Today, I read this phrase on somebody’s msn, “ First the car, then the girl”. And I thought, “ Have we really reached rock bottom in every single aspect of our lives whether it is socially, economically or politically?”
How did we end up this way? Women not appreciating their minds, just looking for someone with some money to spend and if a husband comes along the way then why not?- Men, living on bread and water to get the “bling bling” car and buy a bottle of champagne in some club to be the “hunk of town”.
What did I miss??
Where is our culture? Why don’t we have a healthy relationship with ourself and others? Is it all hypocrisy now? Is our society this empty? Dealing with ourselves and the other people is a buy-sell package and the best marketing strategy is to put your display of false wealth on the dealing table to be reserved for the auction? Are we this afraid of the future that investing in “nurturing” a productive mind and channeling our money into a business is such a silly idea? Is the genius idea now to package an empty box with a golden gift wrap and fooling ourselves and others into thinking it is of value?
I am not trying to preach now, but in all honesty I do not understand what happened. Really, what is going on? Why is reading such a bad thing?? Why is seeing the world and learning from different cultures so bad? I have no conclusion for this because I do not know the real basis of this conception of fake grandiosity so I am just going to say, God help us…
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Sunday, December 24, 2006
Merry Christmas
May this Christmas bring you happiness, love and peace!
This is a funny animation
http://www.ecardology.com/christmaskookies/christmas_animations/ecards/ck033.php
This is a funny animation
http://www.ecardology.com/christmaskookies/christmas_animations/ecards/ck033.php
Friday, December 22, 2006
The Alarming Facts of Smoking in Lebanon
“No! Really? You don’t smoke?! You look like someone who smokes!” This is the reaction I almost always get when people find out that I do not smoke. In a nutshell, to most people, smoking is prestige, power, sex appeal, and fun!
Smoking prevalence in the adult population in Lebanon of 53.6% by contrast, the reported prevalence of smoking in the USA is 25.6% and is continuing to decline emphasizing just how unacceptable is the Lebanese prevalence. (It is interesting to note that the prevalence of smoking among Lebanese immigrants living in the Detroit area is higher than that for the US population overall!) .
Intensity of smoking is also comparatively high in the Lebanese population. The average daily number of cigarettes smoked daily is 23, compared to 15 in France. Furthermore, 67.4% of Lebanese smoke more than 20 cigarettes/day compared to 27% in the USA (R. Baddoura, C. Wehbeh-Chidiac, 2001)
Following the war period that extended from 1975 until 1990, cigarette smoking has increased (Karam et al. 2000). An estimated 52.6% of individuals 19 years and above are current smokers (National Tobacco Information Online System of CDC, 2003).
Anti-smoking legislation in Lebanon is effectively non-existent. The Lebanese economy is significantly boosted through the trading and advertising (which is completely unrestricted) of tobacco products. The lack of restriction is due to the fact that the country’s mass media organizations are affiliated to the different political parties and they derive substantial revenues from tobacco and alcohol advertising. Political leaders and social figures smoke during television interviews without any post-production editing. Schools seldom or almost never focus on educational programs aimed at smoking prevention and control. Astonishingly enough, schools are not smoke-free areas, and neither are most hospitals. Smoking-related-health-hazards public campaigns are singled out one-day annually activities. Research is fundamentally carried out by nongovernmental organizations, which lack adequate support. The medical community is poorly committed to smoking prevention and awareness policies and medical curricula do not include the community dimension of tobacco-related diseases (R. Baddoura, C. Wehbeh-Chidiac, 2001)
Moreover, there has been a revival of old methods of tobacco use known to have bad health consequences, as exemplified by argileh smoking(H. Tamim et al. 2003). The popularity of argileh smoking has risen in the last decade, among both genders and among practically all age groups. Argileh is rapidly becoming the new ‘‘hip’’ smoking device among all society in Lebanon, where argileh is commonly viewed as ‘‘healthy’’ compared with cigarette smoking (M. Chaaya et al., 2004).
There is, however, increasing evidence of the harmful health effects of argileh smoking. Most notable are the pulmonary effects with reduced ventilatory capacity (lung capacity) such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Others include cancer and coronary heart diseases. Argileh contains the same toxic chemicals present in a cigarette only nicotine is less filtered compared to the cigarette. Tar, a carcinogenic agent, is not soluble in water and hence it is saturated in higher concentrations in blood leading to higher cancer probabilities. Carbon monoxide which could lead to mental problems such as psychosis is also present in higher concentrations. (Al-Fayez, Salleh et al., 1988, El Hakim&Uthman, 1999, Radwan, 1999, Shihadeh, 2003).
In a study by M. Chaaya et al. published in Elsevier Ltd. 2004, relatively few Lebanese women answered correctly on all knowledge questions for argileh (9%) and cigarettes (13%). Knowledge about harm to participant’s fetus and newborn from smoking was also slight.
Attitudes of participants towards smoking were not generally expressed in strong terms, particularly regarding argileh. Consequently, several issues arise such as concerns on the influence of cultural norms, whether women in Lebanon have adequate awareness about their own health rights, and whether they have the power to protect these rights in a ‘‘heavy-smoking’’ society, and the need to upgrade women’s knowledge of and attitudes toward both forms of smoking especially argileh. (M.Chaaya et al., 2004).
While the common norm in the developed world is the decreased smoking and increased smoking risks awareness among the middle and upper classes as compared to lower and less privileged classes (Malmstadt et al . 2001), the opposite is the case in Lebanon. (Papazian, 1993, World Health Organization: Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean, 2002).60% of the young Lebanese who smoked belonged to the upper middle class while 22.5% belonged to the lower class.
