Politics & Stuff

[capriccioso 2,545]

The Politics in Lebanon are much much much more complicated than a simple google search my friend. I've been here all my life and I barely understand it. Our politics are plagued by the ongoing battle between the 17 religious sects. Everything in Lebanon is divided among the sects according to non written agreements. The parliament and all official occupations are divided equally between Muslims and Christians and the "share" of each of them is divided between the sects. Our president has to be Maroonian (a christian sect that is only found in Lebanon and Syria), the prime minister Sunni and the head of the parliament Shiite all according to some verbal agreement made 70 years ago. The "leaders" more or less appoint all those and make all the decisions which gives them unlimited powers. Each sect has been "protected" by a regional or international side since the early 18th century. For example, now, the Shiite are backed by Iran while the Sunni leader is protected by the US. Both countries hold the key to peace or war in the country. This has always been the case. It's just a way to use Lebanon as a pressure card on the opposite force in the region.

The political system in Lebanon is, on the surface, democratic, but in reality it is one of the worst forms if dictatorial systems. Citizens have the ability to make a choice, but they just have one option to choose.

Sounds like someone needs to secularise politics

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Sounds like someone needs to secularise politics

Not an option. Any political change has to pass through the sect leaders and they definitely won't get rid of themselves.And the tribal mentality is buried in the Lebanese society. The people won't rebel against their leaders because they are convinced that their leader is protecting them from the other sects. If I am, for example, Shiite, I have to go to Hezboullah when I need a job, medical care..etc The people think that they can't get their basic rights unless they stick with their sect.

[Beirut_Blues 306]

Not an option. Any political change has to pass through the sect leaders and they definitely won't get rid of themselves.And the tribal mentality is buried in the Lebanese society. The people won't rebel against their leaders because they are convinced that their leader is protecting them from the other sects. If I am, for example, Shiite, I have to go to Hezboullah when I need a job, medical care..etc The people think that they can't get their basic rights unless they stick with their sect.

You're 100% spot on.... But I blame the ppl for this. The ppl give power to the leaders. You see our situation in Lebanon right now? I have absolutely no sympathy to anyone, because that's what they want, they want to follow the "leader" whichever direction he takes them. Our country is so tiny and yet it is a sum of mini-states with no laws, but street politics - it will NEVER work.

[Blue-in-me-Veins 4,067]

You're 100% spot on.... But I blame the ppl for this. The ppl give power to the leaders. You see our situation in Lebanon right now? I have absolutely no sympathy to anyone, because that's what they want, they want to follow the "leader" whichever direction he takes them. Our country is so tiny and yet it is a sum of mini-states with no laws, but street politics - it will NEVER work.

ouch sorry to hear that. but it pretty much 99% of time goes like this

"the revolution is the easy part, but finding a system that suits the people is the hard part."

[manpe 10,861]

On the other hand, there was another shooting in the States.

Shooting at Sikh temple: 7 dead, including suspected gunman, police say

Wow, surely Obama (or whoever will be the next president) has no choice but to do something about it, it's getting ridiculous now.

[capriccioso 2,545]

On the other hand, there was another shooting in the States.

Shooting at Sikh temple: 7 dead, including suspected gunman, police say

Wow, surely Obama (or whoever will be the next president) has no choice but to do something about it, it's getting ridiculous now.

White pride types chose the wrong people to fuck with. Sikhs take brutal and rightful revenge on those who attack their temples, and no one is untouchable for them. They assassinated the Prime Minister of India, Indhira Gandhi in 1984 as retaliation for Operation Blue Star (google that).

[Beirut_Blues 306]

ouch sorry to hear that. but it pretty much 99% of time goes like this

"the revolution is the easy part, but finding a system that suits the people is the hard part."

Democracies don't work in the Middle East mate... unfortunately.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

You're 100% spot on.... But I blame the ppl for this. The ppl give power to the leaders. You see our situation in Lebanon right now? I have absolutely no sympathy to anyone, because that's what they want, they want to follow the "leader" whichever direction he takes them. Our country is so tiny and yet it is a sum of mini-states with no laws, but street politics - it will NEVER work.

