Monday, March 09, 2009

© Citoyen aoungoissé

Copy of an e-mail I received today

Le principal clivage libanais semble être aujourd'hui celui qui sépare les aounophobes des aounolâtres.
Finnies les vieilles querelles entre arabistes et phénicianistes, entre huitmarsistes et quatorzemarsistes, entre Bushistes et Basharistes.....
Toutes ces lignes de fracture sont aountédiluviennes.
Aujourd'hui, pas moyen de finir un dîner sans qu'aounophobes et aounolâtres n'en viennent à s'aounengueuler. Ce qui pourrit la soirée des rares aouneutres et des nombreux aounenarienafoutre, qui ne peuvent plus s'aountendre parler. yaounamarre !
Les querelles sont d'autant plus vives que les aounophobes les plus aounragés sont souvent d'aounciens aounolâtres qui ne se remettent pas de l'aounterrement de leurs idéaux d'aountan.
Les aounolâtres ne sont pas tous aountipathiques. Beaucoup sont aounnêtes et aountègres. Aountièrement dévoués à l'aounterêt superieur du Libaoun. Ils ne sont toutefois pas aoundignés lorsque le général aountonne ses aountiennes aounticonstitutionnelles. Les aounolâtres sont complètement aounvoûtés et religieusement convaincus de l'infaillibilité paountificale. De vrais aounconditiuonnels !

oranjeboom


Les aounophobes sont parallèlement tous des psychaounalystes. Leur diagnaounstic est sans appel : l'aountéchrist souffre de mégalomaounie, d'aounarcissisme, de paraounoïa et de shizophraounie. Les aounophobes préconisent un aounternement immédiat du général et sa mise sous aounxiolytiques pour éviter de nouvelles guerres d'aounnihilations.
Aounophobes et aounolâtres ont fréquemment en commun d'être sous aountidépresseurs du fait de l'aounkylose aouncestrale de leur pays, haounté par des voisins aouncombrants.
Mieux vaut aoun rire que de s'aountre-tuer.

Citoyen aoungoissé
Préférant rester aounonyme

Come what may in the upcoming elections (and this is not in reference to May the 7th) the excuse of "Oh shit I was drunk on Oranjeboom" does not hold water (or barley), they might as well claim that "Black Leb" still rules !

Maybe years of "I love life" were interpreted the wrong way. Soon we will find out.

Sunday, March 08, 2009

Tuesday, March 03, 2009

A butcher’s knife

In reply to my friend’s request, and with regards to the “butcher’s knife” comment I have posted on his page; I will recall a sad chapter which will never be written in our history books (nor will it be taught to our children in our schools).
In order to make this story seem more plausible to the foreign (non Lebanese) eye, one has to understand the animosity that is ingrained not only amongst Lebanese, but within those who were envious of such prosperity.

butcher-main_full

Another consideration is that when the war first broke out, the means to fight were somewhat archaic and not widely available. The power (fighting power that is) balance was far from equal; on one hand we had “so called refugee’s” armed to the teeth (thanks to the Cairo treaty), and on the other side a bunch of what some might call a bunch of fascists armed men with (mainly) hunting weapons .This was the case in the VERY early stages. Soon enough a wide array of combat arms was flooding the streets of the capital. Demarcation lines were (artificially) drawn, and the capital was split in two. Each warring faction started building its arsenal, spreading terror and committing heinous crimes against not only its fellow man, but also against it fellow citizen.
And now I come to my story about my first encounter with the “butcher’s knife”; trust me it will not take long.
On one faithful journey in the seventies trying to cross towards what was then labeled as the west side of Beirut, and on the crossing between Chiyah and Ain El Roumaneh was a check point for “fatah” (a Palestinian faction). We stopped two cars shy of oblivion, for the three passengers in the car that was stopped at the check point, were all taken out, and had their throats cut from ear to ear on the side of the road (with a butcher’s knife). Luck was on our side, for the check point was dismantled and we went our way.
Those people who used such a primitive way had within their arsenal SAM6 missiles, but they chose the most painful and degrading way to kill a person who’s only sin was to have “Christian” written on their ID card.
This is nothing but one story amongst many. I have entered Tal Al Zaatar after it fell and caught a glimpse of the horrors that were planned against my people, yes MY people. Granted I knew a guy in my Christian neighborhood that had above his bed rest human parts in pickle jars, but those parts were not of Lebanese, but of those who tried to take over.

Friday, February 20, 2009

What ever happened to the Arabic dream?

Yes the video is long and so are the lyrics, but so is the way towards an equitable solution to the Palestinian problem. Keep in mind that the clip was made before the rise of Hamas, and when many Arab nations still "relatively" cared about the plight of the Palestinian people.
After this last war on Gaza, I wonder how many representatives of those Arab nations would have participated in this clip, and what the lyrics would have read.
If you have time (and only time) to kill, watch and read; and draw your own conclusions.
N.B: Enclosed are the only translation of the lyrics I could find in English, since I am not capable (nor do I have the time) to translate them myself.






Our dream will live in the hearts of generations after generations.
And what we say today will be our life-long commitment.

Chorus:
Perhaps the darkness of the night will distance us,
But the light's rays can reach the furthest sky.
This is our dream, for all our lives, an embrace to enfold us, all of us.

The dream is not impossible, so long as its fulfillment is conceivable.
And if the night becomes long, definitely afterwards there will be dawn.

Live up to all that you are, even when the truth is the difficult path.
Try, and you shall arrive; the dignity of the attempt will suffice.

Prove yourself to your own Time; believe in your ambitions, you will succeed.
Let your eyes see the truth, and the truth will be seen by others.

Challenge the world and revolt, and learn to remain courageous.
The journey of a thousand miles, starts with a single step.

Justice needs strength, so that you can protect it.
Never, by rhetoric and complaints, will the rightful land return.

Love has fire and spark, and eyes filled with hope.
Children, with stones in their hands, will reinvent the world.

From anywhere in the world, we speak the Arabic language.
And in the loudest voice and heartbeat, we call unity a rebirth.

Our children everywhere, are the light of the nations' eyes.
Fairness, Love, Goodness ... , are our message for all Time.

Sing and say with us: Art is aspiration and success.
From sadness, we create joy, from our thoughts, a path and a life.

A word of truth in a song, is spoken and passes in a second;
Perhaps after years, it may change the world with it.

Let the songs be true, and plan your time for action.
Love will find a door for all the closed paths.

The song cancels borders, and the heart is its nation;
As long as we live, we'll sing; as long as we can, we'll love.

Love is not by words, but by actions and feelings.
Be a light, a smile, a song, and a guide for the paths of others.

Our dream, for all Times, is the unity of all nations.
All the disagreements will disappear; it is enough that you are human.

Your art is your homeland in the exile; you'll find the proof wherever you go.
Sing of people and friendship, you'll find the world to be beautiful.

Love, in all the world's languages, and condense the years into seconds.
The bird's destiny is to fly, and our destiny is to sing these songs.

We hope the dream will become real, and break all hardened silences.
It is not too much for the truth to be bright, even while they call it foolishness.

The tree was a seed, and the story was an idea.
And since we love and dream, we'll reach the path of tomorrow.

