[THREAD] Some thoughts on the horrendous #BeirutBlast and recent protests.
Many of my friends lost their homes. They can never return 2 their apartments or collect their personal items. Others have minor physical injuries and mostly material damages. 1/18
Many of my friends lost their homes. They can never return 2 their apartments or collect their personal items. Others have minor physical injuries and mostly material damages. 1/18
Some of my friends’ relatives died days after the explosion. Other friends are severely injured & are still at the hospital. Many are still figuring out ways 2 raise money (bcos banks aren’t giving us our $) 2 repair their homes & donate to help out many displaced families. 2/18
We only have shattered glass and material damages. @sanatkaram & I are ok. No injuries. Thanks to friends around the world for your texts, calls, & emails. It means a lot to us. 3/18
On August 8, we marched with friends and tens of thousands of people to honor the fallen victims and scores of injuried individuals. We knew that the security regime will arrest, intimidate, use tear gas, and fire rubber bullets and live ammunition to disperse the masses 4/18
There are litte excuses not to join the growing protests that serve as clear expressions of anger and frustration. You don’t fancy violence? Good. You’re welcome to help clean up the debris and provide/donate basic relief and supplies such as food and other much needed items 5/18
You can donate to the @RedCrossLebanon and many decent organizations that are at the forefront of relief efforts. My friend Rima Rantisi @RustedRadishes compiled an excellent list: docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d… 6/18
Worried about tear gas? Buy a gas mask for 20,000 LL or use a good scarf. You can also wear two surgical masks and swimming goggles. Chop up some onions and bring some Pepsi cans and/or vinegar. 7/18
Still attached to ur political party or sectarian warlord? Then you’re not yet a lost case. But soon enough, you will realize that we’re in this together & that traditional political parties & #sectarian groups will keep on failing us. Perpetual failure & failed governance. 8/18
If you’re critiquing the ‘opposition’ & people in the streets for not having clear political plans & that they need organization and leadership, then you’re not paying attention to or aware of the tens of groups that are doing this already. Yes, it’s hard, but it’s happening 9/18
Yes, there are multiple opinions and it’s hard to create a non-sectarian alternative against a corrupt & entrenched class of sectarian warlords & politicians that have been in power for decades. And the ruling class of warlords maintains control over the coercive apparatus 10/18
Calls for resignation, quasi-resignations, or national-unity governments, or even early parliamentary elections will not solve the structural problems. It will simply soothe some people in the street and even allow some traditional parties to exploit growing public anger 11/18
If you’re still focused on giving our failed ‘technocrats’ a chance, then good luck. But remember some facts: hundreds (at least 150+) of victims, thousands injured (over 5000), over 300,000 are displaced, and an entirely devastated state. 12/18
If you’re going to tell me it’s not about the current government, but really goes back to 2014. Or if it’s about one political party or faction, then I have 3 words for you: Kellon ya3ne kellon (all means all). They’re all guilty and must be punished accordingly 13/18
If you’re thinking that we’re resilient and adapt to crises, that’s fine. But it’s about time to bury our coping mechanisms and really move beyond getting back to ‘business as usual.’ There’s nothing normal or usual after August 4. We’re broken. We’re tired. We’re angry. 14/18
I understand that we must stand shoulder to shoulder and many of us are doing this. But we’re well beyond prayers and myths about how we will rise again and again. Is it a crime to seek normalcy? Decency? And hope that we will ever build an efficient state? 15/18
We (@sanatkaram and I) reflect on coping mechanisms & #resilience and encourage us all to move beyond & even bury our former modes of adaptation. Many must be held accountable. We know who & where they are. It’s no longer about why or how, but who. And the answer is clear. 16/18
Here’s the link to our latest article in @megaphone_news. It’s in Arabic and shares our initial thoughts on the #BeirutBlast /#BeirutExplosion : megaphone.news/%d8%a7%d9%86%d… 17/18
