Lebanese expatriates take back parliament

 

If you are living abroad, you are familiar with the Skype conversations. You are used to the  pixelated box with limited angle of vision.That box eventually becomes your reality and unique perception of family, relatives and loved ones far from you physically. It is fascinating how that box can fit your mother, father, grandmother, grandfather, cousin, nephew, neighbors,  the furniture around the house or even a birthday cake. It can become suitable for sharing a breakfast or even going as far as attending a best friend’s wedding over skype.

We all try to stay connected and most importantly we all aspire for a better Lebanon. We all wish for a Lebanon that can offer us what we dream of, a minimum of electricity 24/7, constant potable water, security for our children, medical care, decent public education etc…We all wish we had politicians we could trust, politicians we could entrust the country in their hands. Primarily because of such wishes, because at one point or another, we could not change Lebanon to meet our goals in life, we decided to pursue our dreams somewhere else. We convinced ourselves that it will be temporary, just to see what else is out there. We felt incapable in Lebanon, and followed the mentality:

We all have expressed or heard such statements at some point:

“If I cannot make it here, I might as well try somewhere else…”

“Who am I to change anything about this country? It shall always be run by a bunch of thieves followed by sheep and I no sheep.”

“Hopeless case. I am better off avoiding stirring up the hornet’s nest. What can I do from abroad anyway?”

These are all valid points, but with that mentality we can only blame ourselves for what our country is facing. If those who see the wrong decide to run away or simply disregard it, then who is expected to do anything about it?

You don’t have to be a politician to make a difference. You don’t have to be a full time activist to stand up for your right. You don’t have to dedicate hours every week to support a rally or join a local committee. You do not even have to reside in the country to make any difference.

There are plenty of Lebanese who understand that change is gradual, that the road to reform is long. They are fully aware that individually they can barely cause a ripple, but collaborating with like-minded Lebanese, they can create one hell of a wave.

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. ~Edmund Burke

Take Back Parliament is a group of Lebanese activists, students, professionals, journalists, educators and even expatriates who are trying to do something about the system we all criticize and suffer from They do not reign from active or defunct political groups. They do not come from political families, they do not pick their money off a tree. The members of this groups also have 8-5 jobs, they also worry about their future and they have bills to pay, but they see what is wrong with Lebanon and they decided to come together and try to do something about it.

What is even more interesting about this movement, in addition to being a complete zero-budget grassroots movement,  it have incorporated the Lebanese expatriates from the start, not as a bank like other bigger more established parties, but with full representation and participation in the decision-making process.

YOU CAN MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE, EVEN FROM ABROAD. FIND LIKE-MINDED INDIVIDUALS AND COLLABORATE TO ACHIEVE THE DIFFERENCE YOU SEEK.

For more info about Take Back Parliament, feel free to comment and I will reach out for you via email. You can also see a wide majority of their agenda and political platform on the website.

 

 

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