[words printed in the video...]
The seed began with a vision ...
and the vision was a dream ...
A dream ... ended with a touchable reality
Operetta ... The Arab Dream
23 Arab dreamers participated in the singing ...
They came together from the Atlantic Ocean to the Arabian Gulf.
95 performers, in love with the dream, fulfilled the dream
... and the dream continues

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Waiting on the world to change




Me and all my friends
We're all misunderstood
They say we stand for nothing and
There's no way we ever could

Now we see everything that's going wrong
With the world and those who lead it
We just feel like we don't have the means
To rise above and beat it

So we keep waiting
Waiting on the world to change
We keep on waiting
Waiting on the world to change

It's hard to beat the system
When we're standing at a distance
So we keep waiting
Waiting on the world to change

Now if we had the power
To bring our neighbors home from war
They would have never missed a Christmas
No more ribbons on their door
And when you trust your television
What you get is what you got
Cause when they own the information, oh
They can bend it all they want

That's why we're waiting
Waiting on the world to change
We keep on waiting
Waiting on the world to change

It's not that we don't care,
We just know that the fight ain't fair
So we keep on waiting
Waiting on the world to change

And we're still waiting
Waiting on the world to change
We keep on waiting waiting on the world to change
One day our generation
Is gonna rule the population
So we keep on waiting
Waiting on the world to change

We keep on waiting
Waiting on the world to change

Monday, February 16, 2009

IF, you are LEBANESE


















When open mindedness takes precedence.
When you acknowledge (and accept) the fundamental difference with your fellow citizens.
When political correctness is no longer the only priority.
When your past becomes a lesson to be learned.
When true patriotism is the way forward.
When over used slogans no longer move you.
When you accept that the enemy does lie within.
When your are convinced that your current leaders no longer represent your aspirations.
When you truly feel that your well being is being threatened and change is needed.
When you accept the fact that you have a say in your future.
When you stop taking the easy way out.
When you take a firm stand, a stand that reflects your own aspirations; and the Lebanon you would like to see your children live in.
When fear of obliteration is a consideration if you remain silent.





And yes you shouldn’t turn a blind eye or a deaf ear (IF you are Lebanese), when a turban wearing war crazed lunatic says out loud that he reserves the right to use ground to air missiles (which he might, and might not have) against whom he pleases, and anytime he pleases.

Friday, February 13, 2009

That was then and this is now !

Call it what you want: my own twisted way to justify what “you” might call fanaticism, a way of masking the truth, or even a proof that I am nothing but an atheist son of the devil sprung from a sordid affair. A drunken arse who spits incoherent words filled with hatred whilst pretending that tolerance is his forte, I DO NOT GIVE A FLYING FUCK!
To those who’s paths I have crossed, and made the effort to try and comprehend what makes me tick, tickle my fancy, and gets me tangled up in knots; I dedicate the following.
I dedicate the following for I know you, an only you will understand what I truly mean.
















To those who knew me I say: I was not born and bred a fanatic; but I am not alien to facts nor am I blinded by religion. I am a citizen of this world aware of its people’s past and admitting it shortfalls. For those of you who don’t know me I say: “label me as you wish and call me names”, for you are still blinded by preconceived ideas deeply engraved in your psyche and evolution has passed you by. Yes I deem myself better (at the risk of being crude), but at least I call it as I see it; and moreover I am open for debate.
So give me your best shot !

NO, I d not pretend to be King Arthur, but I relate to Sir Lancelot and I long for the days of the Knights of the round table; days when honor still prevailed.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Why we should all vote against Michel Aoun


(Letter to the editor, Times newspaper UK)

As a disgruntled ex “Aounist” and a “true Lebanese”, I can’t help but feel not only disappointment but hatred towards what I consider (especially after his latest “propos”) as the biggest traitor Lebanon ever witnessed. Whatever happened to “The World Movement for the Liberation of Lebanon “and your slogan of “Independence, Sovereignty and Freedom”? I guess “Beit Al sha3b” who drew thousands risking their lives, you have now rented (cheap) to those who ousted you wearing only pajamas. Came a time when you had the support of many from all creeds and religions (Druze, Sunnies, Shia, Christians, rich and poor) provided you with a human shield against those whom once you considered as being the foes of what Lebanon stood for. Even the Lebanese Diaspora voluntarily mobilized itself and became a patron to your cause; the cause (of what they thought was) the way towards a free and truly independent Lebanon.



London Marathon


Said Akl (that half crazy has been local poet) recited poetry praising your accomplishments (although at the time they were none), people danced on the road to Baabda, restaurants delivered free food to all those who protected (risking their own lives) you by staging a sit in anxiously waiting for you to grace them with a few (unfounded) promises.
And (along with many others) me in my country of exile, I demonstrated in front of embassies in harsh weather conditions, convinced that this was my patriotic duty. We collected money when you could no longer afford to pay the wages to those Lebanese army soldiers (who whole heartedly) believed that they could finally protect their fellow citizens from the Syrian sword that had caused so many martyrs, and transferred them to your bank account. Many of those very same soldiers who believed in you and your cause were slaughtered, and those who survived were stripped naked and made to walk and spit on posters depicting your “moronic” profile in your military suit by the hands of those you now swear allegiance to, and I quote my dear “traitor”: “The Syrians and the Iranians helped Lebanon, and I do not care if these words anger anyone”.
Well these words anger me and the families of those soldiers who died when you decided to flee to the French embassy. These words anger every single Lebanese (and there still aren’t enough of them) whom for one second believed that you could have been the protector and liberator of this holly land. You pissed on all that was sacred to this once great nation of ours.



Now you claim to be the epitome of the true “wifak watani” with your alliance with those outlaws that don’t even recognize the rule of law; which not long ago was part of the war you fought against fellow citizens (LF to be precise).
I won’t spend any more time detailing your failures and showing your true face (of the traitor and demented general that you are) for I know that many share my views, and the few followers you have are moved by the (false) need to have a so called Christian representation to follow, lacking another alternative (that of the LF).
Dear General, you have recently given us enough material enabling us to write volumes on the subject of traitor, deceit, megalomania, dictatorship…etc. You remind me of one of my favorite “bande dessinee” character, that of IZNOGOOD : “je veux etre califee a la place du calife”.
Well to you my dear general I say : “not in your wildest dreams”, just like Iznogood we will all laugh at all your failed attempts; the only difference be it that in comic books no one gets hurts. I guess that you never understood the difference!
A disgruntled ex Aounist.

Monday, February 09, 2009

Our Phoenix and their Eagles.

We all remember the days (end of the seventies) when every single local band in order to prove it prowess felt obliged to play “sultans of swing” and “hotel California” the best they knew how. We all sat applauding and enjoying those minutes passed regardless of how out of tune the band was. It was nothing more than (at that time) an escape route from the path of “self” destruction that still prevails today. From Samy Clark, Guss Farah, Dany Labaki, Julia Sadaka singing Grace Slick … to the Electric Warriors; such was our only “défoulement “. After a day of dodging sniper bullets, mortar fire, and a night of heavy drinking and celebrating being still alive; another morning dawns. Another morning creeps upon you with much less promises than the day before, which you tried your best to drown in alcohol. I remember crossing the “ring” (in 1981) while listening to “the last resort”. I did manage to get to my destination with 3 bullet holes in my car.
This song is forever engraved in my mind; engraved with a sweet/bitter memory.



She came from Providence,
the one in Rhode Island
Where the old world shadows hang
heavy in the air
She packed her hopes and dreams
like a refugee
Just as her father came across the sea
She heard about a place people were smilin'
They spoke about the red man's way,
and how they loved the land
And they came from everywhere
to the Great Divide
Seeking a place to stand
or a place to hide

Down in the crowded bars,
out for a good time,
Can't wait to tell you all,
what it's like up there
And they called it paradise
I don't know why
Somebody laid the mountains low
while the town got high

Then the chilly winds blew down
Across the desert
through the canyons of the coast, to
the Malibu
Where the pretty people play,
hungry for power
to light their neon way
and give them things to do

Some rich men came and raped the land,
Nobody caught 'em
Put up a bunch of ugly boxes, and Jesus,
people bought 'em
And they called it paradise
The place to be
They watched the hazy sun, sinking in the sea

You can leave it all behind
and sail to Lahaina
just like the missionaries did, so many years ago
They even brought a neon sign: "Jesus is coming"
Brought the white man's burden down
Brought the white man's reign

Who will provide the grand design?
What is yours and what is mine?
'Cause there is no more new frontier
We have got to make it here

We satisfy our endless needs and
justify our bloody deeds,
in the name of destiny and the name of God

And you can see them there,
On Sunday morning
They stand up and sing about
what it's like up there
They call it paradise
I don't know why
You call someplace paradise,
kiss it goodbye

Friday, February 06, 2009

A voice from our bloody past !

