Update 1:
A dark cloud hangs over most cities, fights are breaking sporadically and most roads are closed. On the TV I hear the army is firing in the air to break up opposing factions, while NOT opening roads.
Anyways, I’m off to work, from Saida to Beirut. I am not going to let some burning tires stop from going to work, for it has become, as everything else in this country, a political statement!
Wish me luck!
Update 2:
Finally I arrived at Beirut!
two quick notes:
Nassrallah should learn the same lesson that Olmert did in the war. No bombs, no destruction, no protestors, no burning tires, no concrete blocks and sand mounds will close ALL the roads. We will always, always find a way out to go out, to go to work, to study, TO LIVE!!!
And today I realized that Nassrallah is just like Olmert, filling Beirut sky line with black smoke, destroying properties, terrorizing people, cutting roads…
I am so sad! What have they done to our country...
What a shame.
Update 3:
I am back in Saida. It was a very draining, both physically and emotionally, journey…
I have some picture from my phone; I will try to post them too, with a report of my daily commute that was not as routine as it used to be.
The news are bad at least two dead both from March 14, and countless injured, wiht no end in sight...
Peace
37 comments :
Bob,
Say thank you to the people who kicked the zionist occupation out of that road so you can make a political statement.
"I am not going to let some burning tires stop from going to work" (sic) Bob
According to Bob, In Lebanon, burning tires usually go to work.
Today they couldn't, but don't worry, Bob is going to help them do so.
What can I say: Good luck Bob!
It's incredible what "less than 200 people" in the opposition can do, isn't it Bob?
Sam
No it is not the end of the world it is the end of Lebanon!!
I am not going to defend the governement , I know they are not perfect, what I am saying here is that this is not the good way to solve our problems.
Sam if you are against blocking roads so how can you say that you support them??? didn't they block roads ?? didn't they use force to stop me from going to work and school?? this is pure violence and supporting those agressive people , supporting this destruction, is a crime against humanity!!!
Please Sam look what is going on today , this is not acceptable, and those people are not qualified to solve my problems , and with those people you will not have the chance to come back and I will be following you very soon!!!!
Rodolph
Of course destruction is very easy to do, anyone can do that. But what about reconstruction???
Bob
Good luck and be safe!!!
Lily
Lily
May God keep you safe.
Those are dangerous days...
Lily,
Not everybody in the opposition is blocking roads. Life is strange, my brother who is always flegmatic, cool, peace and love (and says that I am not cool) has just called me to say he supports blocking roads and that we need a revolution to change things in Lebanon, and I was telling him to stay cool!
I don't support blocking roads, I just support the political demand to have a clean, representative government.
These are exceptional times, let's all try to calm down and stay optimistic.
NEW RULES for comments:
For the time being i would ask all commentator and contributors to refrain from any sarcasms, smart talk, insinuation or even personal allusion.
Focus on the ideas, discuss the comments forget about the persons behind them.
Jeha
Thx you my friend!
stay safe too
Rodolph
i made myself clear, if you did not understand what i meant by 200 persons reread the post.
Karen
i ll just ignore your personal comment. Next time i will erase it.
Sam
Do you want me to thank the people who are doing the same actions as Israel? From cutting roads, blocking the airport and filling Beirut sky with black smoke?????
To the person who posted nassrallah sweet speech. Thx you but it is irrelevant so it is gone!
Hamdella al salameh Bob.
I was thinking the same you know? I mean that I am here stuck at home watching Tv news trying to be calm and optimistic but feeling sad and being worried about where all this will lead us, just like I felt in july war, the same state of mind the same feelings!!! on one difference that in july our enemies were the bad ones today they are our brothers!!!!! What a shame!!! I bet israelis are so happy to see this mess, I bet they are saying:" Oh why the hell we to fight them they will destroy each other!!"
Lily
Bob,
>>Do you want me to thank the people who are doing the same actions as Israel? From cutting roads, blocking the airport and filling Beirut sky with black smoke?????
When Olmert was bombing civilians you were blaming...Hezbollah!
Now The opposition is striking to change things in this country without killing anyone but you blame ... Hezbollah again!!
