Mr. Hariri’s Legacy is secure. Now is the time to rethink how February 14 is celebrated every year.
Wise athletes retire at their prime. They like their fans to remember them at their peak. They dread the idea of aging, weakening and falling slowly into an arthritis-ridden oblivion. They’d rather make news, one last time, about quitting too soon.
Prime Minister Rafik Hariri (R.I.P) involuntarily retired at his prime. It remains to be seen if the yearly celebrations held to commemorate him will do the same.
Don’t get me wrong. If I were in Lebanon I would have probably turned up. I would have waived a Lebanese flag, chanted till losing my voice and returned home to a very good night sleep.
But we’re human beings. Time heals our wounds, emotions ebb and injustices fade away.
We can’t keep holding such rallies every February 14. We have to stop (the physical gathering of crowds) at some point. So why not now? We can make yesterday’s superb display the last image people remember of February 14 celebrations. We can declare the proverbial victory and announce that as of next year, the celebrations will have more local and cultural manifestations.
The movement will live on in the hearts and minds of people. Physically turning up can soon become a drag..
Hello, my name is Mustapha and I've been blogging about Lebanese society, business and politics since February 2005.
I agree with the writer, it is about we start looking forward and not behind.
There will always be young people full of energy who are willing to turn up every year! The issue is to focus on: why? and what is it to them? March 14 should explain to them why and should continue to expand its social services to the people! Harriri got his first support by offering jobs and education.
100%. I’d rather that, than the alternative of the celebrations slowly withering away year after year, that’s not anyone wants to see.
Mustapha,
You are making , in my opinion, a good call. But whether the celebrations are continued or not and whatever form they take it is crucial that we put to an end to this trend of personality cult.
Rafic Hariri does not have to attend every meeting and take care in every photo op. The process of sanctifying him is a sham, it looks like and probably is the proiduct of crass advertising campaigns . Such methods do not do his memory any justice, on the contrary they will back fire. All efforts at creating artificial heroes have failed and will continue to be rejected by the populace. Do Rafic Hariri a favour and let the people judge the place he ought to occupy in their collective memory and in the history of the state.
Thanks Ghassan for your comment and for all of you for baring with me the last few days (if you haven’t noticed, i was changing hosts and I had a significant downtime)
Ghassan,
You’re right, and I’ve been attending Future Movement events outside of Lebanon, and the “cult” you’re talking about is becoming not only obvious, but now, tiresome.
The Future Movement has to find a way to appeal to people beyond how ‘great’ the people who founded it are..
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