I want to dream of love in 2020

Fifty years ago, never fathomed the amount of hate and bigotry we saw in 2019 from Brexit to Poland and Hungary, to terrorist acts of cruelty, and most of all ugly populism feeding on fear and isolationism.
My hopes and dreams in the seventies went along John Lennon's song Imagine. I believed in the age of Aquarius.

Still I want to believe that love will prevail at the end. I may be an optimist, an idealist, even childish, or whatever you want to call me.
I just do not want to be bitter and disillusioned. I want to dream and hope. This is how I am, and this is how I remain.

Lyrics

Imagine there's no countries

It isn't hard to do be able to

Nothing to kill or die for

And no religion, too

Imagine all the people

Living life in peace

You, you may say I'm a dreamer

But I'm not the only one

I hope someday you will join us

And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions

I wonder if you can

No need for greed or hunger

A brotherhood of man

Imagine all the people

Sharing all the world

You, you may say I'm a dreamer

But I'm not the only one

I hope someday you will join us

And the world will live as one

Songwriters: JOHN LENNON

For many New Year's Eve is celebrated at evening social gatherings, where many people dance, eat, drink, and watch or light fireworks to mark the new year. For others it is a time for resolutions. For me New Year Eve is a moment to connect with my love, to forget about the passing year, to stand still and enjoy the moment, be grateful for all my blessings, and plunge into the best of my memories.

The danger for Lebanon protest is from within

On November 17, 18, 19 millions took to the streets. Families, young people, old people. Women lead the movement. 

For weeks after hundredth of thousands kept in the streets protesting in innovative peaceful manner.

All Lebanese cities, villages, religions, sects, and social classes were in the streets. They made a human chain from the North to the South. They organised concerts in downtown. They had reconciliation marches.

The movement won and achieved its purpose. The political class is cowering, the media addressing issues that were neglected. Sectarianism is refuse and all are calling for a civil state.

Change is in the air.

Whatever the reasons, from counter revolution thugs attacking the protestors, to political factions seeping into the movement, to insidious groups trying to hijack the demands.

The protests do not have clear leadership to give strategic direction, and tactical actions.

Today, the numbers are dwindling, we do not see women or families in the streets. It is still young people. Students returned to their schools and universities. People are in general still supportive, but tired and worried.

The real danger is this isolation of the protesters from the 'people'. 

The real danger is the sectarianism seeping again in the street.

It is time for the protests to take a step back. A full month is too long.

They will remain a threat for the political class, they will remain able to get millions in the streets after a time of rest if the direction of the reforms is not straight.

Having the movement dwindle and weaken will result only in the ability of the political class and in particular Hezbollah to quell the movement.

In the worst solution it could fall into violence.

In case the country falls into bankruptcy or violence, the political class  is unconcerned, the real loser are the Lebanese people.

Why was it a Boris landslide win?

Some time ago I wrote a blog about why a great number of voters are electing politicians that are ‘saying it as is’ without pandering to political correctness, and why it is not enough to dismiss all of them as uneducated, bigoted, or stupid.

Are we all bigots

I think that Boris Johnson landslide victory falls in the same zone.
Social Democrats and the left in general do not acknowledge, respect, and discuss the fears of the working class and the rural regions, and Brexit is just one of the projections of these fears.
The left discourse became an elitist discourse delivered with a superiority attitude.
And this why Johnson broke the 'Red wall' of Labour and won a clear majority in Parliament.

Another reason is that people in time of crisis are attracted by the strong man, they need a leader figure. A man that talks like them, and is not afraid to say his mind. Corbyn is definitely not this man. He stayed unable to take position on Brexit, and he talks with no passion as if he is not convinced of what he says. He is no leader figure.

It might be also that the electoral system for the House of Common where members are elected to represent constituencies by the first-past-the-post system does not allow for an accurate tally of popular vote rather than closed regional vote.  For example in the last elections before this one 25% of voters got only 1% of the seats.

No denial that the United Kingdom is entering a new era for good or worse.