I am against blocking roads but at least I'm consistent.
'terrorizing people'? All the terror is being done by members of the lebanese forces, they are the ones beating opposition people physically, even women and kids, not Hezballa.
Roula,
the lebanese forces are burning tires too??
the lebanese forces are throwing rocks at people who want have a normal day ?? at cars with kids on their way to school??
Lebanese forces are blocking roads ??
Are you gonna put the "al moustad3afoun 3al 2ard" act again ??
The difference now that we know better, you are nothing but a bunch of bullies. After seeing what's going on now in Beirut, yes ,we are trusting you with power 100% !!! keep on dreaming..
The way things are unfolding today, made the decision for those of us who are torn and undecided very easy. .
Shame on you people, and more shame on those who are supporting this tragedy while watching on tv, from africa,australia,canada and the u.s.
Noura
Am telling you this is heart warming. To see all these nice men dressed and acting responsibly in an act of democracy and freedom of speech. Flaming fires,garbage containers in the middle of the streets,terrorizing people,you can feel so proud. HA supporters dressed like the terrorist they are makes wanna wish that the government now this minute resign to give this glorius and divine movement all our fate..A site to remember...
kamal
Again this is an act of desperation. HA is loosing and resorting to act of terror to get what they want.Why resort to destroying your own streets and terrorizing your own people if you are sure that you have the support of the people?? if you are so sure of yourself why block roads and impose a strike by force ??
HA is acting exactly like the israeli during the last war.Did it work on them ?? sure it's not going to be effective with us either!!
faisal
Faisal,
Not only will it not work; the backlash will be terrible. But their vanity is blinding them to the potential consequences.
You people, my son who is just 13 said today that let's agree just for the sake of argument that the government is terrible,and taking the country in a road to hell. How can you correct a wrong with another wrong ??? How the events unfolding in the streets of beirut are a sign of hope?? and how are we going to trust you tomorrow ??
This is a look from an innocent boy who knows nothing about politics,who was just alarmed by what he saw on T.V.
Houda
Come on guys!
Bombing 1200 civilians to death for 34 days is like burning tires and blocking roads?
Burning tires is equivalent to shooting on people?
On a different register, as a guy that comes from Trablous I have been heartened to see that the strike has been massively observed there, and that stunned the siniora team because they did not expect this. The few troubles there were mainly between desperate mustakbal people (who were shooting!) and the Internal Security.
Some opposition guys are burning tires and blocking roads (and I don't agree with blocking roads) but the ones shooting on them are all from the other side, and sorry but this is a totally different level of violence. For you see I don't hesitate to disagree with what some are doing even when they are in the opposition, can you do the same and say that shooting on unarmed people is not acceptable?
Noura
I was one of those undecided, but now I can thank the opposition for making me decide easily.
100% with the government no doubts anymore!!!
Shame on you Lebanese in the streets shame on your supporters at home!!!!!!
Lily
Noura,
When you say 'shame on those who are supporting this tragedy while watching on tv, from africa,australia,canada and the u.s.' you could not have said it better, because zionists supporting George Bush and his friends in Canada and Australia don't care less about Lebanon, the opposition or seniora for that matter!
Sam
you live in a dream world. I have read your comments before and you always say the conflict is not religious,it's politics. regardless of whose broadcasting this,watch what is happening on the ground and what the people are saying. Are u saying that this is all made up.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4DyoX0QetM&eurl=
are you asking us to trust this ??
kamal
Kamal,
I saw the you tube video and all I saw was mostly young people expressing democratically, freely and peacefully their views. Do I share them? not all of them. But what does it matter whether we agree or not whether you trust them or not they have the right to express their views, it is called free speech.
NEW RULES for comments:
For the time being i would ask all commentator and contributors to refrain from any sarcasms, smart talk, insinuation or even personal allusion.
How are these new rules different from those of the Hafez Assad era mukhabarat?
sam,
how again it is considered free speech ?? and how shouting over and over that "shia are here" is OK with you ?? so, you wouldn't mind if I say am a sunni and call nasrallah and co. some names?? I would be expressing my views, right ??
