Facing the "deluded majority"... with itself

All that talk about idiots under totalitarianism is not new. Now some self-proclaimed leftists are embracing authoritarianism and imperialism to cure the "deluded majority". There's a somehow more progressive approach, here in the words of Karl Marx:

it is all the more clear what we have to accomplish at present: I am referring to ruthless criticism of all that exists, ruthless both in the sense of not being afraid of the results it arrives at and in the sense of being just as little afraid of conflict with the powers that be. . .

The reform of consciousness consists only in making the world aware of its own consciousness, in awakening it out of its dream about itself, in explaining to it the meaning of its own actions. . .

we do not confront the world in a doctrinaire way with a new principle: Here is the truth, kneel down before it! We develop new principles for the world out of the world’s own principles. We do not say to the world: Cease your struggles, they are foolish; we will give you the true slogan of struggle. We merely show the world what it is really fighting for, and consciousness is something that it has to acquire, even if it does not want to.

Nasrallah frames political debate

Khaled Saghieh quotes Ja`ja`, Hariri, and Jumblat on "resistance", "martyrdom" etc... to show that the political debate has been framed by Nasrallah. Not only are they using his own perspective, they are helping him spread it. George Lakoff would say they have fallen in the "reactive trap".

The key to building the State

I know, you've lost count of how many times you have heard people tell you:
"Our priority is building the State."

And every time you have wondered:
"What do they mean? Why are they telling me this?"

Whatever you do, don't disagree with them... You'll be labeled a traitor!

So next time, hide that questioning face and answer confidently:
"What you need is a good contractor."

Then pause, take a deep breath, frown your eyebrows, and add:
"I recommend Suleiman of Dbayyeh."

سليمان اللي من ضبيـِّة

عمـِّرْ يا معلـِّم العمار وعلـِّي حارتنا ..
عمـّرْلي شي أوضة ودار بتعْمرْ دنيتنا
عمِّرْ تا نعمِّرْ لبنان .. ويعلا عَ الغيم البنيان
وسيـِّجْ تانْسيـِّجْ بزهور .. بْورد بْتفاح بْرمـَّان
تعْلا عمار وتضْوي قمار وعمـِّر يا معلـِّم العمار
عمِّر تا نْعمِّر لبنان .. ويعلا عَ الغيم البنيان
هالمـرَّة سيـِّجْ بزنود .. بقلوب بْعَزم بْإيمان
شـْقَع حجار خْلاق فكار وعمـِّر يا معلـِّم العما

Distinguished businessmen for Lebanon's reconstruction

So President Bush II named "[f]our distinguished private-sector leaders - Dr. Craig Barrett, chairman, Intel Corporation; Mr. John Chambers, president and CEO, Cisco Systems; Mr. Yousif Ghafari, chairman, GHAFARI, Inc.; Dr. Ray Irani, chairman, CEO and president, Occidential Petroleum Corporation" to raise donations for Lebanon's reconstruction. They do have impressive credentials.

National unity chicken and national unity government egg

Hasan Nasrallah (22 September 2006): "The natural first step [to face the country's political division] is forming a national unity government."

Samir Ja`ja` (24 September 2006): "Before the national unity government, we want national unity."

Marceau Pivert (March 1938): "Down with national unity!"

Let children play

"According to research, 95 percent of children are able to overcome stress and mild trauma by simply playing," said Soha Boustani, Beirut communications officer for the United Nations Children's Fund, Unicef.

"It then becomes possible to identify the other five percent of children with more severe trauma, who can then be counselled by the appropriate specialists," she added. . .

"My friends and I used to play in the fields all the time," said Hussein Thine, 10, in Aayta Shaab. "Then, when we returned after the war, I was injured by a cluster bomb and spent five days in hospital. Now, I warn my friends against going out into the fields."