My friends and I were in a pub this evening when Samir Qantar spoke.
I wanted to see and listen to the speak, but the pub owner intentionally turned off the television to prevent just such viewing and conversations.
Regardless, friends arriving late (which is expected in Lebanon), told us about the contents of the speech. I apologize to all those offended, but I was not expecting much. Samir Qantar was imprisoned in his teens. Unlike most of my friends, who doubt Qantar's intellectual capabilities based merely on his presentation, I am willing to give the man a second chance. According to al-Akhbar, he reads the Arabic press on a daily basis.
Regardless, the man has been imprisoned for years, and has not been honing is speech making abilities. If any, Qantar in Naqoura looked surprised by his reception. He truly appreciated the welcome he received.
Unfortunately, Lebanon does not provide much more than this day to him. Hezbollah might try to nominate him for a parliamentary seat, but his speech today manifests that he must take a few years to practice his political skills. Obviously, this is a man who has been imprisoned since his teens. If Antoine Zahra and Gebran Bassil have trouble giving proper interviews to a perspicacious Lebanese interviewer, imagine what the Lebanese media would do to Qantar.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
I say Hezb needs to work from his strengths; perhaps have him train God's army on the proper way to bash toddlers' skulls in and the environmental benefits of using rifle butts and rocks in lieu of bullets.
Yes, he has a lot to teach modern lebanon.
You're going to give him a second chance? Really?
I sure as hell won't.
Nelson Mandela spent 27 years in prison. Much of it in solitary confinement. This guy was an a-hole before he went to prison. Time will tell - he will prove me right.
Post a Comment