In a country teetering on the brink of total collapse, it's unsurprising that voices emerge driven by a culture of incitement and betrayal, attempting to impose a disturbing intellectual and ideological hegemony on the public sphere. The latest manifestation of this intellectual terrorism is journalist Hasan Al-Aliq's harsh and crude attack on the company 'JGroup' and its president, Imad Jomaa, simply because the company exercised its natural right as a Lebanese economic entity by launching a congratulatory campaign for the Fourth of July (American Independence Day), as recently seen on billboards.
Al-Aliq's attempt to portray this bold and open-minded advertising initiative as 'dancing on corpses' or a 'vile and malicious act' reflects the deep psychological and doctrinal crisis he and his ilk are experiencing. 'JGroup,' under the leadership of Imad Jomaa, once again demonstrates that it is a transnational company, believing in a country that is open, pluralistic, and connected to international legitimacy and the free world. Celebrating the Fourth of July is neither treason nor betrayal; it is a normal diplomatic and commercial protocol aligned with Beirut's historical identity as a bridge between East and West.
However, Al-Aliq, driven by a blind hostility to anything related to modernity and openness, wants to turn Lebanon into an isolated mail box, a new Kandahar where companies are forbidden from expressing their international partnerships and vision. Protecting Lebanon’s economic identity begins with safeguarding the right of national companies to stake their claim on the global relationship map and welcome national occasions of major countries, without the constraints of narrow-minded opposition.
Exploitative Tactics and Personal Vendettas
The greater audacity in Al-Aliq's post wasn't merely in attacking the advertisement itself, but in his cheap exploitation of the martyrs' blood as a 'shirt of Uthman' to pass personal grudges and settle exposed media scores. Dragging in personalities and media channels while discussing the company's headquarters at Tallet El Khayat clarifies that Al-Aliq cares little about blood, bodies, or sovereignty.
We are witnessing a desperate attempt at moral assassination, led by a hired pen exploiting billboards to strike against political and media adversaries. This crass policing method of scrutinizing ancestry and commercial ties and using them as tools of defamation reflects a complete professional bankruptcy. Imad Jomaa and 'JGroup' are not punching bags in Al-Aliq's minor battles; their economic successes, which employ hundreds of Lebanese families under dire circumstances, are the strongest rebuke to the instigators of destruction.
Bullying the State and the Law
The concluding insults in the post even extended to the Minister of Interior, whom Al-Aliq described as a 'sleeping beast of the wild.' This blatant disrespect towards state figures and security apparatus highlights that the stance of this faction steers towards 'bullying' and absence of law. They desire a state that customizes laws to fit their vendettas and censors ads based on their ideological mood.
Beirut will continue to be the capital of freedom and diversity, and the digital, illuminated billboards of 'JGroup' will remain as testimonies to the resilience of the Lebanese private sector against the forces of darkness. Meanwhile, Hasan Al-Aliq is likely to end up as a mere transient sound phenomenon feeding on insults, while the economic wheels and national mega-companies persistently steer the country towards life and openness, despite the instigators' objections.