Not long ago this following statement was painted all over the walls of what was once known as the Christian sector of Beirut "it is the duty of every Lebanese to kill a Palestinian". Such words were deemed extreem by many on both sides of the divide, to the extent that the political party who had such "propos" documented in ink within its dogma, never gained too much ground. Almost no one in the mid seventies paid much attention to the rest of this party's political agenda and philosophy (this politcal party in question is the Guardian Of the Cedars). What follows is a recent interview conducted with its founder Etienne Sakr AKA Abou Arz.

"1 – What is the status of the Guardians of the Cedars Party?
The question is indeed more painful than it is embarrassing. It is painful because of the feeling by party members that the generous sacrifices they made for Lebanon during the war, without anything in return, particularly the dead martyrs and the handicapped, have all been in vain. The dream that we promised them has also faded, namely to build a new and modern state that is worthy of those sacrifices and the aspirations of the Lebanese people. Underlying this feeling is that the state which came to being after the war is much worse than the state that existed before the war, and this is what really hurts me, my comrades, and the Lebanese in general.
The party’s supporters and partisans who are in Lebanon and in the Lebanese Diaspora worldwide feel alienation and estrangement, as well as disgust and frustration, not to say despair, at this situation. The feelings of alienation and estrangement stem from the absence of the party’s president from the headquarters in Beirut (19 years to date) and the inability of the presidential board which we formed in 2005 to substitute for the president, which is due to three reasons. First is the fact that the president is also the founder of the party, which makes filling the vacuum difficult and complicated. Second, the wrongful judicial pursuits against members of that board as a result of the press conference they held in September 2005 and from which they were exonerated. And third, the decaying political environment in which the country finds itself, and the control exerted by parties with non-Lebanese allegiance over every facet of public life, prevent the Guardians of the Cedars Party – which holds Lebanese nationalism as its sole ideology – from maneuvering in an environment that is 100% hostile to its own.
As for the feelings of disgust and frustration, they are shared by the majority of Lebanese, having reached this point after losing any hope in change, particularly through the existing political establishment which is corrupt in its vast majority and by any measure of corruption, and whose sole concern is to renew its grip on the country every 4 years. People are despondent and disheartened. Young people’s ambitions have become limited to securing emigration visas that get them out of the hell in which the political establishment keeps them. Life without hope is a true hell, let alone the stifling living conditions that continue to humiliate people and that have eradicated the middle class. The wealthy have become wealthier and the poor have become poorer.
2 – Has your cause won?
The answer is no, at least for now. If our cause had won, Lebanon would be in great shape. But right now, unfortunately, the anti-Lebanon side has won, which is the side whose allegiance is to outsiders before its allegiance to Lebanon. The sectarian, religious and fundamentalist mini-states have won over the one Lebanese state; the private armies have won over the one Lebanese army; the security zones have won over broader national security; and the political merchants and traitors to their nation who have generated this sick, impotent, corrupt and dismembered state have won over the capable, clean and healthy state for which we have always called in our conferences, statements and party literature. All of this reinforces in us the idea that the state of clinical death in which Lebanon finds itself, rather to which they have brought Lebanon, is no longer responsive to ordinary medicine; it requires another kind of treatment, or divine intervention maybe. Who knows?
Hence, in short, the Lebanese Resistance which we launched in 1975 has failed. The so-called Islamic Resistance has instead succeeded, even though the chances for success were stronger for the former than they were for the latter, and this is due to the stupidity of political Maronitism, at both its spiritual and temporal levels, which became adept at missing all opportunities. In addition, the struggle between Maronite leaders for power and money has been ongoing since the early 1940s and to this day. This is the bitter truth that ought to be said, and incidentally, “The Bitter Truth” is the title of the new book which I will publish upon my return to Lebanon.
3 – Are you with March 14 or March 8?
A question that many ask us every day. The March 14 group believes in an Arab Lebanon allied with the Saudi-Egyptian axis, and we all know the negative role played by that axis at the time of the Palestinian-Syrian war against Lebanon and during the infamous Syrian custody over Lebanon. The March 8 group also believes in an Arab Lebanon allied with the Syrian-Iranian axis, and no one is oblivious to the danger posed by this axis to Lebanon, in the past, at present and in the future. We, on the other hand, believe in Lebanon’s Lebanese identity, in a constant and absolute faith, and we believe in a complete and final Lebanese nation that belongs to no other nation. We declared this belief from the first day we took up weapons, i.e. on April 13, 1975, we continued tirelessly to reiterate this position, and we will never abandon it, regardless of the cost, the pursuits and persecution campaigns to which we are subjected. Speaking of pursuits, we draw the attention of the “honorable” regime that it has to hunt down the intellectuals of Lebanese nationalism, the likes of Charles Corm, Michel Chiha, Youssef al-Sawda, Said Akel, May Murr and others, and ban their books from the schools before it thinks of hunting down the Guardians of the Cedars. Let us not forget Fakhreddine, the founder of modern Lebanon on the basis of Lebanese nationalism.
Going back to the struggle of the axes between March 14 and March 8, the axis to which the Guardians of the Cedars Party belongs is the one extending from the Orontes River in the north to Naqura in the south and not one inch farther. The two axes of March 14 and March 8 belong to the same political school that is responsible for converting Lebanon into this crippled and disfigured state. Without false modesty, I say that the honorable Lebanese, deep down in their hearts and even though they don’t express it, belong to the school of the Guardians of the Cedars.
4 – What is your position vis-à-vis General Aoun and his visit to Syria?
No doubt that General Aoun today is not the General we knew during the battle of liberation of Tal Zaatar as chief of operations in Mar Shaya Monastery. He is not the General leading Battalion 13 which defended the frontlines after the two-year war. He is not the General who led the 8th Brigade in waging the glorious battles of Souk al-Gharb. He is not the General who led the War of Liberation against the Syrian occupation, militarily and politically, from inside and outside Lebanon. As for the arguments he gives to justify his new positions – such as: the problem with Syria is over after it evacuated Lebanon; or we must turn the page of the past and look to the future; or his defense of the weapons of the so-called Hezbollah and his choice of the Syrian-Iranian axis, or his demands to release the four officers.... etc. – they are groundless and unconvincing arguments.
We say that Syria has not left Lebanon. It remains very effectively involved in Lebanese security and politics. Its ambitions of hegemony over Lebanon remain where they are, albeit in a different approach. Also, looking forward to the future should not make us forget the past. We must benefit from the lessons of the past in order to handle the future in a sound manner, especially since this past is full of tragedies that have afflicted every Lebanese home and family. How can we seek reconciliation with Syria when it continues to hold our young men in its prisons? How can we forgive Syria when we have yet to hear one word of apology for all the individual crimes and the collective massacres it perpetrated against us like the hordes of Tatars and Mongols once did? How can we defend an axis that brought us nothing but destruction? How can we demand the release of officers whom the international investigator ordered to be held? Is it reasonable that international investigators are biased to one political side against another?
Making pretexts and arguments with the goal of justifying or covering for one’s actions is one thing. But to actually believe them is another. As for the visit to Syria, we commented on it at the time, and we said that we reject it in substance and in form. Attached is the text of our statement.
5 – Why doesn’t Abu Arz return to Lebanon?
When I went to Jezzine in 1990, after the fall of the Eastern regions to the Syrian occupation, judicial warrants were issued against me in absentia on charges of dealing with Israel. Everyone knows that when dictatorial regimes occupy a country, they resort to eliminating their opponents, either by military liquidation or by way of the judiciary. We thought that these warrants will be dropped with the fall of the Syrian occupation, but these warrants remain standing, which goes to show that nothing has really changed in the Lebanese regime. The regime in power today is one way or another an extension of the regime that existed before the liberation, and this is truly unfortunate.
It is incumbent on me to clarify here this ambiguous aspect that has become the hallmark of our political history:
1-We dealt with Israel in the same way that all the parties of the Lebanese Front dealt with it: Phalangists, National Liberals, Tanzim, Lebanese Forces, and others. No more, no less.
2-We say that we dealt with Israel and our relation with it remained one of peers, in contrast to those parties which dealt with Syria and were tools, let’s say “cheap tools”, in the hands of Syria.
3-We dealt with Israel for the purpose of defending Lebanon and to serve Lebanon’s highest interests. Others dealt with Syria against Lebanon and in order to achieve personal goals at the expense of Lebanon’s highest interests.
4-Syria’s agents occupied the highest positions in the state. They pilfered the country’s resources together and in collusion with the Syrian occupation, while we went into exile enduring the anguish of separation and the harshness of life.

