He was born beneath a roof built by the hardships of life, to an Italian father who sold fruit in America, and who taught him how to become a sweet fruit in American society. Francesco, the beloved American judge, once smiled at the end of a medical treatment journey and said: “Happy days are coming again.” Yet illness gave him only a few days, before he departed to eternal happiness in the Kingdom of Heaven. Who does not know a judge famed for his noble rulings and noble heart? Whose Christian and humanitarian stances resounded—always siding with the weak, the poor, and the oppressed. He was a gentle judge, sympathetic to the sorrows poured out by those who stood accused. He entered people’s hearts through the widest of doors and dwelt there. He was a man with a vast soul, too expansive to be confined by the smallness of others. With the towel of law and mercy, he wiped the sweat of the brow of defendants who stood before his bench seeking pardon. He became a living example of Christ’s compassion. His scales weighed justice and love with the softness of a breeze. His verdicts carried tears, hope, and tender words like flowers: “The violation is forgiven… I know you did not mean it… please do not repeat it… go in peace, and may the Lord bless you.” Truly, he judged the accused in the court of love, speaking in a soft, fatherly voice—gentle as the tolling of church bells. In his videos, he often held the gavel not from its head but from the middle, as if to show neutrality. He once listened with compassion to a ninety-year-old father who wept as he explained that his traffic violation occurred while driving his sixty-year-old son to the hospital for a serious illness. Thus, mercy became the first and last command of his presence. In his courtroom, he served not only arguments but also humor and lightheartedness, until the worries of the accused melted away. Principles delighted him, but harshness in judgment did not. He was among those who lit up the darkness of life with humanity, stirring in us longing for solidarity, mercy, and love. He carried a lantern of light, fueled by the suns of kindness, planting merciful judgments in the garden of this world. The American bench is orphaned without you, Frank. You were its jewel, its fragrant rose of justice. On the day you departed, America’s sun dimmed, its courts lost their laughter. Strange is death, that it could persuade you to leave life forever! Why, dear Caprio, did you this time agree with illness to part from this world? The birds of America’s dawn wept, and none of your admirers understood why—until the sun itself told us: it followed after a merciful judge whose soul had soared to heaven. You left like a flash of light, draping the hearts of your beloved in black. Who, then, can dry their tears but prayers, candles of love, words of eulogy, and gavels of mercy echoing: “I do not want this world without you, Franco.” Rest in peace, O father of Marcia. May eternal mercy and peace be upon your pure soul. You were not only a judge, but a lawyer of noble character, pure-hearted, generous in smiles, human in solidarity, and defender of the oppressed—your mercy unmatched. You loved your profession and the people, and they returned your love even greater. In conclusion, I say: “Franco will remain a beacon of shining humanity. Like a lighthouse guiding ships through the seas of existence, no matter their shape, race, nation, or religion.” To the merciful judge I say: may all mercies be upon you, may God gladden you with eternal joy, and may your prayers remain with us. Amen.

To Whom It May Concern,

It has appeared to me that new positions have begun to emerge on the horizon in Australia. However, I have paid them no attention, for in my understanding, they are not sovereign positions. Sovereign positions, as I have known and experienced them, are neither bought nor sold; they are earned through merit, upheld with integrity, and entrusted to those whose history, reputation, and service warrant them.

The values and principles we uphold do not permit turning leadership roles into deals or bargaining chips, for whoever compromises their sovereignty compromises their dignity before anything else.

Antoine Karam

WLCU GRC AU & NZ President

To the Esteemed Honorable Members of Parliament,

Subject: Proposals from the World Lebanese Cultural Union on Amending the Electoral Law

The World Lebanese Cultural Union respectfully presents to you a series of proposals derived from extensive discussions held with Lebanese diaspora communities around the world. These proposals reflect the sentiments of expatriates who remain deeply connected to their homeland and aspire to play a meaningful role in Lebanon’s path toward reform and change through their votes.

We hope you will incorporate these proposals into the ongoing discussions during the extraordinary parliamentary session, particularly regarding the parliamentary electoral law.