This was not the case with argileh smoking, which was not significantly different among the different educational levels; argileh smoking is now an activity that cuts across social groupings, and people from all positions in society practice this type of smoking (H.Tamim et al. 2003, Kandela 2000) and hence the greater danger and the pressing need to implicate special educational awareness programs.
A strong relation has been documented between cigarette smoking and excessive alcohol consumption and extreme weight reduction methods, thus suggesting the ‘risk behavior syndrome’ in Lebanese youth (H. Tamim et al. 2003, Robinson et al. 1997). As cigarette smoking has been used as a means to control weight (French et al. 1994), anti-smoking programs should also take into consideration this fact and address both issues together. In contrast to cigarette smoking, argileh smoking and weight concerns were not related, indicating that argileh may be associated with a tradition-oriented social profile rather than being clustered with adolescent risky behaviors and hence more stress should be on social morality. Nevertheless, argileh smoking was significantly associated with excessive alcohol drinking as well. (H. Tamim et al. 2003).
This alarming trend should be tackled very soon and effectively. Interventions should start at assessing the vulnerabilities of smokers especially adolescents particularly targeting extreme weight control measures, alcohol drinking, peer pressure and accepting society trends. ( J. Yeretzian, R. Afifi- Soweid et al. 2004). Effective strategies to control and prevent smoking are essential to improving health outcomes of populations, particularly in Lebanon where other factors such as poverty, poor nutrition, polluted cities, and diversion of resources to armed conflict predispose to less than optimal health. Anti-smoking initiatives such as those taken by the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists in the USA in June 1996 whereby they agreed to add smoking to the list of reportable diseases to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention should be obtained, thereby requiring the involvement of health professionals in anti-smoking public health policies (R. Baddoura, C. Wehbeh-Chidiac, 2001).
Smoking prevalence in the adult population in Lebanon of 53.6% by contrast, the reported prevalence of smoking in the USA is 25.6% and is continuing to decline emphasizing just how unacceptable is the Lebanese prevalence. (It is interesting to note that the prevalence of smoking among Lebanese immigrants living in the Detroit area is higher than that for the US population overall!) .
Intensity of smoking is also comparatively high in the Lebanese population. The average daily number of cigarettes smoked daily is 23, compared to 15 in France. Furthermore, 67.4% of Lebanese smoke more than 20 cigarettes/day compared to 27% in the USA (R. Baddoura, C. Wehbeh-Chidiac, 2001)
Following the war period that extended from 1975 until 1990, cigarette smoking has increased (Karam et al. 2000). An estimated 52.6% of individuals 19 years and above are current smokers (National Tobacco Information Online System of CDC, 2003).
Anti-smoking legislation in Lebanon is effectively non-existent. The Lebanese economy is significantly boosted through the trading and advertising (which is completely unrestricted) of tobacco products. The lack of restriction is due to the fact that the country’s mass media organizations are affiliated to the different political parties and they derive substantial revenues from tobacco and alcohol advertising. Political leaders and social figures smoke during television interviews without any post-production editing. Schools seldom or almost never focus on educational programs aimed at smoking prevention and control. Astonishingly enough, schools are not smoke-free areas, and neither are most hospitals. Smoking-related-health-hazards public campaigns are singled out one-day annually activities. Research is fundamentally carried out by nongovernmental organizations, which lack adequate support. The medical community is poorly committed to smoking prevention and awareness policies and medical curricula do not include the community dimension of tobacco-related diseases (R. Baddoura, C. Wehbeh-Chidiac, 2001)
Moreover, there has been a revival of old methods of tobacco use known to have bad health consequences, as exemplified by argileh smoking(H. Tamim et al. 2003). The popularity of argileh smoking has risen in the last decade, among both genders and among practically all age groups. Argileh is rapidly becoming the new ‘‘hip’’ smoking device among all society in Lebanon, where argileh is commonly viewed as ‘‘healthy’’ compared with cigarette smoking (M. Chaaya et al., 2004).
There is, however, increasing evidence of the harmful health effects of argileh smoking. Most notable are the pulmonary effects with reduced ventilatory capacity (lung capacity) such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Others include cancer and coronary heart diseases. Argileh contains the same toxic chemicals present in a cigarette only nicotine is less filtered compared to the cigarette. Tar, a carcinogenic agent, is not soluble in water and hence it is saturated in higher concentrations in blood leading to higher cancer probabilities. Carbon monoxide which could lead to mental problems such as psychosis is also present in higher concentrations. (Al-Fayez, Salleh et al., 1988, El Hakim&Uthman, 1999, Radwan, 1999, Shihadeh, 2003).
In a study by M. Chaaya et al. published in Elsevier Ltd. 2004, relatively few Lebanese women answered correctly on all knowledge questions for argileh (9%) and cigarettes (13%). Knowledge about harm to participant’s fetus and newborn from smoking was also slight.
Attitudes of participants towards smoking were not generally expressed in strong terms, particularly regarding argileh. Consequently, several issues arise such as concerns on the influence of cultural norms, whether women in Lebanon have adequate awareness about their own health rights, and whether they have the power to protect these rights in a ‘‘heavy-smoking’’ society, and the need to upgrade women’s knowledge of and attitudes toward both forms of smoking especially argileh. (M.Chaaya et al., 2004).
While the common norm in the developed world is the decreased smoking and increased smoking risks awareness among the middle and upper classes as compared to lower and less privileged classes (Malmstadt et al . 2001), the opposite is the case in Lebanon. (Papazian, 1993, World Health Organization: Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean, 2002).60% of the young Lebanese who smoked belonged to the upper middle class while 22.5% belonged to the lower class.
This was not the case with argileh smoking, which was not significantly different among the different educational levels; argileh smoking is now an activity that cuts across social groupings, and people from all positions in society practice this type of smoking (H.Tamim et al. 2003, Kandela 2000) and hence the greater danger and the pressing need to implicate special educational awareness programs.
