LOS ANGELES  MARONITES CONVENTION  JUNE  2002
By: MICHEL RAPHAEL
30.6.02
Being held in LOS ANGELES the convention was definitely an inspiration from the ANGELS. l believe even the HOLY SPIRIT was there, above the head of every participant, like the sword of damoclesus, forcing for the first time in our life time the Maronites to be LEBANESE  ONLY LEBANESE AND NOTHING MORE THAN LEBANESE .C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S

l will restrict my comments to what has not been addressed in the final resolutions (cancellation of chapter: K from the final communiqué)
After 60 years of very painful experiences the Maronites admitted for the first time the irreversible big mistake they did in 1947.
In fact at that time not only  we decided to join the ARAB LEAGUE but we were one of the founder of this ARAB MOVING SANDS.what a mistake!!! and what a U turn in the year 2002
Cancellation of chapter K from the final resolutions was definitely due to the ugly experiences we had for decades, scarifying  our own identity and independence for the sake of the Arab causes.
My personal definition of the word EXPERIENCE : A CUMULI OF ADMITTED MISTAKES. Finally the Maronites are back to square one,  LEBANON .
WHAT A MIRACLE .GOD BLESS EVERY PARTICIPANT IN  THIS CONVENTION . NOW WE CAN HOPE FOR THE RESURRECTION  OF LEBANON.
Some voices even among Maronites in Lebanon (l am not referring to the members of the PPS party) have already criticized these resolutions. these Maronites are like the merchants of the temple infected by the diseases called MERCANTILISIS
l am myself in a good position to criticize those Maronites having for 45 years toured the so called "Arab world " for teaching them how to use medicines.
l have heard many Lebanese from the financial banking field pretending that by giving Lebanon an Arab profile , Arabs will run to Lebanon for using their bank facilities.What a mistake !!and what s short sight minded!!
My dear friends "merchants of the temple" Arabs refuse to even deposit their fortune in the Lebanese banks, simply because Lebanon "is" in the Arab community .this is why their  BILLIONS are all in Swiss or western banks
LEBANON out of the Arab league could have  been :
the BANK of the M.E
the HOSPITAL of the M.E
the SCHOOL of the M.E
the UNIVERSITY of the M.E
and the favorite place for tourism
-with the fifth hard currency in this planet
The "merchant of the temple"infected with their mercantilism became  scavengers during our war with the Arabs, but never   admitted  the mistake of 1947.  GOD BLESS THE MARONITE PARTICIPANTS IN LOS ANGELES because
for the first time they spoke in one single, loud and courageous voice .
Not only Los Angeles, not only the HOLY SPIRIT, BUT I AM SURE OUR LADY OF LEBANON WAS ALSO THERE