|
|
| Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. Albert Einstein |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| FEATURED EDITORIALS |
| ||||||
|
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
|
|
| Loubnanouna Group: A Glimmer of Hope for a Free Lebanon By Pierre A. Maroun In 1982, a dream was born when Bashir Gemayel was elected president of Lebanon, a nation ravaged by war and torn apart by crimes. The election of Bashir brought new hope to people who were for so long starved for peace, unity, and freedom. Unfortunately, the extravaganza that filled the streets of Lebanon was abruptly curtailed. It was extinguished by a criminal hand that blew up the Kataeb Headquarters in Ashrafieh, burying beneath it the dream and the hope in the birthplace of resistance. In a split second of hate and evil, Bashir and twenty-five of his colleagues disappeared beneath the rubble. Again, a dark cloud of fear and uncertainty loomed over the sacred land of the Cedars of God-Lebanon. Out of this darkness, however, a promise resurrected; Lebanese Kataeb/Forces vowed on their leader’s coffin to never rest until the dream of Bashir and his colleagues to free Lebanon the 10452km2 was fulfilled. Decades later, though Bashir’s friends have aged, the promise lives on through their children who adopted Bashir’s dream and the promise of their fathers. Although they were innocent children at the time the dream fell and the promise was vowed, they pledged to continue the struggle until the dream becomes a reality. These young activists, known as Loubnanouna group, have been vigorously active in various means to achieve their sacred goal. Their popularity has originated from their zealous involvement in fighting for human rights, freedom of speech, and democracy in a region foreign to such concepts. Their activities, which include but are not limited to defying the Syrian/Lebanese security apparatus, organizing the communities in various Lebanese towns and cities, as well as “sit ins” in Martyr’s Square are looked upon with bewilderment and respect from a community which until recently was afraid to rally a peaceful demonstration. These incidents and activities have triggered people’s interest in learning more about their convictions, especially that of the brave Samy Gemayel. Those around him believe that Samy’s bravery stems out of his conviction that Lebanon’s heritage cannot be saved by writing poetry and that independence cannot be restored by issuing crafty press releases. Therefore, during the Syrian occupation, unlike others who were fighting for independence and sovereignty around dinner tables in fancy restaurants, Samy and his supporters chose to fight the battle in the street. Instead of facing the microphones of journalists and the lenses of photographers, they were facing the water hoses of firemen and the batons of policemen. Whenever Samy organized a demonstration, the puppet regime deployed an entire battalion of its army to subdue the freedom fighters. Just like his grandfather before him, Samy marched before his supporters and he receives the first blow and/or the handcuffs. His outstanding spirit and courage influenced many youngsters, even veterans. Samy Gemayel's influence, however, is no longer limited to Lebanese towns and cities, but rather extends into the Lebanese community abroad. His latest trip to the USA is a clear example. It was a visit that succeeded beyond everyone’s expectations; it brought a refreshing message of hope and unification to the entire Lebanese community who came from all over the US and Canada to meet the young leader. His approach to the Lebanese cause and his plea to expatriates are unparalleled. Instead of taking the usual narrow window of a political partisan approach, Samy walked into the hearts and minds of his audiences from the broader gateway of a national resisting figure. His message was clear, yet very decisive. He declared: “The war on Lebanon today is very different and much more dangerous than the war of 1975, simply because Lebanon’s heritage and culture are being rooted out. The fundamental fabric of our society and identity are being coerced, and our immense history is being distorted and rewritten.” He added: “this calculated war of manipulating public perception and beliefs is being waged to conquer and defeat our notably historic independent school of thoughts in order to promote those of defeat.” Samy continued, “Our quest for freedom and democracy is being portrayed as treason, while others’ radical and remote ideas are being glorified and presented as national ones. Our belief in a diverse, independent, and sovereign Lebanese nation-state with rich and unique roots is being suppressed in order to advance outdated ideologies with no connection whatsoever to our identity. This war,” Samy affirmed, “is none but a continuation of the violent conquers that commenced against Mount Lebanon centuries ago in order to subdue its free people and to rob them of their great legacies and values. The Syrian regime,” Samy believes, “has picked up where other intruders have left off. Their goal remains: to annex and subdue our proud nation-Lebanon-the only enduring beacon of freedom in the region.” Samy’s concern that