The Youth of Today... the Men of Tomorrow — The Emergency Unit Movement for Training the Young in Civil Defense

In the atmosphere of Lebanon there is a feeling of pride and national self-respect, and a far-seeing eye toward what may come. A movement has been founded that concerns itself with training the young in civil defense, in anticipation of emergencies and as a bulwark against the flabbiness that dominates Lebanese youth. This movement was undertaken by the energetic young man Michel Mitri Chami. We thought to tell our readers about this movement by way of its founder, Mr. Michel Chami, who wrote us the following; and we hope that the esteemed Emergency Committee — composed of personalities whom we have known as great in the field of national struggle — will keep us supplied with its news and developments.

"I am not here to prophesy about the future, but to look at the future; and when I say this, I mean that I am looking at you." This phrase was the opening of an eloquent address delivered by Dr. "Ralph Turner," one of the great contemporary historians and philosophers, before a large gathering of students of the American University of Beirut.

"The youth of today are the men of tomorrow." The future of the country and the destiny of the nation depend upon those young men and girls seated on the benches of study; for the school benches are the cornerstone of a towering edifice, and that is why great importance is placed upon education in the civilized countries. Nor are the sides of education lying outside the scope of lessons, in their narrow sense, to be slighted; rather all aspects of cultivation are attended to, such as environmental and social education. And when the young man goes out into the struggle of life, he possesses a comprehensive culture, including the sense of social responsibility, respect for the law, submission to authority, the spirit of order, and other such qualities besides, which make of the young man "the well-mannered man."

Were you to ask me about the future of Lebanon, and were I prepared to see the naked truth, you would find me a pessimist; for I do not see in Lebanese youth anything to inspire reassurance or to promise a flourishing future, and that because of its complete deviation toward moral and social flabbiness. Our young men rarely think of anything but imitating "James Dean" or "Elvis Presley," or wasting their time collecting all the magazines and pictures there are of "Marilyn Monroe" or "Sophia Loren"; and what remains of their precious time is spent in perfecting "rock and roll or the calypso." Nor must we forget that this same young man is the one who shouts and calls and preaches patriotism and nationalism and liberty and independence, and is ready to sacrifice his time marching in demonstrations and carrying out one strike after another, without any thought of the cultural and scholastic losses and the suspension of classes that may follow from it. But that a young man should undertake some fruitful work that might bring benefit to himself and to his country — that rarely happens..

We all remember the painful disasters that have struck our beloved Lebanon these past two years — I mean the fire, the flood, and the earthquake. After the disaster fell upon al-Fayha', certain social and scouting organizations sent volunteers on their behalf to render assistance of various kinds. But from the moment those young men and young women arrived in the stricken districts they found themselves facing new problems, and despite their eagerness they could not, as they should have, render effective assistance. After their return, one of them proposed to the command body of his organization the founding of an emergency squad, to be trained in the various branches of civil defense so that it might be able to render effective help in emergencies. The said body welcomed the idea, but unfortunately took no action, despite the plea being repeated after the earthquake disaster. And so matters remained until March 1957, when a band of young men decided to found a movement for training in the various branches of civil defense; they gave it the name

"the Emergency Unit Movement," and set to work. And this movement has now come to number today about one hundred and fifty volunteers. The movement is confined to two basic points: the first is the creation of units well trained in first aid, fire-fighting, rescue, and assistance in air raids, with the help and training of the civil defense branch of the Lebanese Army; and the second is the combating of flabbiness among Lebanese youth, the turning away from the spirit of indifference, and the creation of a spirit of social responsibility and order.

Its course and administration: This movement works on a national and social basis, in complete detachment from politics, party spirit, and sectarianism. Training rests on a purely voluntary footing. The Lebanese Army supplies the movement with instructors; and the movement has an executive committee which supervises the course of the work and lays down its regulations.

This committee is striving to have the Army and the government approve the movement, so that it may become an officially recognized movement.

I can say, finally, that this movement is performing a noble national duty, for it helps to make of our youth men in truth — in the full knowledge that it fills only a partial gap, and that there is much that can and must still be done. No flourishing future can be hoped for our country so long as our young people remain heedless of their first national duty; and we, as trustees over the life and future of our sons and of the country, must turn our concern wholly toward the rising generation and take care that it grows up in a sound national upbringing, stripped of selfishness and self-love, in readiness for a life consecrated to the service of conscience and homeland.