Consequently, we leave it to the people to decide who is the agent and who is the patriot. We accept the people’s judgment because, as a matter of principle, all authority comes from the people.
6 – What is your position on the weapons of the Resistance?
We don not consider Hezbollah a “resistance” in defense of Lebanon. It is an Iranian detachment holding a fundamentalist ideology that is alien to Lebanon. Its weapons, therefore, are a danger to the country, today, tomorrow and forever. Those weapons must be removed in application of resolution of 1559. Otherwise, there will never be a State in Lebanon, and all the talk about coexistence between the State and [Hezbollah’s] mini-state is nonsense and merely delays the solution. As for the “defense strategy”, it is a ridiculous contrivance whose objective is to throw a smokescreen; pursuing it is like pursuing a mirage.
Lebanon, at your service"
Abu Arz

Thursday, January 29, 2009

In the name of Palestine

If some of you still wonder why I was not able to shed any tear while watching the news early this year; here is a glimpse of some of the reasons why. From the PLO, Fatah, Al Saika, ..etc, all the way to Hamas, even omitting what took place outside my comfort zone (Achille Lauro, Brussels, Athens...etc)

This is where it began


This is when "sisterly" relations became incestuous


And these are a few samples why I lost all tolerance and hope.











Yes I know from the start what many of you will say, and once again I do not give a flying fuck (not to be mistaken by a kassam or a katyusha rocket); but I have raised my son differently.
To those child murderers (who wont understand, or seek to understand) I leave you with the following (and may you rot in hell).

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

GAZA Halte à l'hypocrisie arabe ambiante

Thanks to Del and M for passing on this interesting article.

"L'information : une poignée de blessés est évacuée de la bande de Gaza afin de recevoir des soins en Libye. Moi, je me souviens des milliers de Palestiniens qui croupissent dans le Sahara, à la frontière égyptienne, depuis que le colonel Muammar Kadhafi les a expulsés [en 1995].

La scène : le président soudanais en uniforme parle à ses généraux pour dire que la mort de centaines de Palestiniens constitue "un génocide". Moi, je me souviens d'un génocide qui a lieu au Darfour.

La nouvelle : en Irak, le mouvement de Moqtada Al-Sadr [radical chiite] organise des manifestations de soutien à Gaza. Moi, je me souviens du sang que les milices sadristes ont fait couler et des milliers de réfugiés palestiniens qui ont dû quitter Bagdad et qui campent dans le désert à la frontière syrienne ou jordanienne en attendant que quelqu'un veuille bien les accueillir.

La surprise : Ayman Al-Zawahiri [le numéro deux d'Al-Qaida] dénonce le bombardement de civils. Moi, je me souviens de la "résistance" irakienne qui, le même jour, envoie une kamikaze se faire exploser au milieu d'une manifestation de soutien aux Palestiniens à Mossoul, faisant des dizaines de victimes.

L'annonce : des groupes gauchistes et islamistes de l'opposition égyptienne manifestent contre l'offensive israélienne. Moi, je me souviens de leur silence face aux crimes commis au Soudan et de leurs cris de soutien à Saddam Hussein, l'ancien président irakien pour qui le chemin de Jérusalem passait par le massacre de centaines de milliers de ses propres citoyens.

La publicité : la chaîne satellitaire du Qatar Al-Jazira diffuse une campagne contre l'impuissance des régimes arabes. Moi, je me souviens des bombes qui transitaient par le Qatar avant d'être acheminées vers Israël au moment de la guerre contre le Liban en 2006. Qu'à cela ne tienne, le Qatar a été le seul pays arabe qui a eu droit à des affiches placardées par le Hezbollah en remerciement pour ses généreux dons d'argent. Je me souviens que le Qatar abrite la principale base militaire américaine du Golfe et héberge un représentant des intérêts économiques israéliens [cette représentation vient d'être gelée].

La surprise : le régime syrien autorise des manifestations… contre la passivité des autres régimes arabes. Moi, je me souviens du calme qui règne aux frontières de ce pays "du front du refus" et au sort de tous ceux qui s'aventureraient à les traverser afin de s'infiltrer en Israël. Je me souviens de la chasse que Damas faisait dans les années 1970 et 1980 pour combattre l'Organisation de libération de la Palestine (OLP).

L'image : Khaled Mechaal, le chef extérieur du Hamas – installé à Damas et non pas sous les bombes à Gaza – déclare : "Nous avons limité nos pertes." Il ne parle que des pertes dans les rangs du Hamas, réduisant les centaines de morts et les milliers de blessés à une variable d'ajustement.

Israël promet à ses citoyens la tranquillité, fût-ce au prix de rayer Gaza de la carte. Quant au Hamas, il promet à ses citoyens la mort prochaine, fût-ce au prix du tir d'une misérable roquette. Quelle belle stratégie, grisante et prometteuse ! Elle permet au Hamas d'annoncer la "victoire" quels que soient les résultats de la guerre et quel que soit le nombre de victimes. Une victoire incontestable. Car comment ne pas être désarmé face à celui qui défend l'idée selon laquelle on détruit Israël en lançant des roquettes alors qu'on sait que les représailles provoqueront la mort de centaines d'enfants palestiniens ?

Ce que nous avons appris encore et encore, c'est que chaque fois qu'on a encensé la résistance, on a récolté une guerre civile. Les Arabes en général et les Palestiniens en particulier sont fatigués par soixante années de conflit. Il en va de même pour les Israéliens. Pour les adeptes de la résistance, la fatigue relève de la "défection" du côté arabe, et de la "faiblesse" du côté israélien. Ils veulent relancer le conflit et lui insuffler une nouvelle vigueur. Mais dans quel but ? La seule chose qui nous semble acquise, ce sont ces "victoires divines" qui se traduisent par des guerres civiles, des invasions américaines, des raids israéliens."

Youssef Bazzi
Al Mustaqbal

Don't you ever wonder why most of the Arabs states tried at one point in time to get rid of the Palestinians?
Any comments??????????

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Wafa Sultan on Gaza

A must read, with no comments on my behalf.
Just spare the time and read carefully.


Le point de vue de Wafa Sultan :
La célèbre sociologue d’origine syrienne, Wafa Sultan, vient de publier l’un des points de vue le plus cinglants concernant la situation à Gaza. Elle plonge aux origines de l’islam pour expliquer le conflit entre deux conceptions diamétralement opposées : la culture de la vie contre la culture de la mort et du martyre. Elle s’appuie sur des exemples de l’histoire récente pour dénoncer une religion, une culture et une idéologie barbares... En voici les extraits les plus significatifs, traduits par Chawki Freïha.