our history is being distorted and our unique heritage is being rooted out is not a phobia, but mere troubling facts. In a pure Bashirist tone, he declared: “Unless we resist and win this organized war on our heritage, Lebanon as we know it will cease to exist.” Therefore, Samy urged every Lebanese man and women to act before it is too late. He urged everyone to rise above party politics to fight the war as one group of Lebanese nationalists. While Samy acknowledged that students back home in Lebanon practiced cooperation, he stressed the need to improve solidarity and coordination. He declared: “I am not asking you to forget your political parties; I am not asking you to become Kataeb; but all I am asking you is to set your parties aside until this war is over. Only then,” he concluded, “we can all go back to our parties and play as much politics as we wish.” His appeal received a great standing ovation from an audience that long starved for unity. Samy’s visit to the USA also brought attention to the student movements in Lebanon. He shed light on their struggles against the regime and the occupying forces, and exported their concerns to the powerful Lebanese community abroad. Although he believes that Lebanon can only be freed from within, his success in attracting international support granted the students a powerful tool to utilize against the puppet regime. When properly materialized, this support, Samy believed, can be the greatest line of defense for Lebanon’s free and democratic system, as well as for its unique heritage and culture. In every message, Samy urged his supporters to utilize every possible means to defend Lebanon’s sacred cause for which thousands of martyrs gave their lives. Thus, he asked everyone to devote his/her unlimited, unconditional, and undeterred support in order to save Lebanon. Hence, he affirmed: “we must not falter until the dream is fulfilled and the promise is delivered.” Furthermore, Samy emphasized the importance of the Lebanese women and their significant role in society as well as in our struggle to save the nation. In his private “mingling,” Samy urged Lebanese women to become more involved in resistance in order to take their proper size and position in leading the Lebanese society. After all, Samy believes that Lebanese women are more educated, stronger, and more capable in achieving tough tasks than any other women in the world. Therefore, he pushed to employ their unlimited influence in order to empower Lebanese society. On another note, Samy’s humbleness and openness to new ideas greatly touched people’s hearts abroad. He provoked their sense of nationalism and reminded them of their great heritage. He awakened their moral responsibilities towards their ancestral homeland and the Lebanese cause for which thousands of martyrs gave their lives. In addition, his honesty and transparency earned him a great deal of respect and credibility. His message reached way beyond party lines and touched a much larger audience than anticipated. People from all walks of life were greatly influenced by his nationalism, his commitment to the Lebanese cause, and his determination to resist and succeed. Consequently, many expatriates, who prior to this meeting were not involved in any political activities, pledged support to the cause. The US visit revealed that Samy Gemayel is a leader of a great caliber with a unique personality. Despite his youth, he came across as a well informed orator with great knowledge of our cause, our heritage, as well as our political and social history. He presented himself as a nationalist with a greater cause, and a fighter with a noble mission to accomplish. His demeanor was above political pettiness and beyond partisan campaigns. To many, Samy is no longer viewed as the head of a student movement. He is no longer limited to Lebanon’s geographic boundaries, and he is no longer a marginalized human rights activist. Instead, Samy Gemayel today is a young leader who represents the aspirations of our youths; he symbolizes the struggle of our veterans; and he leads a national opposition movement with an international reach. After the recent development in Lebanon, Samy believes that it is time for a real change in Lebanon. There is a need for a new political formula and a new viable plan that benefit each community. The Lebanese should have learned from their mistakes. No one can impose his/her rules on others. The Lebanese live in a multicultural society, and they need to respect their diversity. They need to respect the differences of opinion, religion, and culture. His call is to let this country develop socially, economically, and politically; let it be free of any interference and free of regional conflicts. Today, Samy and his friends in Loubnaouna Group along with other Lebanese organizations are still serving the cause. Their mission is very precise: save Lebanon the 10452km2 from all foreign and domestic aggressors-no more, no less. The Loubnanouna Group believes that the best way to achieve such aim is through true Lebanese UNITY and DIALOGUE. May God bless our young Freedom Fighters for they are Lebanon’s only glimmer of hope. loubnanouna.org Pierre A. Maroun May 20, 2005 The attack of June 1, 2006-Video |
|
