Dear Lebanon,
You're incredibly beautiful. From the bountiful beaches and many mountains, you hold to the generous people that live in you. However, you can be better.
The people of Lebanon especially can do so much more to make it a better country. The first thing is taking care of the country. The amount of trash that is piled up on its streets and waters can be prevented. The people of Lebanon can and should make a difference in this regard. The people in Lebanon have enough pride in their country to keep it clean. There are numerous ways to solve this issue, but the people of Lebanon are too preoccupied with petty quarreling to work at a solution.
Another aspect in which the people of Lebanon fail to make the country a better place is acceptance. Gay marriage is still not legal. There are countless disasters that occur because of religious differences. But even putting the obvious aside, the people of Lebanon have a tight web of gossip. Traditionalist ideation still resonates strongly in the country. Dating is seen as a taboo unless a wedding is planned. Mental health is not even discussed. The people of Lebanon must learn to open their hearts and minds to be able to initiate progress.
Lastly, your government is in dire need of a revamp. Politics are focused on religion and wars of the past. Instead of working towards much-needed solutions, the government halts progress in order to brawl amongst itself. The government should be working together to provide clean water, fix the roads, and clean the streets. The people and the country itself should be the focus, not personal interest of politicians.
So yes, you'll always have a special place in my heart. But I'm afraid that Lebanese people are ruining you. You have so much to offer yet you're brought down by fixable issues. I hope, as I'm sure many others do as well, that the state of Lebanon changes drastically.
Love,
A Lebanese-American
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