A strong relation has been documented between cigarette smoking and excessive alcohol consumption and extreme weight reduction methods, thus suggesting the ‘risk behavior syndrome’ in Lebanese youth (H. Tamim et al. 2003, Robinson et al. 1997). As cigarette smoking has been used as a means to control weight (French et al. 1994), anti-smoking programs should also take into consideration this fact and address both issues together. In contrast to cigarette smoking, argileh smoking and weight concerns were not related, indicating that argileh may be associated with a tradition-oriented social profile rather than being clustered with adolescent risky behaviors and hence more stress should be on social morality. Nevertheless, argileh smoking was significantly associated with excessive alcohol drinking as well. (H. Tamim et al. 2003).
This alarming trend should be tackled very soon and effectively. Interventions should start at assessing the vulnerabilities of smokers especially adolescents particularly targeting extreme weight control measures, alcohol drinking, peer pressure and accepting society trends. ( J. Yeretzian, R. Afifi- Soweid et al. 2004). Effective strategies to control and prevent smoking are essential to improving health outcomes of populations, particularly in Lebanon where other factors such as poverty, poor nutrition, polluted cities, and diversion of resources to armed conflict predispose to less than optimal health. Anti-smoking initiatives such as those taken by the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists in the USA in June 1996 whereby they agreed to add smoking to the list of reportable diseases to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention should be obtained, thereby requiring the involvement of health professionals in anti-smoking public health policies (R. Baddoura, C. Wehbeh-Chidiac, 2001).
Monday, December 18, 2006
Will the Well Dry Up?
The time is 7.15am. Grocery stores and bakeries are starting to open. The TVs are tuned to the news already. Politics and news are on the radio waves of every cab driver of the city. Two men are already arguing and "analyzing" the political situation, etc. This has been my daily breakfast every day for the last few weeks on my way to my internship...
Today, that made me think, what if the Lebanese suddenly woke up and the political tension of the Middle East was suddenly over? Would the withdrawal symptoms be too intense that they would need rehabilitation?
There is a story about a man in Nazi Germany who used to wake up everyday and curse Hitler. One day, he woke up to a different situation. Hitler was dead. What did he do? He hung himself! You see, his life suddenly felt meaningless. Hate was fueling his days and when that was gone, he felt like a well drained out.
Would we all feel dry and cracked up if by a miracle we were given the chance to live in peace? I do wonder...
Today, that made me think, what if the Lebanese suddenly woke up and the political tension of the Middle East was suddenly over? Would the withdrawal symptoms be too intense that they would need rehabilitation?
There is a story about a man in Nazi Germany who used to wake up everyday and curse Hitler. One day, he woke up to a different situation. Hitler was dead. What did he do? He hung himself! You see, his life suddenly felt meaningless. Hate was fueling his days and when that was gone, he felt like a well drained out.
Would we all feel dry and cracked up if by a miracle we were given the chance to live in peace? I do wonder...
Friday, December 15, 2006
The Lebanese Epidemic
A girl got pregnant today without getting married. She didn’t have any premarital affair and still there was a baby growing inside of her. The physicians were perplexed. They have done every test possible and still all tests returned the same result. It was impossible that the egg was fertilized by a sperm.
The story was taken by the media like a storm. People from all over the globe started to flock to her residence to visit her and maybe get blessed… For you see, she must have been touched by a divine force! In a matter of days, the “blessed” girl was a holy woman and her home, a worship site.
However, this did not last long. In no time, reports of other women encountering the same fate started to surface. This was starting to become a national epidemic. Quickly, an international research group was formed to investigate the bizarre phenomena.
After numerous hours of study, the committee was ready to submit their conclusion. People from all around the world were gathered around their TV sets awaiting the findings of The Lebanon analysis. Finally, the foreman announced their review. He read, “From numerous labs, diagnostics and interviews we were able to confer that the cases we studied were indeed pregnant without sperm fertilization. Inside the virgin uteruses, there were already amniotic fluid and a placenta. Yes, this is not normal physiology. Each and every one of them is rearing so protectively their own insecurities and paranoia.
Charles de Gaulle said, “Patriotism is when love of your own people comes first; nationalism, when hate for people other than your own comes first.” This fight for “national unity” is fueled by the distrust and hate of the sects other than that of one’s own tribal sect leader. The new fetuses were fertilized through the push to manically defend the subjects own communities’ survival. They are already post-term and screaming for a C-section. The committee warns that this phenomenon may affect the whole Lebanese population given that the rate of expansion is unprecedentedly high. We urge the leaders who we hold responsible for the epidemic to look into their conscience and stop fueling the impressionable minds of the citizens or there would be a state of emergency in this country. End of announcement”.
The story was taken by the media like a storm. People from all over the globe started to flock to her residence to visit her and maybe get blessed… For you see, she must have been touched by a divine force! In a matter of days, the “blessed” girl was a holy woman and her home, a worship site.
However, this did not last long. In no time, reports of other women encountering the same fate started to surface. This was starting to become a national epidemic. Quickly, an international research group was formed to investigate the bizarre phenomena.
After numerous hours of study, the committee was ready to submit their conclusion. People from all around the world were gathered around their TV sets awaiting the findings of The Lebanon analysis. Finally, the foreman announced their review. He read, “From numerous labs, diagnostics and interviews we were able to confer that the cases we studied were indeed pregnant without sperm fertilization. Inside the virgin uteruses, there were already amniotic fluid and a placenta. Yes, this is not normal physiology. Each and every one of them is rearing so protectively their own insecurities and paranoia.
