Pity The Nation That Raises Not Its Voice Save When It Walks In A Funeral

Eve and I went down to Place de l'Etoile and An Nahar building yesterday, and she took these pictures. You can find more of them here. Gebran Tueni used to say he admired Che Guevara for his character, for defending till the end the cause he believed in. Che Guevara died for a cause in a country that was not his, Gebran died for a cause that was his. Or was it? What or who did Gebran die for exactly? Those teenagers who were waving yesterday the flags of the different parties they belong to and chanting "Killon 3indon rou2assa w ni7na 3inna 7mar"? Those others who were cursing Syria, using cheap blasphemy and jokes before the remains of a man who was much greater than that?This Shi'ite man who told me this morning: "I hated his guts because he hated all Muslims"? The dazed and bewildered men and women who walked silently holding his picture high, numb with grief? His toddlers Nadia and Gabriella, for whom he wanted to offer a better Lebanon? His wife, Siham, whom he loved so dearly, or his two daughters Michelle and Nayla, the "eye of AnNahar that will never rest until the assassins are found and freedom is attained"? His father Ghassan, who buried yesterday his last remaining child with stoicism and dignity? Gebran Tueni belonged to that special breed of people who follow their ideals and adhere to their principles no matter what it costs them. We, the Lebanese people, do not deserve to have such a person among us, for we do not appreciate their value. We, the Lebanese people, deserve what is happening to us because we are not taking action. We, the Lebanese bloggers are only good for raving and ranting, hidden behind our nom de plume, nom de guerre, or whatever. After crying our hearts out, chanting our slogans, and promising the latest martyr "We will never forget you, you will always live in our hearts"... we go back to our daily lives, the sun continues to shine, and life goes on. Tayyeb W BA3DEIN?