Tahrir Square in downtown Cairo, capital of Egypt, is a loud, lively, crowded gathering spot again. For 18 days last year it was the focal point of mass demonstrations against President Hosni Mubarak, forced from office in February 2011 amid a push for democracy. Now it's the site, on different days, of rallies opposing and supporting Mubarak's successor – Mohammed Morsi, the country's first democratically elected president. "This is definitely a moment of high tension and high anxiety," says Michele Dunne, a Washington specialist on the region.

Morsi temporarily gave himself near-absolute powers two weeks ago and proposed a new national constitution that his assembly supporters approved last Friday. The new governing document doesn't specifically protect women’s rights. Freedom of religion is protected specifically for Muslims, Christians and Jews, but not other religions.

Some Egyptians believe their revolution is heading backward, while others say recent events reflect the strains of introducing democracy. Morsi scheduled a Dec. 15 national vote on the draft constitution. The U.S. government commented late last week on Egypt's increasingly tense showdown. The State Department expressed concern over the "apparent lack of consensus during the drafting process" by a 100-member assembly.

Egyptian protester says: "I came down here (Tahrir Square) to say no to the constitution." -- Hanaa Sweries, former teacher, Nov. 30

Cairo lawyer says: "If Morsi doesn't get it, well, we have seen this movie before and all know where this is going to end.” – Salah Mustafa, age 35

U.S. government says: "We would urge all Egyptians to . . . review this [constitution] draft to ensure it meets the highest standards of their aspirations to live in a country that respects universal human rights, that ensures that Egyptians of all stripes are protected under the law." – Victoria Nuland, State Department spokeswoman