Charles de Gaulle said, “Patriotism is when love of your own people comes first; nationalism, when hate for people other than your own comes first.” This fight for “national unity” is fueled by the distrust and hate of the sects other than that of one’s own tribal sect leader. The new fetuses were fertilized through the push to manically defend the subjects own communities’ survival. They are already post-term and screaming for a C-section. The committee warns that this phenomenon may affect the whole Lebanese population given that the rate of expansion is unprecedentedly high. We urge the leaders who we hold responsible for the epidemic to look into their conscience and stop fueling the impressionable minds of the citizens or there would be a state of emergency in this country. End of announcement”.
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
The Orange Prophet
Throughout history there came some individuals who were able to preach to people and make them loyal followers. One of their success recipe ingredients was their ability to understand the peoples’ psyche and in consequence use it to their advantage. The Prophet Mohammed, for instance, initially wanted the abolition of the Hajj site because it was the heathens’ worship place. How did hajj then come to represent one of the major pillars of Islam? Well, Mohammed was a strategic man. He knew that the pilgrimage was a key economic route in addition to it being a cultural and ideological dome of the then wealthy Quraish tribe.
Today we have a new prophet. This prophet is gathering the people around him. He certainly did not agree with their cause earlier or their controversial arms. But things do change…
Machiavelli describes a means by which a simple citizen could become a prince which is the popular support of the common people. Another strategy to gain esteem is, “If your allies win, you benefit whether or not you have more power than they have.” Thus, Aoun- the new prophet-has followed history’s lesson and became a Machiavellian Prince of prophetic abilities. He allied himself to Hezbollah, a party representing a growing sect with a “divine” cause and took himself the robe of “cleanliness” and “resistance”. As for the prophetic abilities, splendidly (only in Orange Land), he came to transform from an avid seeker of Hezbollah’s disarming (remember the famous House of Congress speech?) to their protector and godfather. This parallels with a famous Mohammedian methodology. Mohammed, originally, sword fought people into Islam submission and then found out how marrying into other tribes was a more efficient and desirable way of approach.
Except, history has also taught us that fake prophets who were only good in mimicking tactics that worked in previous times and previous situations were washed out as quickly as the steam bubble that disappears into vapor. And even his Machiavellian policies are limp since he chose to take the ones he can milk out now neglecting that if a prince is given to changing his mind, his reputation will suffer and of course, he must have the wisdom to recognize good advice from bad…
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Perfecting the Blame Game
“ Mommy, mommy…MOM!”
“ What baby?”
“ Mommy, can I smoke?”
“ What? Of course not!”
“ But why not mama? Why not?”
“ Because smoking is bad, that’s why.”
“ But how can I make sure? What if you are lying to me?”
“ Mommies never lie.”
“ At least let me try.”
“ Okay, but remember this is just a trial.”
“ Thank you mommy, you’re the best.”
“Who gave you this cigarette?”
“ No one.”
“ Who gave it to you?”
“ Mommy! She said I should try it. She said that’s how I learn that smoking is bad.”
“ Now repeat to the judge what you have just told me….”
…”YOU ARE A DISQUALIFIED MOTHER!”
“ What baby?”
“ Mommy, can I smoke?”
“ What? Of course not!”
“ But why not mama? Why not?”
“ Because smoking is bad, that’s why.”
“ But how can I make sure? What if you are lying to me?”
“ Mommies never lie.”
“ At least let me try.”
“ Okay, but remember this is just a trial.”
“ Thank you mommy, you’re the best.”
“Who gave you this cigarette?”
“ No one.”
“ Who gave it to you?”
“ Mommy! She said I should try it. She said that’s how I learn that smoking is bad.”
“ Now repeat to the judge what you have just told me….”
…”YOU ARE A DISQUALIFIED MOTHER!”
Monday, December 11, 2006
The Hero
It was night. The moon was full. She was dreaming. She saw her son; a doctor. She always wanted him to be a doctor. A knock on the door. Who could it be at this time? She opened the door; an officer and a soldier. They said: “the country needs him, it’s war and our country will fight for our future.” He went with them. Will she see him again? That’s what she dreams now. But she rarely dreams. Nightmares wake her up to check him from the window. Is he out there? Is it the wind or is he knocking the door? She checks the door every now and then….then she goes and checks his bed…
A knock on the door; an officer and a soldier. “Where is my son?” she shouted, “why isn’t he with you?”. The only words she heard; “your son is a hero now, he died so the country will live”. She goes to his bed…she lies there and cries…she sees her son…he is smiling…he is crying…he is fighting…he is dying…
They told me before they took him that the country will live… But how could it live without its blood?
A knock on the door; an officer and a soldier. “Where is my son?” she shouted, “why isn’t he with you?”. The only words she heard; “your son is a hero now, he died so the country will live”. She goes to his bed…she lies there and cries…she sees her son…he is smiling…he is crying…he is fighting…he is dying…
They told me before they took him that the country will live… But how could it live without its blood?
Sunday, December 10, 2006
The New Grinch Who Stole Christmas
On the TV, two separate demonstrations one in Downtown Beirut and the other is in Tripoli. Now the 2 are loud, flag waving, speech ridden and solve nothing. The strategy of people “spilling” into the streets reflects a society un-willing to look into its cancerous problems of national debt, struggling economy and youths’ despair.
Ray Davies has a poem about corrupt politicians, it goes like this;
“Money and Corruption
Are ruining the land
Crooked politicians
Betray the working man
Pocketing the profits
And treating us like sheep
And we're tired of hearing promises
That we know they'll never keep”
Today was the Peace Nobel Prize ceremony. Bangladeshi economist Muhammad Yunus said he hoped the award would inspire bold initiatives to fight poverty and eradicate the root causes of terrorism. This man whose country is draining in extreme poverty and corruption was able to make a difference to his countrymen without empty speeches or demonstrations. He actually felt he could make a difference and did. Why doesn’t this happen here? 10 days have passed since this “divine” demonstration, and what has the outcome been? Money lost in the millions, a Christmas season kidnapped before its time and a common fear of the days to come.
