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<H1 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 22pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><U>LEBANESE
ELECTIONS<o:p></o:p></U></SPAN></H1>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">By; Fatina Salaheddine; Publisher
<EM><FONT size=1>(Al-Sahafa Newspaper USA)</FONT></EM></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><EM><FONT
size=1><o:p></o:p></FONT></EM><o:p></o:p> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">So I was asked if I think that as
a Lebanese-American if I go vote in Lebanon this June, if my vote will count,
and if my vote will make a difference….</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> <o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">To put it simply, NO.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>No, I don’t think that my vote, nor do I
think that even the upcoming Lebanese Elections in Beirut will make any
DIFFERENCE for the country whatsoever.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>Until the day that LEBANESE will vote for what’s best for the country of
LEBANON and for the whole of LEBANON ONLY, and NOT to mafia leaders on opposing
sides who only care to garner votes for their sick "love of personal power" and
their transparent belief in their “religious hierarchy”<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>– the approaching LEBANESE ELECTIONS
will not improve the country or its citizens.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> <o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">The country is suffering from
“Blind Eye” syndrome.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The Political
candidates running for election or re-election have nothing to say about solving
the problems of the high unemployment<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>(including college graduates), high cost of educating the Lebanese youth,
stabilizing the electricity in the country (in some parts of Lebanon,
electricity still goes out after a few hours each day, and people rely on their
unreliable power generators), feeding the poor and the elderly (yes, there are
many Lebanese who are so poor they cannot even afford to eat and rely on their
kind neighbors or local churches and mosques for a decent meal), fixing the
internet availability to all its citizens, and breaking the outrageous monopoly
of the mobile companies and their enormous charges. </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> <o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">What about regulating the
medicines/prescriptions from pharmacies who sell tampered medicine to the
innocent sick?<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>What about getting
the 100’s of orphaned children off the streets of Beirut (who are not only
dragging down the Touristic image of Lebanon –but will eventually cost society a
huge price to pay as these abused orphans pay back society with their diploma
that they earned off the streets of Beirut; begging, robbing, stealing, raping,
and eventually becoming con artists to just survive and get through their
dysfunctional and abandoned lives). What about providing a social security
system for its retired citizens, and providing clean water availability to all
of the country (and yes, this includes the South of Lebanon where Hizbollah
seems to have taken the place of the Lebanese govt. in providing clean water,
free hospitals, free medicine, homes and jobs to the people of the South– all
whilst giving their recipients a reason to keep supporting them.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Ever heard of the saying, “kiss the hand
that feeds you”?).<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Why aren’t the
candidates discussing what they can do to solve the high cost of medical care
(FYI - did you know that Lebanese still have to pay 100% of their surgeries
upfront at the hospital – or they will be denied their healthcare?) – all this
and NO ONE seems to be asking these candidates about any of these vital social
conditions, not even the Lebanese media reporters or writers with a conscience
question these candidates on what they plan on doing to solve these numerous
issues!<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Even the people, “the
suffering citizens” living under these poor third-world country conditions, seem
to also be suffering the “Blind-Eye” Syndrome!<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Will the real Lebanese citizen, please
SPEAK UP!</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> <o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Instead we see the Lebanese
politicians hogging the microphones and staging Press Conferences every chance
they get, to slam the rival side (whether it be March 14 or March 8) with
rhetoric about how if YOU out there listening are Lebanese and want to maintain
being a “true Lebanese” then YOU as a Lebanese NEED to vote for me, verses the
other opposing side!<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Sounds
preposterous?<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Yes, of coarse it
does – and yet not one member of the Lebanese media or private citizen speaks up
about the real issues facing the entire country of Lebanon and its fantastically
religiously diverse people...<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>all
in fear of their bosses who sign their paychecks.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> <o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">ELECTION DAY will be another SAD
DAY for the Lebanese living under all this political mess, and trying to
maintain living a decent life with such an uncivilized class of people - calling
themselves “the government". </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> <o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">I wonder, if we asked all the
supposedly "dignified" Lebanese from around the world - that are getting large
sums of money, fully paid travel and lodging arrangements to come to Beirut and
VOTE for their opposing sides (March 14 or March 8 side) - to please write an
article and define the difference between the words:<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>MAFIA and GOVERNMENT and the difference
of these two words in correlation to our dear country of LEBANON. Have they no
shame?<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"></SPAN> <o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">If even the Lebanese OUTSIDE OF
LEBANON are maintaining this "prejudiced completely insane and backwards
mentality" for voting to keep the same prejudiced people in power - what message
is this sending for the next generation of Lebanese?<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> <o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Where did the pre-civil war
visionaries of Lebanon disappear to?<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, was the impressive center of epic
free-thought in the Middle East. Artists, philosophers, writers, and professors
from all over the world flocked to Beirut, filling café’s and quenching each
other’s thirst with their nostalgic memories of what once was, whilst forward
ideas of the world were shaped.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>My
God, what can be achieved in life- including Lebanon- given the free will of a
person!</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> <o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">With the upcoming Lebanese
Elections, I think to myself - How can Lebanon regain its democratic foundation
- if people are going to vote so BLINDLY?<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Unfortunately, what seems to be
the imminent future, is that those VOTING Lebanese are either getting paid to do
it, or are simply illogical about Lebanese internal politics that they just are
going to vote for someone - because they either share the same religion or that
someone comes from their own city or village in Lebanon. </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> <o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">This whole ridiculousness of
Lebanese politicians paying people to come vote for them, instead of it being
the other way around, as it is here in the States, where supporters make
donations to those candidates they feel best support their interests for the
benefit of their country – is so truly backwards.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I don’t understand how the educated,
well-traveled, well-versed, tri-lingual speaking Lebanese cannot see and realize
this irrationality?<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Seriously,
sometimes when I try to sort this absurdity out in my mind – I end up with this
feeling that maybe the Lebanese actually enjoy the chaotic messy world of
politics that they live in.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>After
all, they know and have the power to speak-up, and to make a difference in their
lives and the lives of their children, and yet they choose to keep going in the
same direction, generation after generation.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> <o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">May God bless Lebanon and the
citizens of Lebanon who suffer from all this mess under these power hungry
politicians.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I pray that God will
unfold the diseased eyes and brains and hearts of all the prejudiced and
stubborn voters and supporters of LEBANON'S CURRENT <U>OPPOSING SIDES</U>.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"></SPAN> </P></DIV></DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV class=Section1>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT size=1>Fatina Salaheddine; Publisher
<EM>(Lebanese-American)<o:p></o:p></EM><BR>Al-Sahafa Newspaper
Corporation<o:p></o:p><BR>11535 Lorain Avenue<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>/Suite # 1<o:p></o:p><BR>Cleveland, Ohio
44111<BR></FONT>
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<TD><FONT size=1>Office:</FONT></TD>
<TD><FONT size=1>(216) 688-0991</FONT></TD></TR>
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<TD><FONT size=1>Fax:</FONT></TD>
<TD><FONT size=1>(216) 688-0993</FONT></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><BR><A
href="http://www.al-sahafa.us"><FONT size=1>www.al-sahafa.us</FONT></A></P>
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