Let’s cut short to where we are now: thirty plus years of negative peace, fake economic growth, a growing cancer and its subordinated gangrenous sulta (“power”) structure have led us here. Cancer Inc. (hezb) and Gangrene LLC (its subordinated sulta pawns) have taken away our money, lives, dignity and most critically, our hopes and belief in Lebanon. We feel hapless on top of hopeless, and really wonder what on earth we can possibly do, deprived that we are of any effective political instrument.
What if we asked instead, “what should we be and what should we not be?”
Bringing the problem down to a personal level also brings the solution down to that same level. A personal undertaking then, with no excuses for failing or worse, failing to try.
Be a (nation) builder
To those against holding elections in the shadow of a terror militia that controls state instruments: you have a very strong point. (negative pun intended…) Elections are a democratic process based on unchecked freedom of choice and should be transparently regulated. We’re at the opposite extreme of this environment. But you lose your argument if you don’t propose an alternative, other than moaning on social media. You are to choose here: do you participate in these elections or do you hand them a free run, one that every nation will recognize? Unless of course you are preparing for the upcoming undemocratic governance, as in making ready to directly confront the upcoming dictatorship? Or did you just surrender without a fight? Because you cannot just say no to all options, grab your phone and just start pointlessly hammering on social media. Nor can you grab a plane and leave this country. If you do, phone or plane, and that is your prerogative, then you also forfeit your right to ever again regret, moan or curse our joint fate, or even invoke greater powers of Evil and conspiracy theories. You were played by evil and you were part of the conspiracy.
The answer is simple. Find out who else has both the will and the means to confront this cancer-gangrene hydra and partner up with them. Not just for the elections, but for the entire conflict. That alliance, which should be based on a common goal and shared ethics rather than an optional though much welcome mutual fondness, is the only way out for the Lebanese people. If you think you can’t do anything on your own, join those who are trying. Success is not guaranteed, of course, nor is the aftermath of both failure and success. Yet in the meantime, if you don’t want to join all the Lebanese forces, entities and powers that are working towards a better Lebanon, against Cancer Inc. and Gangrene LLC., have the decency to halt your negative and demoralizing vibes. You’re not just in the way of those who are trying, but you are a major part of the problem. Another inhuman stain in the ongoing process of building a nation. Volunteers not victim.
Don’t be a Tfeh
“Proximity with filth is promiscuity with it” is one of my favorite personal quotes and it perfectly summarizes the hypocritical and self-serving nature of many Lebanese people. We may decry party or person X for being criminal and corrupt, while in daily life we support or partner with party or person Y. I don’t care if Y is your favorite politician, business partner, neighbor, father or husband; boycott the filth. Period. Enough promiscuity with Evil. Think of this as a sex strike extended to all aspects of life: social, personal and professional. Don’t go out, don’t cozy up and don’t do business with filth. No matter the cost to you, you will recoup it in the proper (and cleansed) environment. For the anecdote, women have often used sex strikes to stop violence and war, almost always effectively. From ancient Greece and Iroquois tribes in north America up to modern times in Latin America, Africa and the far east. If ALL of us boycotted evil doers in every aspect of life by barring them from our social, personal and professional circles, then these criminals will be shunned from that very society they strive to control, and rendered powerless. And it doesn’t matter if the entity to be boycotted is a party, a business, an individual or even a family member. Sex strikes were obviously against husbands and boyfriends, with women often risking their lives, though I’m not sure they’d do the same to stop an influx of money, it’s often the other way around… and so many will not join in that boycott, or might do it in a selective fashion by excluding “their” filth which may be close family, or their source of money, security, services… while attacking others with brazen and hypocritical insolence. No matter. They will be part of the Tfeh bag. Volunteers not victims.
Stop wondering what you can do; now you know what you must be and what you should not be.
Clean up your act and cleanse your soul. No excuses. It’s up to you and you only.
Be a nation-builder and join the likes of you.
Don’t be a Tfeh, boycott the Tfeh.
The Inhuman stain stops where you say it does.
Georges Melhem