Politics
I share because it is true, not to convince.
Hadi Damien is a politician who practices as a sociopolitical analyst and commentator.
Despite limited public participation, he has contributed greatly over the years as a ghost analyst and commentator. He has observed, examined, written, and shared insights and reflections with political players, social organizations, and influencers.
Amidst the inundation of media and the polarization of discourse, and based on the realization that more profiles are needed to embody visions and actions, he has recently taken on a more public presence, whether in salons, written media, or on screen.
Throughout his public and private contributions, Hadi speaks of and upholds the principles of the rule of law, full sovereignty (military, economic, financial, and civil), and accountability in pursuit of freedom, peace, prosperity, and social cohesion.
Lebanon
Lebanon is honored in the Bible, the holy book for believers, and one of the oldest surviving texts for all. The country's historic name signals the timelessness of the land we call Lebanon, on which territory people have sustained invasions, wars, struggles, domination, and shifts for more than 8,000 years. In this spirit, Lebanon prevails against all odds - through its mountains, climate, geography, people, and flora and fauna.
In the case of current dynamics, we believe the following must be upheld:
- The rule of law,
- Full sovereignty (military, economic, financial, and civil), and
- Accountability.
We also believe that:
- Governments should be as small as possible and that they should not be welfare systems. Rather, they should offer a strategic safety net to the most destitute among us, so that they can recover from any collapse;
- Education should not be state-controlled. It should be mandatory for all students until the end of middle school, around age 14. There should also be common guidelines to ensure that all students learn the necessary knowledge for society. This knowledge should include information about the culture of peace, civil service, society (religion, differences, and otherness), the economy, and future studies;
- History should be documented, written, and shared;
- Economy should be entrepreneurial, with free markets and a variety of guardrails to limit or prevent abuse;
- Decentralization is crucial, and modern, continuously updated digitization makes processes faster, reduces corruption, and improves citizens' quality of life;
- All residents should complete a mandatory, full-time, one-year civil service.
Practically, we yearn for:
- The state monopoly on arms (Hezbollah, political parties, Palestinian camps, and other non-Lebanese camps);
- The clean-up of “alternative economies” (cash, narco, weapon, and human/organ trafficking economies);
- The restructuring of the banking sector;
- Compensating for the seizing of depositors’ money;
- The independence of the judiciary;
- The edification of public institutions;
- The streamlining of public services;
- The revision of all laws, domestic codes, and international treaties;
- Redesigning relations with countries:
- Entering into a strategic, sustainable, peaceful, and developmental relationships with Israel;
- Priming our relationship with Syria based on examining all outstanding matters, such as missing persons, jailed persons, displaced persons, borders, non-intervention, and Syrian ratification of the full and total rejection of their province narrative;
- A strategic roadmap for regional development and global partnerships;
- A diplomatic repositioning of our country that honors our legacy and positions us as global strategic contributors in the Concert of Nations.
All the while strengthening social cohesion and restoring critical alliances that benefit all Lebanese constituencies, such as the Sunni-Greek Orthodox influence in costal cities.
Lebanon & More
As we learn from Lebanon, we do not subscribe to community-based logic or identity politics. This is not to dismiss people’s particularities or dilute them in the larger group, but rather to understand that tribal-motivated public decisions serve only one side. As for identity politics, we view them as a reminder to society and decision-making processes of the existence, needs, and aspirations of specific groups, so that these groups are considered in the development of public policies. Identity politics are not a "higher moral ground" that trumps policies.
We also advocate for self-determination grounded in freedom and the rule of law, as there can be no self-determination under threat, coercion, terror, or the weaponization of state institutions (such as the judiciary and security apparatus). We understand that freedom lies within the purview of the individual, and therefore we do not subscribe to ideologies or doctrines. We reject ideas and calls that advocate collectivism over the individual, as they turn the individual exception into a stereotyped profile, and, then, inevitably, into dehumanized pawns to serve larger schemes.
We also condemn the categorization and weaponization of individuals and groups. We reject gender-, sexual-, racial-, ableist-, and quantitative nomenclature (such as "women", "LGBT", "POC", "people with determination", "minorities") and we reject the weaponization of these terms through political leverage or otherwise. Identities are complex and should not be reduced to one or a few particularities that resonate in a given geography or situation. All people, whoever they are, are entitled to full dignity and respect, and must be treated as such, regardless of convictions, beliefs, or calculations.
We believe that the individual is independent, free, and therefore mighty.
No person needs a mandate, and every person is their own mandate.
The person comes first, for the freedom of the mind produces personal initiatives that resonate among other people, and, together, we make society.
Society is therefore as strong as its weakest member, and the power of the individual is power to the collective, for lived reality trumps any and all ideologies.
Thus, we believe that transnational partnership is key to development, and that every country has much to contribute at the level of the world.
