From: ccav38@ccsun.strath.ac.uk ("I.Ballouz")
Newsgroups: soc.culture.lebanon
Subject: Re: pluralism
Date: 20 Nov 92 13:53:16 GMT
Organization: University of Strathclyde

In article <1992Nov20.105859.14449@ulrik.uio.no> eliedw@hedda.uio.no (Elie Dib Wardini) writes:
>In article <1992Nov18.141408.14796@ccsun.strath.ac.uk>
>ccav38@ccsun.strath.ac.uk ("I.Ballouz") writes:
>>
[   ...   ]
>
>MAjor issues for me are:
>
> education
> identity
> long term treaties or engagements
> civil freedoms
> human rights
> personal status
>
>etc.
>
>all of which I believe should be made clear in the constitution. Once this is
>done, any change in the constitution would have to be made by consensus. THis
>is where the veto comes in and not veto on every possible issue. THis can be
>done by many ways, a senate (qualitatively representing all groups equally, ie.
>not based on numbers). For a group to qualify to be represented, they would
>have to meet some criteria, eg. represent the interests of LEbanese and none
>els, collects the signatures of a certain amount of Lebanese etc.
>
>this can be discussed. It is also posible to find other ways to do that.
>
>To give you an example on  how this could work:
>
>The constitution requires that all Lebanese be equal before the law and be
>treated equally as far as public office is concerned. So if a certain person
>applies for a job, and can prove that she is more qualified than the one who
>got this job, she will be able to contest the appointment (of course in case of
>clear cut bias), the coursts decide. If for some reason, the parliament decides
>to make a law that decides that people of a certain group will be privileged in
>certain cases, the senate can stop the law and decalre it unconstitutional. If
>the senate unanimously accepts the proposal then it passes.
>
>Another example, Elie Wardini as president, decides that it is in Lebanon's
>interest to be united with France. THe senate can block such demarches if it is
>not unanimoulsy accepted.
>
You see I am trying to think of any country in the civilised world that has a
senate that does not pass laws unless it is 100% approved, I can't think of any,
do you know any such country?

With all the sub-cutural diversity we have in Lebanon, it is impossible to get
any Law passed by the senate with 100% majority. We have to acknowledge that
we have differences and I beleive that this 100% majority is an obstacle.

I accept Democracy and I don't accept the VETO or the 100% senate majority.
I beleive that giving an equal weight to everybody back home will do us good.
Democracy will allow us to overcome the "fear" barriers.
Democracy will shift the responsibity of guiding the country to the people
themselves rather than keeping it in the hand of few (parliament).
If the people have chosen a certain candidate as their president, then they 
will have to accept the consequences. This will force the people to think about
the PROGRAM of the person rather than his own SECT. Once the people have got
this right, then they will start feel their responsibilties and decide on the
basis of who is going to do the best for the country.

I don't like this VETO thing and I don't like this 100% majority. I beleive 
in learning from experience. People decide, if the government is good then the 
country benefits. If the government is bad, soon the people learn how to chose
a better one. 

We can reduce the period of presidency from 6 to 4 years or less and give the
people a chance to change their government more often if there is a need.
We learnt from the past period that nothing should be kept sacred. Everything
must be subjected to the will of people an the system must evolve by these
democratic means. Every issue can be put to test, education, civil rights...
all of these will be tried and kept or rejected according to their goodness
to us.
VETO and 100% will be damaging to the normal evolution of the political and
social system in the country.
>
>
>
>Elie wardini


I. Ballouz

-- 
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* IBRAHIM BALLOUZ            **           DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE          *
* ccav38@uk.ac.strath.ccsun  **  STRATHCLYDE UNIVERSITY GLASGOW SCOTLAND U.K. *
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