Free Lebanon

[Undertoad]

Michael Totten is blogging from Lebanon this week, and posts this exchange from a bunch of gents in a tent city called "Freedom Camp". I thought this exchange was awesome:

Two more of their friends came over, both young men in their twenties. They spoke excellent English.

"Welcome to Lebanon!" they said.

"Thank you," I said. "This is a wonderful country."

Talk turned instantly to politics, as it almost always does here. A Lebanese-American I met in a restaurant told me it has always been this way in Lebanon. It's not just because of the upheaval now.

I wanted to make sure these guys knew a huge cross-section of the American people support what they are doing.

"It feels kinda weird, man" Hisham said.

"Why?" I said.

"Because we don't know what you want from us. What's in it for you?"

"Look," I said. "We live in a free country."

"Oh yes, I know," Hashim's friend said. "We really envy you for what you have."

"So we want you to be free, too," I said. "Americans hate dictatorship and oppression. No one should have to live like that. You're fighting for what we believe in, so of course we support you."

They seemed slightly wary, like I was blowing smoke.

"Okay," Hashim said. "Who decides what kind of freedom we have in Lebanon?"

"You," I said and pointed at him personally.

"Yes!" he said. "Who decides what kind of freedom people will have in Iraq?"

"Iraqis," I said.

"Yes!" he said. He then took out a card and wrote his name, phone number, and email address on the back of it. He handed it to me, shook my hand, and said "You have a friend in Lebanon now. You will always be welcome here."

[chainsaw]

That's awesome.

[lumberjim]

FREE LESBIANS!???

WHERE???



i know, i know.

it never gets old, does it?

[xoxoxoBruce]

Lebanon is fascinating to watch......like Icarus trying his wings.

[Undertoad]

Today's entry from Totten is amazing. The people are demanding elections on May 29 and have erected an electronic countdown sign to mark the number of days the government has to set those elections. This is their declaration of independence. Go there to see what the news isn't reporting.

[xoxoxoBruce]

The protesters have spoken, delivered an ultimatum, 16 days to go...or else.
Or else what? Another million head demonstration? At what point do they say Syrias not listening so we're going to ..........? And what's in the blank?

[Undertoad]

The press is not interested in Lebanon, they have abandoned it. The Internet is the only place you can learn that the government has 11 days left to schedule an election. History is being made, don't miss it!

The revolution will be blogged.

People must be aware of their rights as citizens and as voters, ultimately embodied by the Constitution - a text that defends and secures all citizens’ rights and ensures the protection of the weak in a way that neither religion nor political affiliation can. If politicians do not defend the Constitution, the people must guard their rights themselves. Our actions will crescendo over the next couple of weeks until our demands are met. We will refuse any delay of the deadline for the elections, and view it as a violation of our basic rights as they are protected by the Constitution. Our goal is to familiarize everyone with the importance of this right. Over the next couple of weeks we will visit villages all over Lebanon to create awareness. This will be accompanied by a set of daily events organized at Martyrs’ Square, including performances by artists and singers. We will keep going until our fundamental voting rights are respected and enforced…

This demand for liberty and governmental responsibility could have been written by any American revolutionary. But they were written by the woman on the right, Jumanna Nasr.

[russotto]

I hope your protest babe doesn't get to find out why it's called "Martyr's Square".

[mrnoodle]

I have a crush on that girl. Really. I can't decide whether those two on the left are being all snuggly-buggly with each other or fighting over who gets to touch her hand.


Call me, Jumanna

[lookout123]

she is smoking hot.

edit: further comment deleted as i realized how absolutely cynical i am this morning.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Most of them are hot when they're young and beautiful when they're very old. It's in between that some fall away.

OK, the press isn’t saying anything about Lebanon. Maybe because there is nothing happening in Lebanon. Except maybe what’s going on behind the scenes.
All I see is a bunch of people, with a smattering of attractive women, asking Syria to leave. Yes asking, because that’s all you can do when you have no power. You can’t make demands or threats, only ask.
Are they planning to Martin Luther King the Syrians or the radical Lebanese for that matter. How far do you think MLK would have gotten without the Feds behind him. Look what a hard time he had even WITH the feds behind him.

I sure the US is interested in the outcome and may even be working behind the scenes. If we get high profile, they’ll all complain we’re interfering and call jihad. If we say we’re not going to get involved, up front, then we’ve abandoned these poor people seeking the freedom W professes to love so much.

One thing I am sure of, if Syria pulls out and Lebanon becomes a true democratic state (again?), it won’t be these people we’ve seen doing it alone.