(…) Puisqu’il m’importe peu de satisfaire les uns, de défendre les autres ou d’éviter la colère des troisièmes, je peux dire que le Hamas n’est qu’une sécrétion islamique terroriste dont le comportement irresponsable à l’égard de sa population l’empêche de se hisser au niveau du gouvernement. Mais ceci est conforme à l’habitude, puisque, à travers l’histoire de l’islam, jamais une bande de criminels islamistes n’a respecté ses administrés. (...) Je ne prétends pas défendre Israël, puisque les Juifs ne m’ont pas demandé mon avis quant à leur terre promise. S’ils me demandent mon avis, je leur conseille de brûler leurs livres sacrés et de quitter la région et de sauver leur peau. Car les musulmans constituent une nation rigide exempte de cerveau. Et c’est contagieux. Tous ceux qui les fréquentent perdent la cervelle…

Avant la création de l’Etat d’Israël, l’histoire n’a jamais mentionné une guerre impliquant les Juifs, ni qu’un Juif ait commandé une armée ou mené une conquête. Mais les musulmans sont des combattants, des conquérants et leur histoire ne manque pas d’exemples et de récits de conquêtes, de morts, de tueries, de razzias… Pour les musulmans, tuer est un loisir. Et s’ils ne trouvent pas un ennemi à tuer, ils s’entretuent entre eux.

Il est impossible pour une nation qui éduque ses enfants sur la mort et le martyre, pour plaire à son créateur, d’enseigner en même temps l’amour de la vie. La vie a-t-elle une valeur pour une société qui inculque à ses enfants qu’ils doivent tuer ou être tués pour aller au Paradis ?

(…) Depuis le début de l’opération israélienne contre Gaza, je suis bombardée de courriers électroniques venant de lecteurs musulmans qui me demandent mon avis sur ce qui se déroule à Gaza. Je ne suis pas concernée par ce qui s’y passe, mais je suis intéressée par les motivations qui animent ceux qui m’écrivent. Je suis convaincue que ce qui les motive n’est pas la condamnation de l’horreur, ni la condamnation de la mort qui sévit à Gaza. Car, si la motivation était réellement la condamnation de la mort, ces mêmes lecteurs se seraient manifestés à d’autres occasions où la vie était menacée.

Ceux qui condamnent le massacre de Gaza, par défense de la vie en tant de valeur, doivent m’interroger sur mon avis à chaque fois que cette vie-valeur était menacée. Plus de 200.000 musulmans Algériens ont été massacrés par d’autres musulmans Algériens ces quinze dernières années, sans qu’aucun musulman ne s’en émeuve. Des femmes Algériennes violées par les islamistes ont témoigné et raconté que leurs violeurs priaient Allah et imploraient son Prophète avant qu’ils ne violent leurs victimes. Mais personne ne m’a demandé mon avis. Plus de 20.000 citoyens syriens musulmans avaient été massacrés par les autorités (Hamas en 1983) sans qu’aucun musulman ne réagisse et sans qu’aucun ne me demande mon avis sur ces massacres étatiques. Des musulmans se sont fait exploser dans des hôtels jordaniens tuant des musulmans innocents qui célébraient des mariages, symboles de la vie-valeur, sans qu’aucune manifestation ne soit organisée à travers le monde, et sans qu’on ne me demande mon avis. En Egypte, des islamistes ont récemment attaqué un village copte et ont massacré 21 paysans, sans qu’un seul musulman ne dénonce ce crime. Saddam Hussein a enterré vivant plus de 300.000 chiites et kurdes, et en a gazé beaucoup plus, sans qu’un seul musulman n’ose réagir et dénoncer ces crimes.

Au plus fort des bombardements de Gaza, une femme musulmane, fidèle et pieuse, s’est fait exploser en Irak dans une mosquée chiite, tuant une trentaine d’innocents, sans que les médias ou les musulmans ne s’en émeuvent. Il y a quelques mois, le Hamas avait aussi tué onze personnes d’une même famille palestinienne, accusés d’appartenir au Fatah, sans que des manifestations ne soient organisées en Europe ou dans le monde arabe, et sans qu’aucun lecteur ne m’écrive et ne m’envoie ses protestations.

Ainsi, la vie n’a pas de valeur pour le musulman. Sinon, il aurait dénoncé toute atteinte à la vie, quelle qu’en soit la victime. Les Palestiniens et leurs soutiens dénoncent les massacres de Gaza, non pas par amour de la vie, mais pour dénoncer l’identité dues tueurs. Si le tueur était musulman, appartenant au Hamas ou au Fatah, aucune manifestation n’aurait eu lieu.

(…) CNN a diffusé un documentaire sur Gaza montrant une femme palestinienne qui se lamente et crie : mais qu’on fait nos enfants pour être tués comme ça ? Mais qui sait. Peut-être qu’il s’agit de la même palestinienne qui se réjouissait il y a deux ans quand l’un de ses fils s’était fait exploser dans un restaurant de Tel-Aviv et qui disait souhaiter que ses autres enfants suivent le même exemple et devenir martyrs.

Mais quand l’idéologie et l’endoctrinement sont d’une telle bassesse, il devient normal que cette palestinienne perde toute valeur à la vie. Sinon, elle pleurerait ses enfants de la même façon qu’ils se tuent dans un attentat suicide à Tel-Aviv ou sous les bombes israéliennes. Car, la mort est la même qu’elle qu’en soient les circonstances, et elle demeure rejetée, et au contraire, la vie mérite d’être vécue et pleurée.

Dans ce cas, comment puis-je me solidariser avec une femme qui lance les youyous de jouissance quand l’un de ses enfants se fait exploser contre les juifs, et elle pleure quand les juifs tuent ses autres enfants ? Mais l’idéologie enseigne aux musulmans que tuer ou être tué permet au fidèle de gagner le paradis. Dans ce cas, pourquoi pleurer les Gazaouis alors qu’ils n’ont pas bougé le petit doigt pour les Irakiens, les Algériens, les Egyptiens ou les Syriens pourtant musulmans ?

(…) Après ce qui précède, je suis certaine que ceux qui m’écrivent et me demandent mon avis sur ce qui se passe à Gaza cherchent à me faire dire ce qu’ils peuvent utiliser pour m’incriminer et me condamner, ou pour me faire dire ce qu’ils ne peuvent exprimer eux-mêmes.

(…) Borhane, un jeune palestinien de 14 ans, a perdu il y a une dizaine d’années ses bras, ses jambes et la vue dans l’explosion d’une mine en Cisjordanie. La communauté palestinienne aux Etats-Unis s’est mobilisée pour lui venir en aide et financer son hospitalisation dans l’espoir de sauver ce qui pouvait l’être. Lors d’un dîner de bienfaisance organisé à son profit en Californie, la plus riche palestinienne des Etats-Unis s’est présenté en grande fourrure, et a qualifié Borhane de héros. Elle s’est adressée à ce bout de chair immobile et inerte: Borhane, tu es notre héros. Le pays a besoin de toi. Tu dois retourner dans le pays pour empêcher les Sionistes de le confisquer… Mais l’hypocrisie de la palestinienne la plus riche des Etats-Unis l’empêche d’envoyer ses propres enfants défendre la Palestine contre les Sionistes. Exactement à l’image des chefs du Hamas qui demandent les sacrifices à Gaza, mais restent à l’abri à Damas et à Beyrouth.

(…) La guerre contre Gaza est certes une horreur. Mais elle a le mérite de dévoiler une hypocrisie inégalé dans l’histoire récente de l’humanité. Une hypocrisie qui distingue les Frères Musulmans syriens qui annoncent abandonner leurs activités d’opposition, pour resserrer les rangs contre les sionistes. Mais ces Frères musulmans ont-ils le droit d’oublier les crimes du régime commis contre les leurs à Hama, Homs et Alep ? Avant de se réconcilier avec le régime pour lutter contre les sionistes, ces Frères musulmans ont-ils dénoncé les crimes commis par leurs alliés et partenaires (dans la confrérie) en Algérie et en Irak ? Ont-ils dénoncé la mort de centaines de milliers de chiites en Irak sur le pont des oulémas à Bagdad, pulvérisé par l’un des vôtres conformément aux enseignements de votre religion de la paix et de la miséricorde ? Avez-vous une seule fois dénoncé les exactions contre les chrétiens en Irak ? Ou contre les coptes en Egypte ? Votre hypocrisie nous empêche de croire vos sentiments à l’égard des enfants de Gaza, puisque vous êtes responsables du pire.