I wonder if Nasrallah, Aoun and Co are the “Grinch who stole Christmas”….
Ray Davies has a poem about corrupt politicians, it goes like this;
“Money and Corruption
Are ruining the land
Crooked politicians
Betray the working man
Pocketing the profits
And treating us like sheep
And we're tired of hearing promises
That we know they'll never keep”
Today was the Peace Nobel Prize ceremony. Bangladeshi economist Muhammad Yunus said he hoped the award would inspire bold initiatives to fight poverty and eradicate the root causes of terrorism. This man whose country is draining in extreme poverty and corruption was able to make a difference to his countrymen without empty speeches or demonstrations. He actually felt he could make a difference and did. Why doesn’t this happen here? 10 days have passed since this “divine” demonstration, and what has the outcome been? Money lost in the millions, a Christmas season kidnapped before its time and a common fear of the days to come.
I wonder if Nasrallah, Aoun and Co are the “Grinch who stole Christmas”….
Friday, December 8, 2006
The "Outsider"
He knocked on her door. “Are you ready sweetheart?” It was the tenth time he asks her. But, that was only natural since he was going to marry and she was the bride-to-be.
As she started walking towards the altar, women screamed while men froze in their place. Everybody started giving him-the groom-the “how dare you propose to this woman?”…”Where did you leave your brain when you thought of marrying someone from outside your sect?”
…She was still walking gracefully towards him and his eyes were getting closer and closer to the floor. To him, his life was ruined. Ruined by the one he loved. The one he loved till this moment. As soon as she reached him, she smiled. She was so happy. “Did you like my dress?” she asked.
Indeed he did, and the bullet that went through her head was the frankest answer she could get.
…She always wanted to wear a red dress for her wedding…
As she started walking towards the altar, women screamed while men froze in their place. Everybody started giving him-the groom-the “how dare you propose to this woman?”…”Where did you leave your brain when you thought of marrying someone from outside your sect?”
…She was still walking gracefully towards him and his eyes were getting closer and closer to the floor. To him, his life was ruined. Ruined by the one he loved. The one he loved till this moment. As soon as she reached him, she smiled. She was so happy. “Did you like my dress?” she asked.
Indeed he did, and the bullet that went through her head was the frankest answer she could get.
…She always wanted to wear a red dress for her wedding…
Thursday, December 7, 2006
The Demonstration's Patriotism
What do we mean by patriotism in the context of our times? I venture to suggest that what we mean is a sense of national responsibility ... a patriotism which is not short, frenzied outbursts of emotion, but the tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime--Adlai Stevenson
Indeed, the responsibility of each Lebanese is the protection and uplifting of his/her country so that the sense of self-reward grows. On the contrary, what we are seeing these days are tribal emotions conquering patriotism. The lust after the "presidency" or the paranoia of arms are leading the masses towards a fearful path while all the while Lebanon is the scapegoat.
Barbara Ehrenreich said, " No matter that patriotism is too often the refuge of scoundrels. Dissent, rebellion, and all-around hell-raising remain the true duty of patriots." This couldn't have been said in a better way to suit the present context. The warning to raise the demonstration's tempo up is an alarming sign for if the death of a demonstrator and sectarianism highlighting was a lesser level of the Sunday's level, then we have to brace ourselves to face more difficulties.
I do not want to be a pessimist but this veil of faith that is the umbrella of this movement is making it hard to beat. And (I acknowledge I am quoting a lot today, but the quotes are fitting this jigsaw puzzle perfectly) "The heights of popularity and patriotism are still the beaten road to power and tyranny; flattery to treachery; standing armies to arbitrary government; and the glory of God to the temporal interest of the clergy." David Hume
Indeed, the responsibility of each Lebanese is the protection and uplifting of his/her country so that the sense of self-reward grows. On the contrary, what we are seeing these days are tribal emotions conquering patriotism. The lust after the "presidency" or the paranoia of arms are leading the masses towards a fearful path while all the while Lebanon is the scapegoat.
Barbara Ehrenreich said, " No matter that patriotism is too often the refuge of scoundrels. Dissent, rebellion, and all-around hell-raising remain the true duty of patriots." This couldn't have been said in a better way to suit the present context. The warning to raise the demonstration's tempo up is an alarming sign for if the death of a demonstrator and sectarianism highlighting was a lesser level of the Sunday's level, then we have to brace ourselves to face more difficulties.
I do not want to be a pessimist but this veil of faith that is the umbrella of this movement is making it hard to beat. And (I acknowledge I am quoting a lot today, but the quotes are fitting this jigsaw puzzle perfectly) "The heights of popularity and patriotism are still the beaten road to power and tyranny; flattery to treachery; standing armies to arbitrary government; and the glory of God to the temporal interest of the clergy." David Hume
Wednesday, December 6, 2006
A Glimpse of What May...
It was 4am. She was lying down in bed, her eyes wide open. Another sleepless night, another night of fear and dread of what may... She couldn’t make herself close her eyes, what if the memories came back? There were many phantoms in her life, and at times when the world was sleeping she could clearly hear them giggling and madly ecstatic.
Could she really remember how the first ghost sprang into existence?
“You naughty girl, I told you to never puke in my classroom! You make me sick to my stomach!” Oh, how sensitive she was. The youngest in kindergarten, she was stuck in that vicious circle of vomiting everyday, shuddering of fear of the teachers insensibility and aloofness.
