let’s start with the photos :

Photos provided by @trellalb

Photos provided by @trellalb

And now to move on to the words, I would like to say what my late math teacher used to tell us :

لو كان الهبل بوجع … كانت العالم مشلوحة بالمستشفيات *

* If being stupid hurt, people would be laying in hospitals

To the lebanese football fans AKA official representatives of Brazil, Germany, Argentina, Italy (hahaha), France (hahahahahahahahaha)  take it easy.

To our dear (not) GSM providers, Alfa and MTC you SUCK.

Well today started with me forgetting everything for those couple of moments, I can’t really remember if I smiled or no, but I’m sure I was in the parallel world.  My mood was in the “undefined” state, and what usually happens, with most of us, is we choose our music depending on  the mood, and we either dwell some more , go crazy, be happy or it is just a mission failed, and you throw that Ipod away.

However today, I decided that I want the music to determine my mood… and God that was a smart move.

Went into my car, put my music on shuffle and just drove, and here is what happened:

• 2 random people smiled at me while i was leaving the building
• It was 8:25 am, and I didn’t get caught in traffic (Go Figure!!)
• and to make it even more beautiful, the music, my God the music was awesome !! I mean, it kicked of with Fayrouz (the rare songs), then Aziza Zadeh, back to Fayrouz and finally my sweet lady Ella… Can’t get any better.

One’s favorite moment of the day usually varies depending on what is suitable for the past days or past moods… but as far as I can remember those moments before I wake up are the most beautiful ones… the only time of the day where I really don’t want any relation what so ever with my memories or plans.

Music by ~Albiona

To make this post very short, activists, bloggers and people with common sense, are fighting against the passing of this law…

I  mean, it will be a cold day in hell, when i would need a damn permit to set up one of my many “virtual” spaces. As far as I know, Lebanon is not Syria, KSA or China…

To be a bit fair towards our dear government, I know they are a bit short on cash… I mean this might be one way to get them pockets full, or maybe it is not about the money, it is about the “monitoring” power; But on what basis ?

So, Dear Lebanese government, please start by providing decent internet (ping Emile Emile Lahoud jr), I mean how much bandwidth you need for your youtube, MSN and Miniclip? 

Bottom line, I would urge all of us out there to mobilize this campaign, and to take it out of the “virtual” space… I’m sure very few of those 128 cabinet members are following us on twitter (#stopthislaw), though to be honest Bachir Gmayel is indeed following me (#justsaying).

LETS MAKE THE STREETS OUR PUBLIC TIMELINE.

PS: to check  how good our connection is make sure you “read” Nadine Mouawad post

PPS: The ESSA law and VOIP law are two different laws, the latter is an already passed law, but not yet applied, and it prohibits “phone fraud”   (It doesn’t influence, Skype, Gtalk or  Yahoo).

However if the ESSA is to be passed, we will no longer have our freedom online, and we will be subject to arrests and violations of our “GOD GIVEN INTERNET RIGHTS”.

More about this from top Bloggers of Lebanon

-independence05

- Beirutspring

- SMEX Beirut

-Dany Awad

- Beirutiyat

- The Identity Chef

- Maya’s Amalgam

- Sara Hilal

- Trella’s Blog

- +961

Alright then, how about WE (the “Not As Lebanese As…”) do something about it, and no we are not going to sign a petition, or call Kalam el Nass. How about shape our Lebanese rights and duties to how Lebanese we are.

Since legally a man is more Lebanese than I am, it is only fair for him to :

• Pay more taxes  than I do
• Pay more for the fuel tank than I do
• Get paid more than I do (Oh wait, that is already happening but i assure you not because he is better than me)
• Be held more responsible than I am

In the end that is what being a Lebanese apparently is all about.

My 12 years old brother is more Lebanese than me,  because one day if he decides to marry a less  Lebanese woman or a non Lebanese woman his kids would be Lebanese (or Less Lebanese than he is) .

But picture the injustice, if a less Lebanese citizen like myself, decided to marry a non Lebanese i don’t have the luxury to pass them my ‘Lebanese” nationality…

Samira Soueidan a woman who lost today in the Lebanese court, will not pass her nationality to her kids. We can’t blame the judiciary system, because as far as they are concerned they are following the law. The old rusty (أكل الدهر عليه وشرب) french- a la libanaise law, that is full of ambiguity, injustice and apparently resistant to time, change and maybe the ozone hole.

This law is our concern, and we should change it; Oh! but we can’t, I mean it is not up to me or you. It is up to  a special group of 128 people with very special powers, hidden talent and incredible cleverness  can (yes that was sarcasm).

However they are busy!!! yep, they are playing elections, corruption (most of them), Monopoly, mortal kombat or pac man (for the challenged ones ). They can change the law, they can make me as Lebanese as my brother or as my dead grandfather… But till that day تلعبو بالكبه والأربعة (in what means, fcuk off, and go die)

Photo from: http://nationalitycampaign.wordpress.com/2010/04/27/nationalitywall-painting/