Agreed. If anything we're moving further and further away from any possible glimpse of hope. Our society is just hopeless.

Democracies don't work in the Middle East mate... unfortunately.

I think that is because we no one in the middle east has genuinely fought for freedom, they only fight the battles of international sides on middle eastern soil to enforce a tribal dominance of a certain group of people.

[killer1257 3,282]

White pride types chose the wrong people to fuck with. Sikhs take brutal and rightful revenge on those who attack their temples, and no one is untouchable for them. They assassinated the Prime Minister of India, Indhira Gandhi in 1984 as retaliation for Operation Blue Star (google that).

So that is,what you think about my religion?We are brutal people?

[dave30 728]

The only proper way to run a country is a one-party state. No dicking about for minority votes/caring about popularity at all. So long as you keep the army onside, you can act in the best interests of the country every time though it may outrage certain sections of society to have their issues ignored.

"You can act in the best interests of the country" But who's to say you know that any one party knows whats best for a country ? Surely what a majority of people want and think is better than what one person does. And plus i thought you just said you hated nanny states. Isn't denying people the right to vote pretty nannyish ?

[CHOULO19 24,332]

"You can act in the best interests of the country" But who's to say you know that any one party knows whats best for a country ? Surely what a majority of people want and think is better than what one person does. And plus i thought you just said you hated nanny states. Isn't denying people the right to vote pretty nannyish ?

Absolutely not. The masses are very easily manipulated by the media exploiting their religious beliefs, tribal sense of belonging, society's "moral" pressure...etc Agree with the other part though. The "best interes" is completely relative.

[dave30 728]

Absolutely not. The masses are very easily manipulated by the media exploiting their religious beliefs, tribal sense of belonging, society's "moral" pressure...etc Agree with the other part though. The "best interes" is completely relative.

Yer no system is perfect but i persist in believing majority opinion is more valuable than a elite minority no matter how educated they claim to be. Obviously its better to have intelligent people running the country, but the people in this country should be consulted far more regularly when it comes to grass roots local issues in my opinion.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Yer no system is perfect but i persist in believing majority opinion is more valuable than a elite minority no matter how educated they claim to be. Obviously its better to have intelligent people running the country, but the people in this country should be consulted far more regularly when it comes to grass roots local issues in my opinion.

I would agree completely if we were talking about a country like the UK. Can't say the same about the middle east, unfortunately. The society here and the ideology are not at all compatible with democracy. The opinion of the majority here is dictated by a few.

[Rubber bullets 1,183]

Anyone watching it on BBC 2?

Just shows what incompetent fucks the BBC are. They seem to be more concerned about making the rioters sympathetic then the actual victims and how they were affected. And a lot of the rioters seem to be complete idiots, that or people who are trying to say that there actions were political as an excuses to the fact that they are opportunistic scum.

Then I realized that this program was helped by research from The Guardian and the London School of Economics, then it all made sense

[TacticalBlues 2,817]

So London 2012 just finished, casting the riots and it's impact into a distant memory yet BBC get the clever idea to bring it back up?

[We Hate Scouse 10,286]

Making my blood boil.

They think about themselves and no one else. All disgusting, selfish scum. Makes me sick and ashamed to say im from England. Vile cunts.

[Rubber bullets 1,183]

I do laugh at one middle aged silly bitch who proudly claimed she supported the rioters for attacking the police, but admitted she had to fight tootth and nail to prevent them destroying her pet shop.

Idiot should realize that there is no such thing controlled chaos, if it was destroyed she got everything she deserved.

[capriccioso 2,545]

I'm very suspicious of political correctness. Its masqueraded off as a phenomenon to treat minorities fairly in terms of the spoken and written word. In practice, it seems to me, that we're entering (or are already in) a period of censorship across the West; Soviet style, where anyone who deviates from the accepted version of history/truth suffers enormous damage to their reputation and are often discredited. It also maintains the illusion of free speech and democracy.