Monday, May 9, 2016

The seven stages of the Beirut Madinati grief

"Allah yerhama" - for all the wrangling and the bravado, Beirut Madinati, whereas not dead on arrival at all, still was slaughtered in the election process. Normally smart, logical people went on overdrive in their emotions refusing to see that "monsieur et madame tout le monde" did not want to change anything.
Today, from the blogosphere to the internet in general, we are seeing the 7 stages of postmorten death of the Beirut Madinati list - but we are seeing them at the same time rather than consecutively:
1 - Shock and denial - or how the list is victorious despite losing all seats. You see the logic is that it changed political discourse, made people aware, but of course this assumes the same did not happen in 2005 when we wanted to change Lebanon with a sit in of 2 tents and half.
2 - Pain and guilt - oh no, they lost! I could have called the aunt of my ex who happens to live in Rmeil and who perhaps could vote there even if her "nfous" is in the south, and that cute guy/girl (the one with the dog, I can't remember his/her name) I once dated, couldn't he/she vote too?
3 - Anger - electoral flaw, ballot centers not fit for disabled people, vote buying, coertion, intimidation, threats, whatever fits it is there - you name it, it happened. Naturally no one bothered to ask the electorate what they wanted - hint, more green areas could not be it. Oh and I want to immigrate and I don't care if it takes four years for the Canadian embassy to give a reply.
4 - Bargaining - this is the I-wish-it-was-me-not-Beirut-Madinati-list bit. Get down from the cross people, we need the wood for better, more practical purposes.
5 - Depression and sorrow - what? They lost? I am going down to Mar Mekhael and drown my sadness in a double whatever, will even make it to the end of the happy hour and get myself one for free. One gluten free muffin with it, please.
6 - Testing and reconstruction - my life is not over, we will continue the struggle, stand up and be counted, wait - are these shoes on sale?
7 - Acceptance - ... But Beirut Madinati is still victorious! "I am unanimous".