , where they maintained a space for women to avoid being crushed and jostled by men and a pathway for demonstrators to navigate the crowd . And they were instrumental in returning crowds to Tahrir late Saturday night . Other forces , too , are gaining strength . In fact , Tuesday 's crowds -- despite the Brothers ' refusal to participate in the demonstrations -- show that others , too , can mobilize forces . With a strong sense of nationalism , hotly contested debates , a belief in electoral democracy and organized political forces , Egypt has what it takes to form democracy . It just wo n't be easy or fast . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Ellen Lust .
Hosni Mubarak : Santa Claus in bumpy transition ; Saturday Tahrir Square goes from festive to combative . She says some there worry democracy might not be worth it ; social conflicts so challenging . She says optimism has faded for many in face of worries over economy and Christians control . Lust : Still , Egypt has essentials for democracy : strong nationalism , faith in elections .