Disturbing questions

How long before it all crumbles and falls? How far can you go, inciting and radicalizing your masses and still expect them to abide by your red lines? When all hell breaks loose, how, for the love of god, do you think you’d still be able to control the most extremist among you?

How silly was it to go and provoke people in their own areas and expect them to welcome you with open arms? Or maybe it was neither silly nor did they expect a warm welcome? Another miscalculation maybe? Can anybody please convince me that they did not know their provocation will not be tolerated by the local population?

For God’s sake, who were those snipers?! How many of them were arrested? And what about those roadblocks? How did we get here? And for once, can we just accept our responsibilities and not blame it on the Syrians and Palestinians? Is it really unthinkable that a Lebanese would shoot another? Have we not done it over and over again in the past? Can we, for once, put aside our “holier than thou attitude”?

This week’s clashes brought out our own worst demons. Luckily, this week, we were able to put the genie back into the lamp…with a lot of effort and a lot of sacrifice. Until the next round of violence that is. And next time around, we might not be that lucky.

Disturbing questions indeed, because we already know the answer to many of them…