My consistency of positions is not the manifestation of stubbornness; rather, it is the grounding in principles, priorities, and confirmations.
Add to that the systemic and continuous inability of those with different views to demonstrate that their world is better. After all, I’m not an ideologue, and I am open to exploring any promise of a better world with more happiness, prosperity, and peace.
Topics of Focus
- Civil War
- Identity Politics
- Lebanon
- Religion
- Sexual and Gender Diversity
- Social Cohesion
- Sovereignty
Guardrails
- No Electoral Interference
- No Influence (Drugs, Sex, Money, “Power and Titles”)
- No Lies
- No Partisan Allegiance
- No Trade-Off
Lebanon
Lebanon is honored in the Bible, the holy book for believers, and one of the oldest surviving texts for all. The country's historic name signals the timelessness of the land we call Lebanon, on which territory people have sustained invasions, wars, struggles, domination, and shifts for more than 8,000 years. In this spirit, Lebanon prevails against all odds - through its mountains, climate, geography, people, and flora and fauna.
In the case of current dynamics, we believe the following must be upheld:
- The rule of law,
- Full sovereignty (military, economic, financial, and civil), and
- Accountability.
We also believe that:
- Governments should be as small as possible and that they should not be welfare systems. Rather, they should offer a strategic safety net to the most destitute among us, so that they can recover from any collapse;
- Education should not be state-controlled. It should be mandatory for all students until the end of middle school, around age 14. There should also be common guidelines to ensure that all students learn the necessary knowledge for society. This knowledge should include information about the culture of peace, civil service, society (religion, differences, and otherness), the economy, and future studies;
- History should be documented, written, and shared;
- Economy should be entrepreneurial, with free markets and a variety of guardrails to limit or prevent abuse;
- Decentralization is crucial, and modern, continuously updated digitization makes processes faster, reduces corruption, and improves citizens' quality of life;
- All residents should complete a mandatory, full-time, one-year civil service.
Practically, we yearn for:
- The state monopoly on arms (Hezbollah, political parties, Palestinian camps, and other non-Lebanese camps);
- The clean-up of “alternative economies” (cash, narco, weapon, and human/organ trafficking economies);
- The restructuring of the banking sector;
- Compensating for the seizing of depositors’ money;
- The independence of the judiciary;
- The edification of public institutions;
- The streamlining of public services;
- The revision of all laws, domestic codes, and international treaties;
- Redesigning relations with countries:
- Entering into a strategic, sustainable, peaceful, and developmental relationships with Israel;
- Priming our relationship with Syria based on examining all outstanding matters, such as missing persons, jailed persons, displaced persons, borders, non-intervention, and Syrian ratification of the full and total rejection of their province narrative;
- A strategic roadmap for regional development and global partnerships;
- A diplomatic repositioning of our country that honors our legacy and positions us as global strategic contributors in the Concert of Nations.
All the while strengthening social cohesion and restoring critical alliances that benefit all Lebanese constituencies, such as the Sunni-Greek Orthodox influence in costal cities.
Beyond Lebanon
As we learn from Lebanon, we do not subscribe to community-based logic or identity politics. This is not to dismiss people’s particularities or dilute them in the larger group, but rather to understand that tribal-motivated public decisions serve only one side. As for identity politics, we view them as a reminder to society and decision-making processes of the existence, needs, and aspirations of specific groups, so that these groups are considered in the development of public policies. Identity politics are not a "higher moral ground" that trumps policies.
We also advocate for self-determination grounded in freedom and the rule of law, as there can be no self-determination under threat, coercion, terror, or the weaponization of state institutions (such as the judiciary and security apparatus). We understand that freedom lies within the purview of the individual, and therefore we do not subscribe to ideologies or doctrines. We reject ideas and calls that advocate collectivism over the individual, as they turn the individual exception into a stereotyped profile, and, then, inevitably, into dehumanized pawns to serve larger schemes.
We also condemn the categorization and weaponization of individuals and groups. We reject gender-, sexual-, racial-, ableist-, and quantitative nomenclature (such as "women", "LGBT", "POC", "people with determination", "minorities") and we reject the weaponization of these terms through political leverage or otherwise. Identities are complex and should not be reduced to one or a few particularities that resonate in a given geography or situation. All people, whoever they are, are entitled to full dignity and respect, and must be treated as such, regardless of convictions, beliefs, or calculations.
We believe that the individual is independent, free, and therefore mighty.
No person needs a mandate, and every person is their own mandate.
The person comes first, for the freedom of the mind produces personal initiatives that resonate among other people, and, together, we make society.
Society is therefore as strong as its weakest member, and the power of the individual is power to the collective, for lived reality trumps any and all ideologies.
Thus, we believe that transnational partnership is key to development, and that every country has much to contribute at the level of the world.