The little skinny girl sat in a corner alone during recess thinking of a way to throw away her sandwich without being caught. Suddenly a classmate, Christine, came to her and said, “My dad told me you are a Shia Muslim, you can’t be my friend”. “A Shiite? No I can’t be a Shiite! Shiite is bad! I am not bad; I only have a weak voice and a retching problem.”
That afternoon, her dad pulled the belt off his trousers and warned, “There would be no talk of religion in my house!” As she lay under the covers crying she kept asking herself, “What did I do? What does religion mean?”
Funny, religion should have been a very comprehensible word to her. Being born to parents raised during a bloody civil war in Lebanon means religion is fed through the amniotic fluid in the womb. Still, she would learn what religion could destroy and reap in a hard way…
Two months later after the Hizbullah Dec.1st sit-in,
Another stormy night, hail showering down breaking into homes and into hearts. The hail is not cold but hot as their summer barbecue coal and as dark as the hate engulfing people around her. Her mom is screaming as a maniac foretelling their death, calling for the selfish leaders burning in hell. “Hurry, hurry, and get out of bed; we have to sleep in the corridor tonight.” She took her cat and followed. Her aunt and daughters were all camped there each already halfway through their own version of the end of their lives and total Armageddon. A knock on the door, it is her cousin. “I have found a safe place for us to sleep, tonight. It is the small bookshop warehouse.”
The warehouse is small and smells of unhealthy mold. The girl can hardly breathe, her cat is for some reason hiding behind the toilet seat and that scene suddenly reminds her mom that her parents should join them.
They find the girl’s grandparents having morning coffee at their house’s porch, having small talk and for some mysterious reason unaware that shellings not yet cold are covering the grounds around them. “Your generation is cowardly,” he said, “I would never hide even if rockets were being launched directly at me. No human could change fate. Death-if your time has come-will strike you even if you hide in China.”
That night, her grandfather died. He didn’t need to run from death to China, death came to him thanks to the stubbornness of the so called “Defenders of the national unity” and the girl blamed herself. She is Shiite as Christine told her so she must have had a hand in his death for sure!!!
This is a gloomy glimpse of what may, please do not make it happen and dare to say no!
Could she really remember how the first ghost sprang into existence?
“You naughty girl, I told you to never puke in my classroom! You make me sick to my stomach!” Oh, how sensitive she was. The youngest in kindergarten, she was stuck in that vicious circle of vomiting everyday, shuddering of fear of the teachers insensibility and aloofness.
The little skinny girl sat in a corner alone during recess thinking of a way to throw away her sandwich without being caught. Suddenly a classmate, Christine, came to her and said, “My dad told me you are a Shia Muslim, you can’t be my friend”. “A Shiite? No I can’t be a Shiite! Shiite is bad! I am not bad; I only have a weak voice and a retching problem.”
That afternoon, her dad pulled the belt off his trousers and warned, “There would be no talk of religion in my house!” As she lay under the covers crying she kept asking herself, “What did I do? What does religion mean?”
Funny, religion should have been a very comprehensible word to her. Being born to parents raised during a bloody civil war in Lebanon means religion is fed through the amniotic fluid in the womb. Still, she would learn what religion could destroy and reap in a hard way…
Two months later after the Hizbullah Dec.1st sit-in,
Another stormy night, hail showering down breaking into homes and into hearts. The hail is not cold but hot as their summer barbecue coal and as dark as the hate engulfing people around her. Her mom is screaming as a maniac foretelling their death, calling for the selfish leaders burning in hell. “Hurry, hurry, and get out of bed; we have to sleep in the corridor tonight.” She took her cat and followed. Her aunt and daughters were all camped there each already halfway through their own version of the end of their lives and total Armageddon. A knock on the door, it is her cousin. “I have found a safe place for us to sleep, tonight. It is the small bookshop warehouse.”
The warehouse is small and smells of unhealthy mold. The girl can hardly breathe, her cat is for some reason hiding behind the toilet seat and that scene suddenly reminds her mom that her parents should join them.
They find the girl’s grandparents having morning coffee at their house’s porch, having small talk and for some mysterious reason unaware that shellings not yet cold are covering the grounds around them. “Your generation is cowardly,” he said, “I would never hide even if rockets were being launched directly at me. No human could change fate. Death-if your time has come-will strike you even if you hide in China.”
That night, her grandfather died. He didn’t need to run from death to China, death came to him thanks to the stubbornness of the so called “Defenders of the national unity” and the girl blamed herself. She is Shiite as Christine told her so she must have had a hand in his death for sure!!!
This is a gloomy glimpse of what may, please do not make it happen and dare to say no!
Farewell!
The newly resurrected cafes in downtown are a huge hit. They are, apparently, attracting a huge turnout of "visitors/dwellers/occupiers". It is a first class family entertainment with extra arguileh smoke and foul language.
If I were one with a "holy cause", I would never go home and be reminded of the recent war and death. I would have a constant party, meet new people, and have a euphoric cult-like experience.
I recently asked a loyal arguileh demonstrator what his reasons were behind his sit-in and his reply was simply an unmentionable insult to the government. When I persisted, he said, " They should know we are shia and thus to be feared!". Nice, convincing answer, if you ask me. Nothing beats, " I am holy. Don't ask. I just am". Another line of thinking I like is the, " And didn't they do this or that?". Never support your claim, merely attacking the other side would take you places!
This is what we excel in best, attacks and counterattacks, slumber parties, resentments, blame-games, and sooner or later: farewell!
If I were one with a "holy cause", I would never go home and be reminded of the recent war and death. I would have a constant party, meet new people, and have a euphoric cult-like experience.
I recently asked a loyal arguileh demonstrator what his reasons were behind his sit-in and his reply was simply an unmentionable insult to the government. When I persisted, he said, " They should know we are shia and thus to be feared!". Nice, convincing answer, if you ask me. Nothing beats, " I am holy. Don't ask. I just am". Another line of thinking I like is the, " And didn't they do this or that?". Never support your claim, merely attacking the other side would take you places!