Come on, i thought you said previously you will acknowledge some ill actions. In your book,what happened today is promissing and a good start for a new chapter ?? has anybody taken into consideration the feeling of the people who are just in the middle and have different views ??
Hooray for peaceful demonstrations.
kamal
Kamal,
It is not just what people say it it is also why and HOW they say it. One time a girlfriend told me "F... You" but what she was really telling me was "I love you, why did you do this". Yaani I didn't feel they were saying it out of anger or hatred or sectarianism or anything like that, on the contrary I felt they were saying it more defensively it was more like "Hey why are you scared of me? or Why don't you respect me?".
We have to change our mentality, remove hatred and deal with each other with love and trust. Maybe it is easier for me because I have many sects in my family? I don't know.
Have you seen this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aM_iM3QfDhw&mode=related&search=
Karen
Enough!
I am trying to keep tension off this blog, and you dare compare me to Havez Assad! After all what I said about keeping personnal insults off the table!
You know what you are not even worth banning; I will keep your comment as portrait of your own worth and manners, and the people you represent!…
PS: Sam cut it off, there is something called IP address you know, that pin point the exact and unique address of every comment. SO CUT IT OFF.
Bytheway, I hope that the region of Lyon is calm today, as opposed to Beirut!
Seriously people! Bob writes about how he manages to go to work and back home leading to a conclusion about how this day has been nothing but draining to him. Which is by the way, the status of many if not most Lebanese in Lebanon today, regardless of which party they support. And all you had to do was to actually see through his experience what others back home are going through physically and psychologically. Instead, what do you do? you take this opportunity to bash him and his views and each other's points of views. Now isn't that a typical behaviour of the people you guys follow?
And then doesn't it make you wonder how these idiots in power are still there and are manipulating the country and the people the way they are. It's because of the support of people like us. Seriously, don't you think we deserve better? Seriously relax ... because whatever happened today did not and will not lead to anything good ... for either sides. Maximum we're getting: dead, injured, burnt cars, smoke all over the country, stress, fear, frustration, hate (as if we need it now), disappointment, loss of hope, etc. And why? because these idiots say we have to? and these idiots think they know better? If you still believe they know better, then I rest my case.
Bob,
>Sam cut it off, there is something called IP address you know
Ha Ha Ha, you are telling this to an IT person!
Since you are interested in my location(s) let me give you my schedule:
Villeurbanne until tomorrow
Rouen from 25 to 29 January
Paris after that.
Anyway is it taboo or something to be in France?
I just told you that yesterday!
(and you didn't seem to believe me, I'm glad now you do)
As for France it is very calm, contrarily to last year when there were a lot of road cutting and burned tires, in many suburbs where unemployment runs high.
sam
it was not about what location you are at!!!! I told you that this is the least of my worries! At first it was about your honesty and now you know exactly what it is about, so let us keep it at that, and move on!
I respect you but your action are disrespectfull!!
Thx you and CUT IT OFF! Plz If you want to discuss this furthur email me!
Bob,
I sometime use language that is not the best I can find but it is not to be rude or anything, moreover I say it without any hate.
I never meant to be disrespectful but I know you sometimes feel this way, and that is what counts, so let me present to you my apology.
Sam
Thx you very much, it's water under the bridge!
We are all tense, and i may have been harsh at times too. so let us just hope that the situation is solved soon. And Lebanon is returned to its past glory and prosperity! So all it children can return and live freely in their homeland!
It seems tomorrow will be a “normal” day again, the opposition just announced it. I just wonder will the opposition clean the roads and fix the mess they created?? Or this will be the government responsibility, and then as usual the government will be criticized for the unfinished work??
Sam
Why are you surprised from the 14 of March reactions (shooting)?? Aren’t you the one who told me that if someone who kidnaps your child you’ll take his?? Those people are acting just like you do!!! This is self defense, who started the violence??? (It doesn’t mean I agree, I just wonder why you are surprised??)
You also said once that it is ok for HA to have weapons in the sit in because they are keeping the place safe from intruders, and those are exceptional times. So your logic applies here too. When the opposition guys go to raoucheh near FTV the mustakbal guys will defend their area and will hold weapons because these are exceptional times too!!
