TRIPOLI REBUILDS KFC

Two days ago, I was having lunch at my grandma's when my aunt called to inform us that there were rioters gathering in Nour Square (a square which I can clearly see from my grandma's balcony). We all put our forks and knives down and rushed to the balcony to see that there was indeed a group of men coming together. The army deployed in her street rushed to their tanks to put on their helmets and bullet-proof vests as I stood there watching a scene I had witnessed too many times to count...  

We understood that this riot was against the infamous anti-islam movie (which, FYI was filmed by a Coptic EGYPTIAN). Yet "death to America" seems to be their brainwashed slogan, and without a second thought, they marched over to KFC and Hardees and torched the hell out of the restaurants. Because, you know, fuck logic... 

It is also worth mentioning that Pope Benedict XVI is in Lebanon this weekend (he arrived on the same day as Tripoli's cringeworthy events) and the rioters also took it as an opportunity to tear down what photos were hung of him in town, making me hang my head in shame at what's become of my hometown, extremest and discriminatory. And I hang my head even lower when I hear that this is the direction in which it's heading... 

I'll always have an unconditional love for this city, I mean, it's my city, how can I not? But it breaks my heart when some of my closest friends and colleagues (a good deal of them Christians), feel threatened living in their own city, and are thinking about leaving, while some of them have already left...

I passed by the scene of the crime this afternoon and I couldn't believe my eyes. The place is absolutely destroyed. Inside it's soot black and everything, every table, chair, glass, window, you name it, is gone. And then I wondered, will it re-open? I put my place in the LEBANESE owner's shoes. Had the place been mine, I wouldn't reopen... 

As I write this, the army is deployed next to McDonald's and Burger King (what's left of American Restaurants here). Sigh, where am I? This is not the Tripoli I know and love. And as much as it might relieve me, I can't bare to switch my heart off on Tripoli, not yet! I still look for little bits of hope floating here and there. This afternoon, I found this posting by Osman Adra on Facebook:

"After reading many comments on the KFC/Hardees incident; I invite all Tripolitans to "put their money where their mouth is" and start a campaign called TRIPOLI REBUILDS KFC to show the World that the majority of our citizens can defeat the ignorant few who did this shameful act." 

That was the first positive post I'd read about KFC Tripoli over the past two days and so I'm here to support it and spread it. Why? Because I refuse to let them take what's ours, the Tripoli that belongs to Christians and Muslims alike, the Tripoli that welcomes all faces from all places. Yes, I might be a little over-optimistic here, but I won't go down without trying. Let's spread the word, let's REBUILD KFC! (I'll post updates as I gather more info :-)