Stones instead of pens and pencils.
Flames coming from a car instead the sounds of the latest beat.

We’re getting there… we avoided it 3 times this year, but we’re almost there now.

Enjoy it … This is where we took ourselves, no one did this to us. No one we can blame it on.

I remember some years ago, not so long ago, I was headed home when the road was blocked by FPMers. They created a body chain across the Jounieh highway in order to be heard. Aoun was due to be on TV, I think on MTV, but it got cancelled because the old government pressured them to do so. If my memory does not fail me, 11 of them got arrested and most universities, including the one I attended, was on strike until all of them were released around 10 days later. The majority of parties respected them for trying to defend the freedom of speech and that is why they went on strike with them. Keep in mind, the LF was one of their major supporters as well.

The FPM students always did the greatest activities, such as selling Lebanese fruits and vegetables out of their own cars on Sundays in order to encourage Lebanese labor and Lebanese products.

I had great respect for them.

Please try to understand where I am going to continue from here. I do not support any political party nor am I a major supporter of the government. I do not like to refer to them as March 14th movement because this is not what March 14th represented either.

Now, back to the topic at hand. I don’t have a problem with the opposition demonstrating. I even visited the tent area on my recent trip and uploaded pictures (can be found in the side bar).

Everyone has their right to demonstrate although I do feel like all parties have been overdoing it recently.

(notice how I am tip-toeing into this topic.. never done that before, it’s a difficult post for me)

When FPM blocked the Jounieh highway a few years ago for around an hour, the point of it was to make a statement, to be heard. Yesterday when the opposition blocked the roads it was to prevent people from going to their jobs or schools.  If people wanted to participate in the demonstrations they would have voluntarily chosen not to go to work.  You cannot force people to do as you wish.

You see freedom is a beautiful thing as long as it does not affect anyone elses freedom.

When I got home last night and saw footages of the day’s events I was horrified.  I started flipping from channel to channel, and honestly speaking, the commentary, the statements, the speeches all made me laugh. I even laughed at the callers on Manar TV.  Every Lebanese TV station, ever Lebanese politican, or political analyst is messed up.

5 people died and tens were wounded.  What for? That is what I have to ask.  If 5 people were “wasted” yesterday (I apologize to their families and friends for that term), for no cause, no reason, nothing then I can easily see the Lebanese people fight another war.

We all seem to be great at making statements and vows about never participating in another civil war, but we don’t seem to act upon it.

I keep updating my Lebanese aggregator to check for updates and reaction of Lebanese bloggers and/or other bloggers residing in Lebanon. Most of the reactions seem to be frustration.  Most bloggers don’t seem to be encouraging today’s demonstrations… or maybe the ones who are at a computer are either anti-demonstrations or indifferent about it and the pro-demonstrations might just be at the demonstrations.  I am not so sure.  Either ways, the entire situation just saddens me.

N10452 smsed me. He left his home in Jounieh over an hour ago and is still by Rimal.
Malfono’s dad left their home in Jal El Dib to get to his job in Beirut and couldn’t get to Dora.

Are these civilized demonstrations or riots or what?

I am extremely sickened by the situation in Lebanon. Walla I am fed up!

Update:

MacDara has pictures of downtown Beirut this morning
Blacksmith has some more pictures and updates
Sietske has more pictures
Manamania has a picture as well

Update:

N10452 is taking pictures at the road. I just hope this day passes peacefully.

Update:

N10452 had told me that there seems to be a lot of LF supporters at Nahr El Kalb and I just read on tayyar that the army is keeping the LF and FPMers away from each other in order to maintain peace.

Update:

Liliane also just left a comment that she has pictures from work here

Update:

Mom just told me there is shooting in nahr el kalb.  N10452 and Malfono told me the street opened up there.  The army was shooting in the air and opened up the road.

I once again urge all of you to remain calm tomorrow no matter who you support.

I am sick of all these demonstrations really.  They keep calling for a general strike, but who is to feed the people?

Next month, February 14th is the 2 year anniversary of Hariri’s death.  Will the March 14th movement call for a huge gathering then? A general strike? Or will they abuse the date March 14th instead?

Walla 3anjad enough!

I just wrote a long post! It’s gone!!! Damn it!! I usually copy my posts before publishing but I forgot to do so this time!!! It was a long sentimental post too!!!!