(…) Essayons d’imaginer ce que le Hamas aurait fait du Fatah, et des autres, s’il possédait la technologie et les armes d’Israël ? Essayons d’imaginer ce que l’Iran aurait fait des sunnites de la région, s’il détenait les armes modernes que possède Israël ? Ce serait sans doute le massacre garanti.

(…) J’ai récemment rencontré un religieux hindou en marge d’une conférence consacrée à la guerre contre le terrorisme. Il m’a dit : « toutes les guerres se sont déroulées entre le bien et le mal. Sauf la prochaine, elle doit se dérouler entre le mal et le mal ». N’ayant pas compris ses propos, je lui ai demandé des explications. Il m’a dit : « Je suis contre la présence américaine en Irak et en Afghanistan. Si les Etats-Unis veulent gagner la guerre contre les islamistes, ils doivent se retirer et laisser les deux pôles du mal s’entretuer. Les sunnites et les chiites étant nourris sur la haine, vont se battre et se neutraliser ».

Tirant la conclusion de ces mots remplis de sagesse, on peut dire qu’Israël contribue aujourd’hui, inconsciemment, au succès de l’islam. En s’attaquant à Gaza, Israël pousse les musulmans à se solidariser et à surpasser leurs divergences. Et septembre noir en Jordanie est encore dans tous les esprits (…). Les exactions dont sont capables les arabes et les musulmans dépassent toute imagination. Un char jordanien avait écrasé un palestinien, puis le conducteur du char est descendu de son blindé et a bourré la bouche de sa victime avec un journal… Un comportement qu’aucun militaire israélien n’a eu à Gaza. Aussi, pendant les massacres de Hama en Syrie, des militants des Frères musulmans trempaient leurs mains dans le sang des victimes pour écrire sur les murs : Allah Akbar, gloire à l’islam. Je n’ai jamais entendu qu’un juif ait écrit avec le sang d’un autre juif des slogans à la gloire du judaïsme. Je le dis avec un pincement au cœur : pour sauver l’humanité du terrorisme, il faut que le monde libre se retire et qu’il laisse les musulmans s’entretuer.

(…) Je me souviens quand j’étais étudiante à l’université d’Alep, et quand l’ancien ministre syrien de la Défense Mustapha Tlass était venu nous rencontrer. Dans un élan d’hypocrisie, Tlass nous avait dit qu’« Israël craint la mort et la perte d’un de ses soldats lui fait peur et mal. Mais nous, nous avons beaucoup d’hommes et nos hommes ne craignent pas la mort ». Là réside la différence entre les deux conceptions et les deux camps, et le témoignage de Tlass semble avoir inspiré les dirigeants du Hamas aujourd’hui.

Ainsi, l’extermination de tous les enfants de Gaza importe peu aux dirigeants islamistes et du Hamas, la vie n’ayant aucune valeur pour eux. Ils se réjouissent simplement de la mort de quelques soldats israéliens. Pour les islamistes, l’objectif de la vie est de tuer ou de se faire tuer pour gagner le paradis. La vie n’a donc aucune valeur.

(…) Si le Prophète Mohammed savait que le Juif allait voler un jour à bord des F-16, il n’aurait pas commandé à ses disciples de tuer les juifs jusqu’au jour dernier. Mais ses disciples doivent modifier cette idéologie par pitié pour les générations futures, et pour sauver leur descendance et lui préparer une vie meilleure, loin de l’idéologisation de la mort.

Les musulmans doivent commencer par se changer, pour prétendre changer la vie. Ils doivent rejeter la culture de la mort enseignée et véhiculée par leurs livres. C’est seulement quand ils y parviendront qu’ils n’auront plus d’ennemis. Car, celui qui apprend à aimer son fils plus qu’à haïr son ennemi appréciera mieux la vie. Aussi, jamais la terre ne vaut la vie des personnes, et les Arabes sont le peuple qui a le moins besoin de la terre. Mais paradoxalement, c’est le peuple qui déteste le plus la vie. Quand est-ce que les Arabes comprendront-ils cette équation et commenceront-ils à aimer la vie ?

Traduction de Chawki Freïha

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

O Fortuna !

"Cet affront ne se lave que par le sang". Those where the days when wars were waged with honor. I still remember blasting Carmina Burana out loud from my car stereo in an attempt to vent my anger during the civil war. I became Sir Lancelot in my own quest for the holy grail. It was a battle for survival, good against evil I believed. Little did I know that the battle was purely evil, and I laid my "Maxwell" cassette to rest after a short period of time.



Little did I know, that years later; the CD copy of that very same partition would have another (bitter) meaning.



I guess that mankind will never learn.

I long for the days of Merlin, King Arthur, Sir lancelot, Sir Galahad, Queen Guinevere, The Lady of the lake, and even Morgan Lefay; for they were noble foes. What we are witnessing today is nothing shot than pure evil.

Sunday, January 11, 2009

My Shinning

Turmoil wreaking havoc in my half rotten soul. A deluge of pictures on my TV screen rekindling sad chapters of my past. One sentence comes to mind (“all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”) with a vivid memory of the elevator door opening to a pool of blood.
And I wonder why!

pic016

I wonder why such choking pictures do not move me anymore. I can easily sit in my own comfort, watch gruesome pictures while giggling, when other spectators (watching the same movie) puked their guts out (and I am referring to the SHINING).
And I wonder why!

pic207

Is it because I have witnessed (and still am) such atrocities first hand, that I can dismiss the redness of blood on my TV screen and still have ketchup with my fries? Or is it a masked acknowledgment of the helplessness I feel?
15 years of war, over 150,000 dead, 480,000 refugees spread over 12 camps (harboring terror), a state within a (so called) state, failed attempts to take over, AND here I am watching. Watching and still shedding tears. When on my TV screen the ketchup turns into blood. The blood of children.
30 odd years ago (not to revert back even further) YOU drew first blood with disregard to the only (Arab) nation that stood by you and was FORCED to take on your “cause”. What did you do then? Attempt to take over is what you did. You bit the hand that was feeding you.
I am not running for elections on any level, nor do I have to appease business partners; but I have a duty towards myself and towards my child whose innocence is still untouched (for the time being).
The difference is that I would not raise my child within a culture that idolizes the cult of martyrdom, engraving within their mind that their sole duty is to die for the cause (and a false one); but to live and love.

war004

All those who daily point their fingers in aggression pretending to have your best interest at heart (the likes of Mechaal and Hassouna), all those who refuses international mediation to end this useless bloodshed should pay with their own blood. Yes there is savagery in the war against Gazza, but there are also savage and criminal leaders who get their kicks from the massacres of their own people.
Enough with this culture of hatred (on all sides), we have “created” a new generation that has been impregnated with the seed of hatred and self destruction. What will the future hold for such nation?

fath-vs-saika-tripoli-83e

And I still wonder why !
Why is it that I hold little if no sympathy towards what has become of the Palestinian cause, from oppressed, destitute, refugee, abused…etc to blind murderess rhetoric which holds no more sway. This feeling I started having in the mid seventies, and now it is growing stronger.
Yes once again you will see me as a typical son of Zion, devil incarnate, deprived of a human soul; but I do not give a toss. I am only saying out loud what many (including Palestinians) don’t even dare murmur amongst themselves.
The MAIN responsibility of this current slaughter lies with Hamas. Having said that Israel is no angel.
Maybe my sentiments are still tainted by personal experience with the PLO, Fatah, Saika, Jibhat al Tahrir…etc; they won’t make my words more acceptable to many; but once again I DO NOT GIVE A TOSS. I am sick and tired of all this violence, although now relatively far, but who is to say that Lebanon will not once again be dragged into yet another war that started with Palestinian hands.

Friday, January 02, 2009

Hey there Nasrallah (don't go there again).