1. Abolition of the Six Seats Reserved for the Diaspora

The World Lebanese Cultural Union calls for the amendment of Article 112 of Law 44/2017 and its annexes to abolish the six parliamentary seats reserved for the diaspora and to grant equal voting rights to both resident and non-resident citizens for all 128 members of Parliament, in accordance with their registration districts across the nation. This request is based on the following reasons:

1.1) To uphold the principle of equality between resident and non-resident voters.

1.2) To avoid reducing the diaspora’s voice to just six seats—or any fixed number of seats.

1.3) To shield expatriates from political and social divisions.

1.4) To prevent the diaspora from being drawn into sectarian disputes.

1.5) Given current estimates suggesting that there are between one and 1.5 million eligible Lebanese voters abroad, it is inappropriate to treat the global diaspora as a single electoral district encompassing six continents, which complicates campaigning and limits the impact of their vote.

1.6) Most registered expatriates emigrated under duress due to security or economic issues, and they remain emotionally and practically tied to their towns and villages. They deserve the right to influence local affairs as if they still lived in Lebanon.

2. Voting Mechanisms for Parliamentary Elections Abroad

Based on our experiences during the 2018 and 2022 elections—from voter registration to ballot organization and election day logistics—we have identified key areas to enhance registration and participation:

2.1) Display candidates’ names on expatriate ballots in the language of the host country (or in Latin script) alongside Arabic. This will help younger voters who are not fluent in Arabic make informed decisions without outside assistance.

2.2) Extend the voter registration period for expatriates to six months. The electoral law currently sets a deadline of November 20, but in 2022, voters abroad were given only one month and twenty days, which negatively affected registration and turnout.

2.3) Announce the election date earlier to allow voters abroad to plan accordingly for registration and voting, considering travel and holidays.

2.4) Lower the minimum number of registered voters required to establish a polling centre from 200 to 100, and count both resident and non-resident diplomatic missions as one unit when calculating numbers. Current logistical hurdles have forced many voters to travel to other countries or states to vote, which reduced participation rates.

2.5) Increase the number of polling stations in major cities to ensure broader participation.

2.6) Protect non-resident data and ensure that no specific group has early access to embassy registration lists before their official and legally scheduled publication.

2.7) Ensure that each voter is assigned to the polling station closest to the address they provided, minimizing the need for long-distance travel.

2.8) Implement online voting in the future, as this system has already been successfully tested in diaspora elections in several countries.

Conclusion:

The 2026 Lebanese parliamentary elections come at a critical juncture in the nation’s modern history. Amid rising emigration due to economic collapse and displacement caused by border unrest and regional wars, it is essential that elections be conducted in a manner that ensures the participation of all citizens and preserves hope for a better Lebanon. The Lebanese diaspora plays a vital role in the Lebanese economy, and it is only natural that they be included politically as well.

Guaranteeing the full and fair participation of the diaspora in the 2026 elections is a pivotal step toward a more inclusive, representative, and democratic Lebanon. We therefore urge Parliament to avoid any delays in implementing the aforementioned reforms and to seriously consider integrating these proposals into the anticipated electoral reforms to ensure a fair and transparent voting process—especially for Lebanese citizens living abroad.

We look forward to further dialogue on these matters and remain ready to collaborate to achieve a fair and effective electoral process.

World Lebanese Cultural Union

(1) The Inverted Scales

From a bliss that blooms life to eternal torment,

Is this how you judged?

Or is it merely the game of blind fate?

You battle in a fleeting session,

A scream rips through the fabric of days,

And a strike from your heavy staff

Shatters a dream born in the womb of the long night.

How do you pass judgment?

Do you draw your laws from the doctrine of the devil?

How do you turn perfection into deficiency,

And forge ugliness out of beauty?

You, who have transformed an angel into a demon,

And poured the essence of the soul into a chalice of loss.

You have surrendered me into the embrace of doom,

Where my soul dwells among demons.

What kind of justice is this?

That reshapes the standards of life,

And tilts the scales in reversal.

Cursed be this unjust judgment,

And a thousand curses shall echo against tyranny,

Until the palace of oppression crumbles,

And the scales return to weigh the truth.

________________________________________

(2) The Tale of Oblivion and Nothingness

I would not have ruled with your heart,

Yet you sent down a thunderbolt, setting my soul ablaze in darkness,

Leaving me stranded in the womb of your memory.

My love for you… was never a choice,

But a pulse that courses through my veins,

A sigh of the soul whispering your name in the eternity of silence.

