 By: Colonel Fayez Karam (Translated freely: By Elias Bejjani) He, who wears the Christmas garment, has to bear with it joy and love to others. It is a garment that has to be earned, and he who wears it has be to humble, well respected, honest, loving and thoughtful. He must be well-respected, fair, bring people together and rewards them with non-judgmental attitudes. Christmas is a commemoration for families, and a live symbol for openness, love, joy, happiness and hope. Christmas is a modest ceremony for truth, all truth and a sign for birth, which is an ongoing process of evolution, and with evolution there is always optimism and longing. Every man on earth is effected and deeply touched by the birth of Jesus, and not only Christians. His birth demonstrates the emergence of a new hope, the start for an optimistic life, the prevalence of acceptance and understanding spirit, and a universal message for coordination unity and forgiveness. With Christmas there is always a remembrance for the poor, sick, absent, persecuted and imprisoned. With Christmas people show compassion for each other through phone calls, letters, cards, personal greetings, prayers and support. At Christmas, people all over the world, and especially families meet to celebrate the event with faith, exultation, affection and delight Merry Christmas to our people, in occupied Lebanon and Diaspora …We wish each and every one holy graces of faith, health and prosperity. We pray that Almighty God help our country… our beloved Lebanon to peacefully reclaim its confiscated independence, freedom, peace and free decision making process. Santa Claus has always worn the Christmas garment. With Santa, a holy religious tradition and a deep-rooted heritage has been kept alive and glaring. Lately, leadership inherited garments have been humiliated in Lebanon and emptied of their historic implications. Yes, they were worn by those who inherited them, but without merit. They betrayed their fathers and grandfathers heritage through subservience, ignorance and non-patriotic stances. They mortgaged supporters' stance, status and jeopardized the rights of their followers. How beautiful and deep-rooted are our traditions, and how important and crucial is the people's national duty for preserving them? In the past wearing a heritage garment meant the acceptance for leadership and a readiness for bearing its responsibilities. Individuals wearing garments had to be efficient, capable, qualified and willing to abide with very strict conditions. Currently the matter has become a lunatic race for glory and fake status. The symbolic garments have lost their value and those wearing them currently lost their effective role as leaders. Leaders wearing tradition garments these days confiscate people's interests and abuse authority. They wear what they do not own, utter what they do not think, and do what they do not say. We have always honored traditions and called for their full respect, while it is currently very painful to see traditions vanish from our Lebanese society. Unfortunately, imposters, opportunists, merciless and conscienceless fake leaders currently wear tradition's garments in occupied Lebanon. They steal authority and practice injustices, preach national stances and show no commitment to any patriotic cause except their own interests. They confiscated people's free will and helped no one in fairness In the midst of this extremely bizarre reality imposed by occupation, we are worried for Lebanon's future and for its people's fate. The newly Syrian-chosen Lebanese government appointed recently a number of officials for numerous high-ranking security positions with exaggerated and suspicious media propaganda. People are asking what stance they should adopt? Doubt or confidence? Rejection or acceptance? Change or continuity? On our side, we can't judge the individuals appointed. Some of them could be patriotic and highly qualified, but at the same time we can not morgage a national stance for sentencing a thief or a criminal and become a team in a mere game for distributing the country's wealth and authority. We can not take sides in such a secondary matter while the whole country is occupied, its free decision making process confiscated and its people's initiatives crippled. The Syrian leadership and no one else controls Lebanon's entire regime stances and actions. We long for reassurances in regards to changes that presumably took place in Syria. Syria might have sent some hints in this regard!!!. We want to be hopeful in pursuing our national objectives for reclaiming sovereignty, freedom and independence. Meanwhile we will watch, wait and stay alert with extended hands and open hearts for all those who love Lebanon and work for its dignity and liberation. Merry Christmas for all of you, and best wishes for the future of our beloved Lebanon. Long Live Free Lebanon France. December 25, 1998 |