Christian political division: a blessing or a nuisance?

[sarhay]

The ascending of GMA to political scene in Lebanon in general gained him popularity through many communities, mainly the Christians. This support for GMA’s movement in the Christian communities was at the expenses of Lebanese forces as the sole representative of their interest during the civil war period. The result was a fracture between the two prominent leaders GMA and SG during the late 80s that deteriorated onto an irrevocable division. Such division weakened the political position of the Christian during the exile of GMA and imprisonment of SG. Post 2005, such division remained yet its outcome has different outlook. Some consider this division is beneficial for the Christian community because both sides can select to variable degree their representatives to the parliament more than they could ever had during the Syrian reign. Others think that while there is a certain validity to the mentioned argument; yet such division is eroding the Christian’s influence and presence across the republic institutes collectively.
Overall, do you consider the current status of the Christian division advancing their presence on the political scene? Or, do you think it is destructive in the long run for their sustainability as a community in Lebanon?

[Orange angel]

Originally Posted by sarhay

Overall, do you consider the current status of the Christian division advancing their presence on the political scene? Or, do you think it is destructive in the long run for their sustainability as a community in Lebanon?

Well, as much as i resent the positions of SG and his followers, i think that divisions among Christians is destructive for us on the long run... We're a tiny community in Lebanon and the Arab World, hence the necessity to reinforce our unity, becoz Unity is Strength. (L'union fait la force). Look at all other communities. The Druze for example (who are also a small community), have got their differences too, but when it's about the interests of the whole community, you see Joumblatt and Arslane hugging and kissing.
Consider the jews... does anyone think they could have survived everything they went through accross centuries if they weren't united?? i don't think so...
The christian community in Lebanon formed 60% of citizens before the civil war, but this golden era is over. We're bearly 25% and therefore have to settle imperatively our differences, no matter what they are, at least for the sake of our survival and our country.

Cheers

[joseph_lubnan]

Originally Posted by Orange angel

Well, as much as i resent the positions of SG and his followers, i think that divisions among Christians is destructive for us on the long run... We're a tiny community in Lebanon and the Arab World, hence the necessity to reinforce our unity, becoz Unity is Strength. (L'union fait la force). Look at all other communities. The Druze for example (who are also a small community), have got their differences too, but when it's about the interests of the whole community, you see Joumblatt and Arslane hugging and kissing.
Consider the jews... does anyone think they could have survived everything they went through accross centuries if they weren't united?? i don't think so...
The christian community in Lebanon formed 60% of citizens before the civil war, but this golden era is over. We're bearly 25% and therefore have to settle imperatively our differences, no matter what they are, at least for the sake of our survival and our country.

Cheers

Political options are healthy for democratic growth. We need to allow communities to have options, and instead of eliminating options and competition within the Christian communities we need to foster competition/political options within the rest of the communities in Lebanon. Unfortunately the country and system are sectarian, but we can organize it in a way that would foster democratic growth and evolution at least independently within each community.

1. Make the presidency completely a ceremonial position
2. Rotate the positions of President, PM, and Speaker amongst the three largest sects
3. Give the three major sects equal numbers of seats in parliament, with some seats reserved to larger minorities and a couple of seats rotated amongst all much smaller minorities
4. Revise electoral laws so that each sect votes exclusively for his parliament members, no matter the districting

[ohyeah]

Originally Posted by joseph_lubnan

Political options are healthy for democratic growth. We need to allow communities to have options, and instead of eliminating options and competition within the Christian communities we need to foster competition/political options within the rest of the communities in Lebanon. Unfortunately the country and system are sectarian, but we can organize it in a way that would foster democratic growth and evolution at least independently within each community.

1. Make the presidency completely a ceremonial position
2. Rotate the positions of President, PM, and Speaker amongst the three largest sects
3. Give the three major sects equal numbers of seats in parliament, with some seats reserved to larger minorities and a couple of seats rotated amongst all much smaller minorities
4. Revise electoral laws so that each sect votes exclusively for his parliament members, no matter the districting

and if there is a county which is bigger than the other ,why he would only
take 1/3 ?and the in the current situation the Sunni have more benefits why would they leave these benefits?
these are some examples of what trouble would face your idea.

Only citizenship is right base not the religious one.

[Robin Hood]

Originally Posted by joseph_lubnan

Political options are healthy for democratic growth. We need to allow communities to have options, and instead of eliminating options and competition within the Christian communities we need to foster competition/political options within the rest of the communities in Lebanon. Unfortunately the country and system are sectarian, but we can organize it in a way that would foster democratic growth and evolution at least independently within each community.

1. Make the presidency completely a ceremonial position
2. Rotate the positions of President, PM, and Speaker amongst the three largest sects
3. Give the three major sects equal numbers of seats in parliament, with some seats reserved to larger minorities and a couple of seats rotated amongst all much smaller minorities
4. Revise electoral laws so that each sect votes exclusively for his parliament members, no matter the districting

And I guess 5 is partition?

[joseph_lubnan]

Originally Posted by Robin Hood

And I guess 5 is partition?

No 5) is a steady but long term peaceful evolution towards a secular democracy.

[Robin Hood]

Originally Posted by joseph_lubnan

No 5) is a steady but long term peaceful evolution towards a secular democracy.

More sectarianism leads to more sectarianism.

[Cyclops]

You really c a split....

look again.....


you'll find a majority of Christians and Wataneyyeh with Aoun.... and minority of Christians with LF....

where is the split...

well the Future media made the story of split between christians so Hariri can ignore the fact that Aoun is the ONLY Legitimate Representative of Christians... and bring christians into cabinet outside FPM...


we shall not build on FM propaganda.....


NO SPLIT

[joseph_lubnan]

Originally Posted by Cyclops

You really c a split....

look again.....


you'll find a majority of Christians and Wataneyyeh with Aoun.... and minority of Christians with LF....

where is the split...

well the Future media made the story of split between christians so Hariri can ignore the fact that Aoun is the ONLY Legitimate Representative of Christians... and bring christians into cabinet outside FPM...


we shall not build on FM propaganda.....


NO SPLIT

Don't forget to get all the sand out of your hair...

[loubnaniTO]

the problem is not the Christian Divide... was the war in Lebanon because of the Christian divide? The core of the problem is that we SING for Lebanon but we don't really have allegiance to it. We trust Bush more than we trust Aoun, we care about King Fahd more than our own neighbour, we like to get the blessing of Bashar el Assad more than we care about the needs/fears of our lebanese policital opponents, we carry the French flag more than the Lebanese, we see the hanging of Saddam as an American attack on Sunna, but we don't see the American political raping of Lebanon wrong as long as it to our benefit, we threaten to burn America if it bombs Iran, but we don't care if the Syrians occupy Lebanon for 30 years, as long as it supporting our own political views.

Here, that was an honest venting! That's why the Lebanese still don't deserve a sovereign country and are always occupied... it is not because it is a weak country, or because the Christians are not politically united.