Despite attracting thousands of supporters to the rally, Hariri failed to make an impact online as the Lebanese blogosphere largely snubbed his demonstration. Scattered coverage of the Hariri rally can be found amongst Lebanese blogs, which is a significant contrast from the major role social media has played in the Arab uprisings in Egypt, Tunisia, Libya and Bahrain.Nevertheless, one prominent Lebanese blogger - Beirut Spring - offered his views on the Sunday protest:
In a time of increasing debate on the role of social media in popular unrest, one must wonder whether a revolution is possible without the assistance of social media. Such an argument appears to have merit in Lebanon at least.
Indeed, Lebanon's circumstances are unique in the Arab world, where the majority of the region continues to live under the iron fist of an autocratic ruler. Lebanon, conversely, is a quasi-democracy constrained by the sectarian nature of its political system that pits the country's confessions against each other in a struggle for power. The Lebanese blogosphere has, however, largely moved beyond the sectarianism that defines Lebanon's politics, and thus offer an alternative voice on Lebanese affairs and life that is not subject to a factional allegiance. That the blogosphere has snubbed the Hariri rally is an important indication of the failure of Hariri to woo neutral Lebanese to his cause.
"...Right before Mr. Hariri spoke, a large poster of King Abduallah of Saudi Arabia was erected on one of the walls of Virgin and became a backdrop for Mr. Hariri’s speech.
I was very dismayed when I saw it, as it contradicts much of what March 14 stands for. To mention only two things: The rejection of foreign intervention in Lebanon and the embracing of liberal values like freedom, democracy and multiculturalism (all of which are absent in Saudi Arabia).
It’s telling that the king’s poster was erected right before Mr. Hariri’s speech. This means that those handling the logistics know that such a backdrop would have been political suicide for Christian speakers like Mr. Samir Geagea and Amin el Gemayel.
But why even erect that poster in the first place? The best answer I could think of is this: This is a loud message to Mr. Najib Mikati and to the rest of the world that whatever Mr. Hariri is about to say is approved by the Saudi King. In other words, Mr. Mikati has received “official” Sunni ostracism..."
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