I find it remarkable and fascinating that the rival factions in Lebanon address themselves (mostly in English, but sometimes in French) to the world during their massive demonstrations: they know and count on the fact that their revolutions are being televised.

This is as true of the March 14 anti-Syria coalition today, whose message to Syria and Assad was “Shove Your Civil War”

as it has been of Hezbollah (which has a sizeable press and propaganda operation, which I wrote about here, in “Direct from Beirut’s Madison Avenue”)

And then of course there is the little matter of the resemblance between the Hezbollah flag

and the Saul Bass poster for the powerful narrative-building movie Exodus, which solidified the brave image of the Israelis in the eyes of the world.

I first wrote about that here, but I’m no closer to understanding the impact of the iconography. I suppose time will tell

I am grateful that my family and friends are all safe and sound and dry on this icy-wet Thanksgiving Day; that they all have loving companionship; that we have one another to lean on or to support, now and forever.

I am grateful for the Blessings of Liberty;

I am grateful to my parents, who secured those blessings for us at great personal sacrifice.

I am grateful to my children, who inspire me every day to struggle to secure the blessings of liberty for them.

I am grateful to my beloved country, which has room even for people like me: grateful but never satisfied—and vocal about it.

Because there are always more freedoms worth fighting for.