Questions nobody seems to ask
Just a few questions this time that keep on going through my mind the last few days. Answers are left as an exercise for the reader:-)
- Why are people reacting so surprised and almost angry when the Maronite Church is defending the rights of Christians in Lebanon?
- Why are people upset when the Maronite Church claims that much land is bought by foreigners, which is in line with Jumblatt's statements in January this year?
- Why would Syria want to hand over the car that was possibly used in the assassination of Pierre Gemayel? Do people really think Syria would like to incriminate itself?
- What was really found at one of the offices of Aoun's party, bombs or firecrackers? And what does this discrepancy tell you about the quality of local press?
- What other questions were also not asked by me?
2 comments:
I am one of those who were negatively surprised by the Maronite Bishops' statement. My answer to your first question: I think people were reacting the way they did because they felt that the bishops missed to see the bigger picture - again! In other words: Their statement lacked vision at a time it was most needed - again!
The rights of Lebanon's Christians are not defended by insisting on one official holiday more or less (btw, each religious group would have had to sacrifice one holiday, not only the Christians), but by working towards a prosperous, peaceful, moderate and cosmopolitan Lebanon.
This Lebanon I am afraid is not represented by the current opposition - who the statement provided with ammunition. For all its stated diversity, the opposition is dominated by Hezballah, a deeply militant movement which I am afraid would curtail social, cultural, economic and media freedoms in Lebanon if it ever dominated the state.
A Hizballah-style government is likely to threaten the most basic and vital interests of most Lebanese, its non-Muslim population in particular.
Loosing one of the dozen holidays does not.
Most unfortunately, there seems to be a behavioral pattern when it comes to the Maronite church:
In crucial moments, it blunders! The position that to "protect the prestige of the 'Presidency', Lahoud must not be ousted by the street" will probably prove one day to have been one of the biggest mistakes by the Maronite Church in recent times.
"Christian" interests and the "prestige of the presidency" would have been much better served by the Church's backing to a revolt against Lahoud.
Surpised no, angry yes, because so many of us are sick and tired of the religous people interfereing in politics (and starting wars on our behalf). If the Christians or anyone else for that matter has a problem, then they have elected represenatives who should deal with it (by the way I agreed with anger over the Good Friday thing even though I'm muslim, I mean it's Good Friday for goodness' sake, how can you cancel it?)
As for the firecacker/bomb incident, it seems to have been a firecracker since Aoun would have milked it to the maximum if it was a bomb.
As for the Syrians they've probably wiped out their hired killers already so who's gonna talk now, whatever they get out of the car? I'm sure we'll soon (or never) find out one way or the other.
Post a Comment