A friend asked me: "Don't you think that we should see new people and new blood in power? Why don't you give it a try?"
I replied: "Indeed the country needs new blood in power, but it also a needs to redefine the meaning of public sector and service and thus a new Model of Leadership is required."
For years this country, Lebanon, has been ruled by a political Elite that considered politics a business. An opportunity to grab projects and make quick benefits and deals.
A "Milky-Cow" approach for politics. They come to power for the love of power and fame.
For the love of "Za'ame" and show-off, for the love of bossing people around and feeling superior to mankind. Politics to them is equal to business and profits.
There is also a type of people who came to power to earn what we call " A political immunity" that enables them to be above all kinds of accountability and escape lawsuits.
This was the "under the table" concept of power and this needs to be changed forever !
The true revolution we need starts here ...
We need to think of politics as a way to serve the people. It is a public service. Anyone who will consider running for elections (any type of elections) should put in mind this equation : I am here to serve my country, not to be served.
Gebran Khalil Gebran once said :“Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country” words that were used later on by the late president John F. Kennedy in his inaugural address that inspired children and adults to see the importance of civic action and public service.
His historic words inspired by the Lebanese Khalil Gebran challenged every American to contribute in some way to the public good.
If we were pioneers in this school of thought from the beginning, and we inspired world leaders to follow that path, what makes us unable to follow this conviction today and become pioneers again?
Let it be a new beginning.
If the Hiroshima Bomb put an end to world war II, I hope from all my heart that the BeirutShima Bomb puts an end to the current political Elite that is ruling the country.
Let us hope this will be the new BIG BANG that gives birth to a new generation based on the abolition of confessionalism and sectarianism and the rise of the sense of patriotism.
Let Lebanon be our first and only commitment and let the children and young cleaning the streets of Beirut today, clean the parliament tomorrow and form a new Elite able to serve national values not their own narrow interest that lead to the explosion of corruption in Beirut.
At the end, there is one beautiful sign that gives me hope : check this video how random people came from all across the country to help in rebuilding their beloved city
