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NO, MEDALS OF HONOR  Frequently we hear members in our community utter the term "extreme" to describe the national political stance adopted by the "Free Patriotic Lebanese Current", and accordingly call its members and supporters "extremists". The Current's opposition stance symbolizes and personifies Lebanon's pride and the aspirations of the majority of its people for freedom and liberation. It is built on solid national convictions and is publicly declared with no fear or any sort of compromise with any foreign power. The "Current" is calling for the withdrawal of all foreign troops from Lebanon, the Syrians, Israelis and others, free democratic parliamentary elections, conciliatory national government, fair electoral law, respect for human rights, rights of immigrants and the displaced to return to their own homes and property with dignity and a fair judiciary system. It openly opposes the Syrian hegemony and the Israeli occupation and does not differentiate between one occupier and another. It believes in a future secular regime for Lebanon in which all its 19 religious denominations are respected. Going back to the title of this article, is the "Current" actually an extreme group, and does its platform indicate so? To answer these two important questions, we have first to ask our people, especially those who adopt what they call "neutral stances," the following questions: Are they aware of the "Current's" national platform, political and social stances, patriotic convictions and liberation plans? Are they well informed about the complexities of the current Lebanese imposed occupational status quo and its local, regional and international ties? Are they aware that Lebanon the independent state they conceptualize in their Diaspora does not exist any more, and that it is currently the only occupied country in the whole world? Do they recognize that the judiciary system is corrupted, and thousands of innocent Lebanese citizens are detained in notorious Syrian jails without charges or trials, or even knowledge of their whereabouts? Do they recognize that more than two million Syrian nationalists live and work illegally in Lebanon, competing with the Lebanese working section for their own jobs? Do they remember that half a million Lebanese, mainly from the Mountain of Lebanon are still displaced and not allowed to reclaim their homes and property? Are they aware that one million Lebanese citizens were forced to leave Lebanon during the last nine years, and are not encouraged to return? Do they know that more than 400,000 foreigners were illegally granted the Lebanese citizenship in 1994, including 100,000 Palestinian refuges? (And this while millions of Lebanese and their descendents in Diaspora are deprived of their right in the Lebanese citizenship?) Do they know that Israel, Syria and other regional and International powers are working on settling more than half a million Palestinian refuges in Lebanon after granting them the Lebanese citizenship? Do they know that this vicious scheme is being concocted to take place in the Southern region? Do they know that only 3500 Lebanese citizens remain in Jezzine out of its 75,000 original residents? Have they read the Human Rights International reports on Lebanon, and do they follow the Lebanese news on day to day basis? Are they aware of the atrocities inflicted on their people? Do they remember that all Lebanon's high ranking officials including the President, Prime Minister, Ministers, House Speaker, the 128 Parliamentary members, Army Leader and all others in influential positions are appointed by the Syrian occupier? Do they know that in 1990 the country's national debt was less than one and a half billion dollars, and now, thanks to the Syrian-installed regime spearheaded by Mr. Hariri, the Saudi billionaire, the debt has reached 27 billion dollars. If we divide this huge debt among the Lebanese people every Lebanese has to carry the burden of almost $ 5000.00. Do they know that two-thirds of the Lebanese people are living currently below the poverty line according to UN reports, and that Syria has destroyed completely Lebanon's middle class to facilitate its annexation imperialist schemes? Do they know that Mr. Raffic Hariri owns more than 70 real estate companies, under disguised names, and that these companies are buying Lebanon's land and selling it to foreigners? Do they know that Hariri's "Solidare" construction company has claimed Beirut's downtown by stealing the properties from its original owners? Do they know that Lebanon's water resources, forests, agriculture land, mountains, coasts and every other natural environmental treasure have been destroyed, or are on their way to being destroyed? Do they know that Lebanon's historical treasures have been stolen and sold on the black market? Do they know that the regime figures are international drug traffickers? Do they know that Lebanon has been tied to Syria by hundreds of imposed agreements under the disguise of brotherhood and cooperation? Do they know that Israel is proposing to withdraw from South Lebanon, and that the Lebanese-Syrian installed regime is refusing to consider the offer, insisting to tie the fate of Lebanon's occupied south with that of the Israeli occupied Syrian Golan Heights? Do they know that Arabism has been forced on the Lebanese people, and that all other cultural and historical roots of the Lebanese communities were made a taboo, and that a new book for history is on its way to be imposed on the new generations forging the country's actual history? Do they know that Syria is waiting for international and regional opportunities to annex Lebanon and cancel its existence as an independent state? Hundreds and hundreds of other questions could be added to an endless list. To conclude, if some of our community members call us extremists for standing against the above infringements and atrocities, we are happy, and, yes we are extremists in this respect. We gladly consider their accusations medals of honor and call on every Lebanese to become an extremist like us if this is the criterion for extremism. Long Live Free Lebanon. |