In view of the current situation and the local political speeches; I do not want to relate to the enclosed video again. Although the newer version might differ a bit (and I do hope that it will no see the day) I still shiver at the thought that some demented half witted fanatic might drag us (once again) into ye another "divine" battle.



Yes I am for right of EVERY child to live his childhood and formative years away from struggle and strife. The right to live in a secure environment, and be given a PROPER education. To have the basic necessities of food and shelter, without having to beg for them. No one has the right to raise an entire generation in the spirit of war and false dogma. NO one has the right to look upon an entire generation as foot soldiers. No one has the right to dispense with the blood of the young for political gains. No one has the right to put a rifle or even a stone in a hand of a child.

6a00d8341c2f5553ef01053699a428970b

Instead of being protectors of our children, we have become the butchers; and in the name of what? Resistance, pride, honour, freedom, patriotism...etc. All foreign notions to the entire Arab “umma”.

jewish_arab_coexistence_2

Ya 3arab, your policies of hatred and division have put your very existence in peril throughout your cursed history. Fanaticism is spreading and tolerance is wearing thin and your children are paying the price. Reach deep within your souls for you might unite and might find ANOTHER more effective and PEACEFUL way to live free and away of hatred.

arab_jewish_boysw560h384

You can call me by any demeaning name you might see fit; from Zionist to Hitler I do not care. I believe in mankind and the INNOCENCE of children. But I do believe in the highest crime of all, that of indoctrinating young minds.



This above video is not only intended to the IDF, but to all those who raise their kids in HATRED be it in Palestine, Lebanon, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan...etc. KHALAS !!! just let our children play in peace !

TFEH !

Tuesday, December 02, 2008

Migration

In view of the many problems I have been facing accessing "blogger", and my lack of technical know how (in order to avoid conspiracy theories), I have moved my pages to wordpress which so far I can access freely.
To those of you still willing to share my ramblings, enclosed are the links.

http://forabetterlebanon.wordpress.com/


http://mywarthroughmusic.wordpress.com/


http://riplebanon.wordpress.com/


Until I find a solution to whatever it is that is forbidding my access to blogger, and in order to keep on rambling; I seek your indulgence and ask you to follow the links above.

Thanking you in advance for your understsanding.
Marillionlb

Beyond comprehension

For the past couple of weeks I have had great difficulty accessing any page hosted by “blogger.com”, especially mine. I have tried with no avail to comprehend why, but came up with nothing. I never claimed to be technically inclined, far from it; still I am in the dark as to why when all the pages I read daily (including mine) are accessible from any other computer but my own.
After having formatted the two PC’s I use (in fear of some unknown virus) and having checked with my ISP provider and came out blank, I have come to the conclusion (maybe wrongfully) that some higher power decided that it would be better if I was denied such a privilege.
I was even advised to use software to mask my IP address and randomly change it via relays or something that is way beyond my comprehension and limited brain, with no success. One alternative I thought I had was to import my three “blogger”s pages onto “wordpress”, even then I hit a brick wall. After many attempts I was left with a “wordpress” page clutter with ramblings from all three “blogger” pages.
So if any of you (few) readers I have, can suggest a course of action to take in order to resolve such a problem; your feedback is welcome.
N.B: This post took over 4 hours to publish.
Thanking you in advance,
A very frustrated Marllionlb.

Saturday, November 15, 2008

Running on empty

The Lebanese blogosphere I frequent has been lately stingy in its posts in comparison to a few months back when feelings were still running high. May 7th brought back to many fears of yet another civil war. Yes we were allowed to have a peaceful summer, the tents were dismantled, a new government was formed, elections are a few months away; BUT here we are (by WE I mean our politicians) licking Syrian arses again, and this time with tongues well lubricated and very far reaching. Yes some of the players might have changed, but (yes another butt) the sectarian divide is more pronounced than it ever was. During the July war which brought (on to some “so called” Lebanese) a Divine victory, the finger of criticism was pointed towards those how kept on clubbing and partying, ignoring the plight of their fellow citizens. Some did say “they brought it onto themselves so why should we all suffer the consequences”, some had to flee (like they did more than once), and some were just “riding the wave” in the hope that it was nothing but a swift reprisal strike.
The current local situation (and by that I mean the Syrian arse licking by our rotten political class) has revived within my soul memories of the civil war and the refuge I use to seek within the walls of the Key Club whilst listening to Julia singing Grace Slick, trying to digest the best way I could the crimes I had witnessed the very same day. My entire generation went out, ate, and drank when others were being shelled. No one stayed 15 years confined at home or in a shelter.
In retrospect I do feel a bit guilty for having indulged in selfish acts of debauchery while others were confined to the walls of their neighbor's bathroom (because he lived on a lower floor) in order to survive. That very same table was turned more than once, and many times I was seeking shelter while others were out eating and drinking.
My guilt is of the type that lasts only for a few minutes, for this is the way it was, and we all lived through it. My worry now is that my son might have to go through it, just like I did.
The Key Club is no more, and Julia is no longer singing; could this somehow put my mind at ease and let me think that those days are past us?





Monday, November 10, 2008

Thursday, November 06, 2008

Saturday, November 01, 2008

Satan's foot soldier (according to some).

Following is an excerpt from a religious program featuring Saudi Cleric Muhammad Al-Munajid, which aired on TV on August 27, 2008:

Muhammad Al-Munajid: What is the position of Islamic law with regard to mice? The Shari'a refers to the mouse as "little corrupter," and says it is permissible to kill it in all cases. It says that mice set fire to the house, and are steered by Satan. The mouse is one of Satan's soldiers and is steered by him. If a mouse falls into a pot of food – if the food is solid, you should chuck out the mouse and the food touching it, and if it is liquid – you should chuck out the whole thing. Because the mouse is i-m-p-u-r-e!
According to Islamic law, the mouse is a repulsive, corrupting creature. How do you think children view mice today – after Tom and Jerry? Even creatures that are repulsive by nature, by logic, and according to Islamic law have become wonderful and are loved by children. Even mice. Mickey Mouse has become an awesome character, even though according to Islamic law, Mickey Mouse should be killed in all cases.




Could Peter Pan be next ??????

Monday, October 27, 2008

The day of reckoning is at hand!

A self inflicted slumber caused by great disgust and desperation, I had to seek shelter in music in order to appease my anger. I have become one with those I have long criticized and labeled LEBANESE (the silent majority); for I became silent for a while.
Granted the booby trapped cars have stopped (for now), we have a president (who turned out to be a jet setter), Geagea made his peace with those he inflicted pain upon and redeemed himself (as a new found Christian), the demented general visited Iran as an ambassador of true Christian tolerance (so his followers truly believe), goatee Saad met with the incarnation of evil and shook hands (forgetting about May 7th), our government rejoiced to the idea of the long awaited opening of the Syrian embassy on our SOVEREIGN land (still no word as to those rotting in Syrian jails), Riad Salame telling us that all is well in Lebanon (with regards to the world economical crisis, and many believed), ...etc.
Mea culpa, for once again I have indulged in self pity and the notion that “one hand alone cannot clap”.
Never too late they say, and I agree; for one hand alone can clap when slapped against one’s cheek. And this is my rude awakening.
To this silent majority I adhered to I say: “wake up from your coma; once again you have picked the short straw”. If ever you believed in the Cedar Revolution now is the time to rebel against those who are selling you and your country for electoral gains. Hold all 14th of March representatives accountable for their failed promises and the concessions they willingly gave to those whose vision is in contradiction of a free Lebanon (March 8).
Tattle tales you have been fed in the local news of reconciliations and better days to come; do you still believe in those false promises? Did any of you ask why :
*Sarko’s head is shoved up so far up Bashar’s arse?
*Syria is so keen on establishing its embassy before the local elections?
*Aoun visited Iran?
*Iran offered to help re-arm the Lebanese army?
*14th of March leaders haven’t met for a while a came up with a common press release?
*The electoral law fell short of ALL expectations?
*Belmar is taking his time?
*Syria is suddenly anxious to have a grip on border security?
*...etc
I am a simple man with simple aspirations, but I cannot help but fear the worst; for I have lived deceit and paid dearly.
Fucked we are, and always will be; for as long as we sit idle and watch. We are not deserving people; this holy land of ours was entrusted into our care, and we have failed. The day of reckoning is at hand!
TFEH !

