The protest today is regarded as the largest protest ever in the entire rugged history of Lebanon. Twenty nine days since Prime Minister Hariri was brutally assassinated and still not even a hint of how this crime was committed. We took to the streets today to commemorate one month since his death and to protest the fact that the current people in charge of running the country have done nothing but generate false scenarios about the assassination, make false allegations, and intimidate the people from rallying for demand of the truth.

We gathered at the peripheral gate of the American University of Beirut (AUB) and walked to Martyr's square. The crowd was composed of AUB students, AUB alumni, AUB professors, American University Hospital (AUH) doctors, AUH nurses, Lebanese American University (LAU) students, and passers by. We walked till we joined the rest of the protestors who had been gradually accumulating at Martyr's Square from all over the country since last night.

During our walk, the crowd kept on growing as it was joined by other pedestrians walking our way, and others who were at home and heard the chants below. The crowd was chanting patriotic songs and slogans under the sporadic rain of rice being thrown by old ladies from their windows and balconies; an inherent way of saying 'We can't join you but God bless you and keep your head high'.

Finally we reached Riad Solh area and Martyr's square to see that people were pouring in to the area from all the 20+ different routes leading there. Lebanese flags could be seen everywhere: raised high overhead in different sizes (tiny to absolutely huge), drawn on people's faces, on people's shoulders in a superhero cloak fashion, as wrist bands, as arm bands,... Banners have increased in numbers and contain original wording to emphasize sovereignty and independence.

Notably, the slogans (both written and chanted) against the country's pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud have increased significantly. Over the weekend, he made his first public statement since the assassination of Mr. Hariri (29 days ago) and his speech contained intimidations to protestors as "a grenade might blow up in the crowd and injure the women and children", and the "protests need to end as they are disrupting the peace". People were very dismayed with his statement especially after his long silence during the troubled 29 days. Moreover, he had previously made a public appearance when he went swimming (his favorite hobby) in a public location (not the privacy of his Presidential Palace) while the rest of the country was walking hand-in-hand in the streets behind the coffin of Mr. Hariri on its way to the burial ground in Martyr's Square. The crowds today were singing "Ya Lahoud, Ya Lahoud, Rou7 Sba7a 3al 7dood" (Hey Lahoud, hey Lahoud, leave the country swimming towards the border). Some banners had the words: "No Lahoud, No Cry" or "Ya Reit Khreit Wo Ma 7keet" (you were better off taking a crap in public than saying what you said).

Back to the protest, everyone was gathered as they have never done before at Martyr's Square. There is no specific age group or gender or social class or religion. Everyone was singing patriotic songs and expressing their anger and dismay with different slogans - with the main themes being "7orriyyeh, Siadeh, Istiklal" (Freedom, Sovereignty, Independence) and "7akeekah, 7orriyyeh, Wi7deh Watanniyyeh" (Truth, Freedom, National Unity). Strangers were saluting each other with a wave of a flag, a nod, or simply a genuine smile.

I couldn't help the flurry of questions that popped to mind: Where were we during the last 5 or 10 years? What were we waiting for to express such solidarity and such nationalistic pride? The last time anyone of us carried a Lebanese flag (if ever) was during some school event or at Cub Scouts a long time ago. Did we have to lose an icon such as Mr. Hariri for us to react? Unfortunately, a good deal of us were afraid to participate in such protests. You would hear statements such as: "They are taking down names" (whoever 'they' are), "we would go to jail", ...

All the public speeches emphasize we are now creating our independence. The questions that come consequent to such a statement include: Were we blind to our "existing" independence? Were we asleep or de-sensitized? What have we been celebrating annually on Independence Day with all the fireworks and marches and speeches? Was that a charade? Why were we so passive about the status of things? Self-hatred then kicks in for letting the situation in the country deteriorate to the state they were right before the assassination. That being said, are we doing the proper steps we should be doing to regain our independence? Are we taking the proper measures to reach the truth behind the assassination? What steps can be done in the near future to maintain this solidarity after the Syrians leave?

A large portion of us before today hadn't protested for any cause whether big or small - ever. After the assassination, we can't resist the urge to go down to the street despite all barriers and consequences. We used to be passive to such demonstrations as we had an overall feeling that no matter what we do and no matter how hard we try, we couldn't change things. Back in college, we focused on getting our diplomas and leaving the country to establish our lives elsewhere. Now there is hope of change. We feel we can genuinely shape things. We can contribute.

To use Mahatma Gandhi's wording, we currently feel that we can be the change we want to see in the world.