"The righteous will flourish like a palm tree,
they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon."
(Psalm 92:12)
It is mentioned seventy times in the Bible; King Solomon used its cedars to build his glorious temples, and the Romans built their only temple for Jupiter on its land. Moreover, it was from its coasts that the Phoenicians spread the world's first alphabet. The word 'Lebanon' symbolized beauty, strength, and pride. What was it that caused this fame to be replaced with infamy? Why does the word 'Lebanon' appear today only in sensationalized newspaper articles heralding bombings, terrorism, corruption and grief?
Basilica of the Immaculate Conception - Our Lady o...
Part of Rue Minet al Hosn, where Rafik Hariri was ...
Shrine and resting place for Hariri in September, ...One might regard the civil war as the main cause of Lebanon's downfall, while others might blame the government. Yet as the past cannot be undone, the cause is not an issue of primary importance. There exists a spark of hope for Lebanon and a solution for its problems. This solution lies in the words of America's thirty-fifth president John F. Kennedy. Addressing his people in his inauguration speech, he stated, "Ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country." For a nation to strengthen itself and improve its situation, its citizens should be eager to act on behalf of their country, not continuously searching for ways the country might benefit them.
Although the Lebanese people have expressed their love for their country, it is necessary that they continue to change those words into action as they have done during the upheaval of recent events. People are eager for a more stable and democratic government and a better economy. Nevertheless, it has nearly become a tradition for students to leave Lebanon after, or even before, graduating from university. It is true that there are relatively less job opportunities in Lebanon, but if...