This is what we excel in best, attacks and counterattacks, slumber parties, resentments, blame-games, and sooner or later: farewell!
Tuesday, December 5, 2006
The Intense People
The people's faces I see on the streets are different from what we as kids learned to read as busy or happy or sad etc. They seem as if they have replaced their complexions and bought angry expressions from the same bazaar.
I wonder where they found this intensity. They certainly are not intense enough to seek their right for a better living or a respectful entity.
Now, a few men who only a while ago were singing each other's praises are on bad terms and everyone is so spiteful that I want to stop and address them, "Buy a punch bag and vent your anger or you will start a fight any minute now."
I really have no problem with intensity. It is what gives color to life if it is channeled into a productive deed. If those people who are demonstrating in the thousands, would come together as they did in this massive sit-in and from groups that would clean up the destruction and organize appropriate clubs in their neighborhoods they would be at least alleviating their detoriorating position. Unfortunately, all they are accomplishing now is inciting hate, reaping havoc and making every Lebanese poor and desperate. But, as the french say, "Sing to an ass and he will fart in your face"!
I wonder where they found this intensity. They certainly are not intense enough to seek their right for a better living or a respectful entity.
Now, a few men who only a while ago were singing each other's praises are on bad terms and everyone is so spiteful that I want to stop and address them, "Buy a punch bag and vent your anger or you will start a fight any minute now."
I really have no problem with intensity. It is what gives color to life if it is channeled into a productive deed. If those people who are demonstrating in the thousands, would come together as they did in this massive sit-in and from groups that would clean up the destruction and organize appropriate clubs in their neighborhoods they would be at least alleviating their detoriorating position. Unfortunately, all they are accomplishing now is inciting hate, reaping havoc and making every Lebanese poor and desperate. But, as the french say, "Sing to an ass and he will fart in your face"!
Monday, December 4, 2006
The "Martyr"
The "martyr" is having his day in heaven today. I heard he was going to the infamous downtown for the general worship. Didn't you know that if you die during a fight with your fellow men you become more important than people who are desperately trying to believe in a country long lost?
What is going on? Did we wait so long for "Godot" that we forgot that at the end of the day Lebanese will remain Lebanese? "The common sense is not the common" says Voltaire and indeed today's festival/carnival (I do not really how to describe it) clearly proves it!
I am not saying that he shouldn't be remembered but for heaven's sake, we are all dying and a slow, painful death; shouldn't we reserve our ticket for a downtown funeral?
I think it is a self-service and I want my turn!
What is going on? Did we wait so long for "Godot" that we forgot that at the end of the day Lebanese will remain Lebanese? "The common sense is not the common" says Voltaire and indeed today's festival/carnival (I do not really how to describe it) clearly proves it!
I am not saying that he shouldn't be remembered but for heaven's sake, we are all dying and a slow, painful death; shouldn't we reserve our ticket for a downtown funeral?
I think it is a self-service and I want my turn!
Who is Falling Next?
Yesterday, he fell sinking in his blood. What did he die for? Did his so called fatherly leader weep for him? Did his family consider him yet another martyr in the endless list of Lebanese martyrs? I wonder what made a 20 year old forget about his youth and love of life and focus on his so called shia right to exist...
I pity this land, this land of sectarian identification. This land of zaims and so called holy leaders. What is Tariq Jdeedeh and what is Dahiye? They are 2 adjacent neighborhoods and yet too distinct in ideologies that they were able to shed each others blood for a non-existent cause!
Why doesn't Nasrallah leave his hideout and for once in his life explain the reason behind his constant need for wars and hate and bloodshed? Why can't he explain what he hopes to achieve without calling everyone who had different opinions a traitor or a Zionist or an American or or?
Enough hate and self-serving agendas. Enough families taking their little kids to hateful demonstrations rather than educating them. Enough I am a shiite or a maronite or a sunni etc! Enough immigration and separations.
Live and love life as they posted on the billboards. Please, think about tomorrow for one time and stop making everyone of us bleed!
I pity this land, this land of sectarian identification. This land of zaims and so called holy leaders. What is Tariq Jdeedeh and what is Dahiye? They are 2 adjacent neighborhoods and yet too distinct in ideologies that they were able to shed each others blood for a non-existent cause!
Why doesn't Nasrallah leave his hideout and for once in his life explain the reason behind his constant need for wars and hate and bloodshed? Why can't he explain what he hopes to achieve without calling everyone who had different opinions a traitor or a Zionist or an American or or?
Enough hate and self-serving agendas. Enough families taking their little kids to hateful demonstrations rather than educating them. Enough I am a shiite or a maronite or a sunni etc! Enough immigration and separations.
Live and love life as they posted on the billboards. Please, think about tomorrow for one time and stop making everyone of us bleed!
Sunday, December 3, 2006
Nasrallah&The Shia
I wonder what makes a whole community submissive to a human being who has not distinguished himself in intellect nor common sense… Why is it being a Shiite automatically means that you should regard Hassan Nasrallah as some holy figure whose words are divine demands that should be followed against better judgment?
Why didn’t the people clustered all over down town Beirut demand their rights of re-compensation after they were forced out of their homes, their properties lost, their lives destroyed due to a war started by Nasrallah and now they flock Beirut and ask for the government’s resignation? How come they do not understand that each day they paralyze the economy, due to their inability or their unwillingness to think individually, they are adding to their poverty which they claim they are demonstrating to change?