Violence will only lead to more violence; destruction will lead to more destruction. So let’s all say NO, and let us try to find a way for our salvation before it is too late!!
Lily
Roula u said : "'terrorizing people'? All the terror is being done by members of the lebanese forces, they are the ones beating opposition people physically, even women and kids, not Hezballa."
No wonder why all the injured and killed were from the Lebanese Forces. I don't know which logic you are using but believe me it's a very weird one.
Rabie_Halad,
I read your comment, and here is a couple of simple points;
1- one's freedom stops at the feet of another one's freedom. So whether you use bombs or braying masses is irrelevant; Terror is Terror. Those shop owners in downtown have every right to open thier shops, and they should expect that the morons occupying their private property be evicted.
2- "La continuite de l'Etat"; the state must go on. No one should stop teh state's work. Like him or not, the police forces have to obey the orders of the government. And where is the president?
Those are essential points. By showing that we do not agree on this, we showed that we do not have a country. So let us be honest with each other, and start that civil war we're all so eager to start. At least the Syrians will be back, opression everyone, and everyone will be happy hating them, again.
Rabie
Even if Sanyoora was a criminal there is no excuse for the violence that happened yesterday….this is just not acceptable.
With all this mess, us who still live in Lebanon will soon leave too since HA is not letting us work nor study nor LIVE!!!!!!
So Nassrallah is no better than Sanyoora!
Yesterday my husband while coming back home got arrested and insulted by HA guys who didn’t want to let him pass and if he hadn’t drive like crazy passing flames and sand god knows what would have happened , so please don’t tell me it is my husband’s fault and that he was aggressing those angels that were blocking roads. Nassrallah saying if they kill 1000 of us we will not respond is exactly like you saying that my husband was aggressive with those peaceful protestors. Yesterday was not a peaceful protest; those innocent people trying to live and study and work were the ones trying to reach work or school or homes the one blocking roads were violent and aggressive!!
This is not acceptable no matter what Sanyoora did!!!!
Lily
Lily,
According to Rabie's logic, your husband was not insulted; he "intercepted their words with his ears". At least, he did not have to "hit their fists with his face". Politically correct Hezbo's will ignore reality and "substitute their own".
Rabie,
you leave little room for discussion, and you are too agressively playing you're side Disk. Question such as "You call this a state?" and "what was he doing on the road anyway?" cannot be answered without being dragged into controversy. Futher, when you discuss "Jeha that use of terms and bombs" and equate to you "BOB that hassan nasrallah is nothing like Olmert"... you make vague statements that, if construed as attacks, we would go futher into polemics. There are other examples of generic statements, such as "IF THE GOVERNMENT allowed the OTHER HALF OF THE COUNTRy to work, study, and live, since 1990", that are not factual, mixing the pro-Syrian governments (1990-2005) with the current one. While it is true the late Hariri was happy to be a part of it pre-2005, it is not exactly the same thing we're talking about.
This reminds me that Aristotle discussed such an approach in his book on Rhetoric, a seminal work which has not been bested for the past few thousand years. Ibn-Rushd also contributed an excellent book on Logic, which also remains THE reference, in spite of the work by St Thomas of Aquinas.
My point is this; I strongly suggest that you read those books, they will help further a promising debating career. In the meantime, I will let the facts respond to your arguments.
Facts tend to be stubborn things.
Jeha
the sad part is that neither I nor my husband thought that we will be insulted nor agressed by our brothers, we thought only our ennemies(israelis) are capable of such acts!!! now we know!!!!!
apparently we do live on 2 different planets with different logic!!! and yes you are true if you heard nbn ntv and mannar news they did what you said ,they ignored reality. they even said 23 january was a great success and all responded to the strike and all shops and schools and companies closed. So they put a gun in our head to close and they say we responded volounteerly to their demands...........ooouuuffff!
Lily
Rabie
u went out of line. You have no right what so ever to call anyone a fool, especially a commentator or one of their family members.
So for the time being I will not erase your comment but i except you to apologize.
next time i will not hesitate to completely ban you.
PS: Bytheway your logic was out of this world!! Good for you!
Peace
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