You…

Are an immortal part of me,

Joy radiates in the glow of your presence,

And sorrow lingers across the distances of absence.

If I lose you,

The sky collapses upon my soul,

But if I hold you,

The world overflows with life in my chest.

You are the light that weaves a dawn from the darkness of my days,

You are the water that quenches my eternal thirst,

Even when dreams dissolve in the river of night,

You rise within me as no one else ever could.

________________________________________

(3) The Defense Speech

Listen to my plea,

I was never a deaf stone,

But my voice chanted your love,

And your pride shone like the moon above restless waves.

Look into my eyes,

Did you not see a light carving its way through your shadowed pillow?

And when my hands embraced you,

I laid you in the arms of angels,

Rescuing you from the snares of a ruthless hunter.

My feet, they have carried you far,

Racing the winds toward gardens unseen by your eyes,

Gardens that bloom with the colors of hope.

Now tell me,

Can separation defeat us?

Shall we not meet again,

So you may believe in the history inscribed by the beats of my heart?

And shelter me once more in the womb of your soul,

As you did the very first time?

________________________________________

(4) The Thunderbolt Verdict

When you raised your hand and announced the verdict,

Your voice struck like a sword cleaving through the fog,

Shattering my being,

And the walls of my heart collapsed like an ancient fortress,

Crushed beneath an unyielding tide.

You left me,

Standing on the edge of nothingness,

Where silence embraces the echo of your footsteps,

Lost in the labyrinth of time.

Like an autumn leaf,

Plucked from its branch,

Writhing in the air,

Seeking a ground to cradle or consume it.

I did not scream,

For my voice was shackled by confusion,

Yet my blood howled within my veins,

And every cell in me gasped in agony.

I watched the world fade around me,

Its lights extinguished one by one,

Until my eyes became prisoners to eternal darkness.

And finally,

I became a cage of torment,

A captive in the court of loss,

Where the only ruling is pain,

And the only judge,

Is memory.

________________________________________

(5) The Curse

The sky split open under the weight of your decree,

And its lightning blinded the eyes,

The rocks stiffened in fear of your cruelty,

The earth trembled beneath the weight of sorrow,

And the light fled in terror, dissolving into the abyss of nothingness.

You buried justice beneath the ruins of the wild,

And declared the law of beast and blood,

And you believe yourself to be victorious!

But history shall judge you with the lash of years,

And it shall curse your name on every page it writes.

I shall write of you,

And I shall never cease,

Even if the ink of existence runs dry,

I will inscribe your sins with my blood upon the forehead of eternity,

And make the heavens and the earth witness your transgressions,

As they curse the devil,

In the East,

And in the West.

________________________________________

(6) The Dawn of Resilience

Still, I weave my resilience,

Thread by thread,

Spinning ropes of patience that never break,

Lifting me far above the thorns of the path and the traps of darkness.

I will not surrender,

I will bathe my deep wounds with verses

That heal pain,

Dissolve injustice,

And banish the demons of misery from my soul.

I will not surrender,

I will construct a new sky, unlike your darkened clouds,

A sky of rain that revives the faces of the dead with a smile,

And lights up my night with stars of hope.

I will carve a land unlike yours,

For your land has been ravaged by quakes,

And your roads are thorns that drain the throats,

But my land… it will be green,

It will birth dreams ripe with promise,

And strengthen me with every step.

I will not surrender,

I will see through the darkness with my inner sight,

And forge my path with an unfading light,

Until I inscribe upon the face of life

The tale of my new dawn.

________________________________________

(7) The Birth of Hope

From the depths of the sky,

Hope cries out,

Waving the torch of victory,

Flaming within its grasp.

The clouds crack open,

And the sun emerges, bidding farewell to the abyss of night,

Her lips overflow with the waters of life,

Scattering their first drops upon the thirsty earth,

Quenching my withering roots with greenery and bloom.

My ears listen to the neighing of steeds,

Horses embracing the horizon of heroism with the euphoria of triumph,

And I cry out:

Come forth, O warrior!

History still awaits your steps,

The battle has not yet turned its final page,

And our wounded dreams illuminate their scars with the light of eternity,

Drinking from your tears a hope that never dies.

March 7, 2025