Do Not Rob Us of Hope

Depression is creeping in....

Why are we always doomed, doomed to never have a true encounter with sovereignty? Why does someone like President Assad needs to define what sovereignty means to us? Why are we doomed to be stuck forever in the Arab-Israeli vicious cycle? Why are we doomed that whenever we call for genuine self-determination we are branded as traitors, as collaborators with the West?

Lebanon has always been a hostage to regional and international strategic calculations. What has changed? So why is the talk now of branding the Opposition (with all its diverse political and sectarian groups) as the party that's calling in for "foreign" intervention?

I have one question to ask, on my mind: Sayyid Nasrallah agreed with President Assad on dividing the Lebanese people between "patriots" and "those who collaborate with foreign parties." Why? Europe and the U.S. are foreign parties...but Iran is not?

Oh, I can't believe I'm asking this question....Yes, I've been pushed to question every given premise, just as they are questioning motives....

Of course depression will start creeping back into my heart...

I am speechless; my heart is in pain...full of weariness.

I'm almost on the verge of believing that it's all coming to an end...all this euphoria. As a "wataniyye" I am supposed to cave in; that's what is being called for now. I'm supposed to take the higher moral ground and give in for the sake of Lebanon, for the sake of not losing beloved Lebanon to the Israeli plot.

I never called for U.S. intervention, I never called for signing a peace treaty with our enemy Israel, I never called for animosity with our special neighbor Syria...yet I'm branded now as not a "wataniyye". I'm pained.

Just when there was hope...now it's dissipating before us. Are we doomed to live our parents' life stories...living forever in the "ghirbe"? Please, please give us a chance to return. Do not rob us of peace. Please do not incite civil strife. Do not rob us of HOPE.