The problem with religion is like Plato’s cave analogy. People have their back to the sun and if someone dares to say they are seeing the shadows and not the real people he is outcast as a blasphemous. The followers of Nasrallah are so afraid to admit the truth they see underneath all that hypocrisy or they would be labeled traitors to their community that they sadly ruin their country and are convinced they are doing what they are doing according to their will…
I hope that tomorrow like the kid who said that The Emperor is naked, someone dares to speak up from that water-pipe camp they have built and admits that Nasrallah is an Iranian puppet and their responsibility as Lebanese should be to raise the Lebanese flag in their minds not on TV’s and in squares. Then, I hope we will try to pick up the pieces that are getting too small day after day to glue together.
Why didn’t the people clustered all over down town Beirut demand their rights of re-compensation after they were forced out of their homes, their properties lost, their lives destroyed due to a war started by Nasrallah and now they flock Beirut and ask for the government’s resignation? How come they do not understand that each day they paralyze the economy, due to their inability or their unwillingness to think individually, they are adding to their poverty which they claim they are demonstrating to change?
The problem with religion is like Plato’s cave analogy. People have their back to the sun and if someone dares to say they are seeing the shadows and not the real people he is outcast as a blasphemous. The followers of Nasrallah are so afraid to admit the truth they see underneath all that hypocrisy or they would be labeled traitors to their community that they sadly ruin their country and are convinced they are doing what they are doing according to their will…
I hope that tomorrow like the kid who said that The Emperor is naked, someone dares to speak up from that water-pipe camp they have built and admits that Nasrallah is an Iranian puppet and their responsibility as Lebanese should be to raise the Lebanese flag in their minds not on TV’s and in squares. Then, I hope we will try to pick up the pieces that are getting too small day after day to glue together.
Dark is Their Tunnel
Son, Napoleon Bonaparte is quoted as having said, “In politics stupidity is not a handicap.” Indeed, the Assad regime relied on the archaic notions of Arab unity and one Arab nation to have the necessary support from a people so hung on the past and still not cured from their humiliating wars with Israel.
The civil war proved to the Lebanese and the world that just because the League of Nations carved out Lebanon from a map doesn’t mean that the Lebanese have stopped to be loyal to their clan and religion and became patriotic. However, Syria did not get the message. Not only that, but it also wanted to have Lebanon as a part of Syria and thus the enormous mistakes and atrocities done to the Lebanese.
But, dad, you have still not answered the question. Why now? And how can we have hope when assassinations and economical siege and what-say-you are being practiced??
Why you ask me, well nobody said it better than Aleksander Solzhenitsyn. He said, “You only have power over people so long as you don’t take everything from them. But when you’ve robbed a man of everything, he’s no longer in your power – he’s free again.”
The Syrians have held us literary captives to their whims and fraudulent policies for so long. They idiotically believed that we would remain under their control providing they terrorize us in all means and any measures possible. Well, we have proved them wrong and they are so shocked and dry that they have managed to be even more politically “stupid”! And what is worse for them is that the international community has turned against them after September the eleventh and they are dumbfounded! Honestly, their molestations right now are not so surprising for you have to think using their logic that is that of a five year old kid. What does a child do when he is being reprimanded? He shouts, breaks things and kicks etc. They are assassinating and breaking our economy…
How shall the Lebanese people have hope? Easy! What do you think the kid does after he gets tired from crying and reaping havoc? He sits in a corner, sucks his finger and wonder what his punishment would be and how long it would take until his parents forgive him…
The dark tunnel the Lebanese are in is getting brighter by the day and as for their tunnel, well I will say this, “In the past, those who foolishly sought power by riding on the back of the tiger ended up inside.” – John Fitzgerald Kennedy.
The civil war proved to the Lebanese and the world that just because the League of Nations carved out Lebanon from a map doesn’t mean that the Lebanese have stopped to be loyal to their clan and religion and became patriotic. However, Syria did not get the message. Not only that, but it also wanted to have Lebanon as a part of Syria and thus the enormous mistakes and atrocities done to the Lebanese.
But, dad, you have still not answered the question. Why now? And how can we have hope when assassinations and economical siege and what-say-you are being practiced??
Why you ask me, well nobody said it better than Aleksander Solzhenitsyn. He said, “You only have power over people so long as you don’t take everything from them. But when you’ve robbed a man of everything, he’s no longer in your power – he’s free again.”
The Syrians have held us literary captives to their whims and fraudulent policies for so long. They idiotically believed that we would remain under their control providing they terrorize us in all means and any measures possible. Well, we have proved them wrong and they are so shocked and dry that they have managed to be even more politically “stupid”! And what is worse for them is that the international community has turned against them after September the eleventh and they are dumbfounded! Honestly, their molestations right now are not so surprising for you have to think using their logic that is that of a five year old kid. What does a child do when he is being reprimanded? He shouts, breaks things and kicks etc. They are assassinating and breaking our economy…
How shall the Lebanese people have hope? Easy! What do you think the kid does after he gets tired from crying and reaping havoc? He sits in a corner, sucks his finger and wonder what his punishment would be and how long it would take until his parents forgive him…
The dark tunnel the Lebanese are in is getting brighter by the day and as for their tunnel, well I will say this, “In the past, those who foolishly sought power by riding on the back of the tiger ended up inside.” – John Fitzgerald Kennedy.
Lebanon
Land of the Cedars and prophecies
Entry into the exotic East and industrial West
Behold, for they seek your mighty heart
Arrogantly, they try to steal away your strength and dignity
Not respecting your people, nor your sovereignty
Open their wicked eyes for they do not fathom your resilience
No one could ever rob you of your freedom, of your soul!
Entry into the exotic East and industrial West
Behold, for they seek your mighty heart
Arrogantly, they try to steal away your strength and dignity
Not respecting your people, nor your sovereignty
Open their wicked eyes for they do not fathom your resilience
No one could ever rob you of your freedom, of your soul!
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