Friday, October 24, 2008

Pour la fin du monde

I still have nothing to say, so I leave you with more music from my past.




Pour la fin du monde
Prends ta valise
Et va là-haut sur la montagne
On t'attend
Mets dans ta valise
Une simple chemise
Pour la fin du monde
Pas de vêtements

- Et mes photographies ?
- Laisse-les là
- Et ma boîte à outils ?
- Laisse-la aussi
Mon vieux mais tant pis

Mais pour la fin du monde
Prends ta valise
Et va là-haut sur la montagne
On t'attend
Laisse tes bijoux
Tes machines à sous
Pour la fin du monde
Pas besoin d'argent

- Mon avion, mon képi ?
- Laisse-les là
- Ma canne et mon fusil ?
- Laisse-les aussi
Mon vieux, mais tant pis

Mais pour la fin du monde
Prends ta valise
Et va là-haut sur la montagne
On t'attend
N'aie plus plus peur de rien
Tout ira très bien

Pour la fin du monde
Viens tout simplement
Viens donc il est temps
Viens voir enfin l'autre côté
De la montagne
Viens voir enfin l'autre côté
On va repartir à zéro

Pour la fin du monde
Prends ta valise
Et va là-haut sur la montagne
On t'attend
Mets dans ta valise
Une simple chemise
Pour la fin du monde
Pas de vêtements

- Et mes photographies ?
- Laisse-les là
- Et ma boîte à outils ?
- Laisse-la aussi
Mon vieux, tant pis

Mais pour la fin du monde
Prends ta valise
Et va là-haut sur la montagne
On t'attend
N'aie plus plus peur de rien
Tout ira très bien

Pour la fin du monde
Viens tout simplement
Viens donc il est temps
Viens voir enfin l'autre côté
De la montagne
Viens voir enfin l'autre côté
On va repartir à zéro !

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

A state of mind

Quand j'aurai du vent dans mon crâne
Quand j'aurai du vert sur mes osses
P'tet qu'on croira que je ricane
Mais ça sera une impression fosse
Car il me manquera
Mon élément plastique
Plastique tique tique
Qu'auront bouffé les rats
Ma paire de bidules
Mes mollets mes rotules
Mes cuisses et mon cule
Sur quoi je m'asseyois
Mes cheveux mes fistules
Mes jolis yeux cérules
Mes couvre-mandibules
Dont je vous pourléchois
Mon nez considérable
Mon coeur mon foie mon râble
Tous ces riens admirables
Qui m'ont fait apprécier
Des ducs et des duchesses
Des papes des papesses
Des abbés des ânesses
Et des gens du métier
Et puis je n'aurai plus
Ce phosphore un peu mou
Cerveau qui me servit
A me prévoir sans vie
Les osses tout verts, le crâne venteux
Ah comme j'ai mal de devenir vieux.


6 pieds sous terre !

In view of some recent and personal events many ideas were going through my head. So before I put them down on “paper” in a semi organized manner I decided to share the following which might no mean a lot to some of you, but is a source of relief and closure for me.
Too bad I can't seem to find the song anywhere.

D'où venez-vous si crotté,
Monsieur le Curé ? (bis)
De la foire, du marché,
Simone, ma Simone.
De la foire, du marché,
Ma petite mignonne.

Que m'avez-vous apporté,
Monsieur le Curé ? (bis)
Des souliers blancs pour danser,
Simone, ma Simone,
Des souliers blancs pour danser,
Ma petite mignonne.

Quand est-c' que vous m'les donn'rez
Monsieur le Curé ? (bis)
Quand tu sauras travailler Simone ma Simone
Quand tu sauras travailler ma petite mignonne














Je voudrais me confesser,
Monsieur le Curé. (bis)
Quel est ton plus gros péché ? Simone ma Simone
Quel est ton plus gros péché ma petite mignonne

C'est d'un peu trop vous aimer.
Monsieur le Curé. (bis)
Il faudra nous séparer Simone ma Simone
Il faudra nous séparer ma petite mignonne

Oh ! oh ! alors j'en mourrai,
Monsieur le Curé. (bis)
Eh bien ! je t'enterrerai Simone ma Simone
Eh bien ! je t’enterrerai ma petite mignonne

Est-c' que vous me pleurerez,
Monsieur le Curé ? (bis)
Non, puisqu'il faudra chanter,
Simone, ma Simone :
« Requiescat in pace »
Ma petite mignonne.

Saturday, October 04, 2008

Avec la tete, avec le coeur

A tribute to my grand mother.



Un dimanche soir d'hiver
Il pleure le petit garçon
Car il retourne à la pension
Dans l'auto qui le reconduit
Il sanglote sans dire un mot
Les yeux baissés le cœur gros
Sa mère le rassure tout bas
Tu vas bien t'amuser là-bas

{Refrain:}
Il a dit oui avec la tête
Il a dit non avec le cœur
Il a sourit avec la tête
Il a pleuré avec le cœur

Le petit garçon est grand
Il vient juste d'avoir seize ans
C'est presque un homme maintenant
Voilà qu'il est amoureux
Et ce soir il court la chercher
Mais elle a une voix changée
Tu m'en veux pas mais tu sais nous deux
Tu sais ce n'était pas sérieux

{au Refrain}

Maintenant il a réussi
Il a une femme et deux garçons
Une voiture et une belle maison
Il travaille comme un damné
Couché très tard, levé très tôt
Il passe tout son temps au bureau
Mais hier quelqu'un lui a dit : mon vieux
Vous devez être un homme heureux

{au Refrain}

Il a dit oui avec la tête
Il a dit non avec le cœur
Il a sourit avec la tête
Mais il a pleuré avec le cœur...

Wednesday, October 01, 2008

Did we gain wisdom from our bloody past?

“He who is without a sin among you, let him cast the first stone”: John 8:1-11
Many were the slogans painted on concrete walls during the civil war, reminding Lebanese of their “patriotic” duties. And way too many were the speeches by all leaders which claimed to hold the interest of Lebanon at heart (in an attempt to rally more “foot soldiers”). Party flags redrawing the cedar tree fluttered everywhere with so called words of wisdom on them. And people followed blindly, like they are still doing today. All of the militias that I personally hold responsible for the death of all the Lebanese martyrs are still in power today and their leaders revered by many. Although throughout 15 years of unashamed, unpunished murder and ever changing allegiances; my people still follow blindly.
Never ever was a question raised (by a simple citizen, could this be because Lebanese are simple?) as to why none of the goals in their various doctrines was achieved. At one time (in the early days of the war) I thought that some dogmas were true and worth fighting for. I am today thankful that this state of euphoria did not last long.
My country is in turmoil once again, and like many I fear the worst. Most of the analysis and blogs I read (and yes I am biased) lead me to believe that the worst is yet to come. So if war erupts once again, who would the Lebanese follow this time? The Syrians are out (supposedly), the Iranians are in, the US and the West have once again changed their foreign policies (or have they)…etc.
Eureka! I came across the following, and not that I agree with it; I could not help but wonder in what percentage is this similar to what everybody I read is thinking of. So here it goes.
N.B: Before you burn me to the stake, remember that I do not agree with all the points in the following GOC (Guardian Of The Cedar) statement, nor am I a member; I just would like your feedback on some or all of the points stated below.
A
. The Liberation of Lebanon from Foreign Forces:
1. The Syrian occupation, which is the foundation of all other occupations. Syria has a historic greed to make Lebanon the western province of greater Syria.
2. The occupation of the unfaithful Palestinians that destroyed Lebanon.
3. The uncivilized Iranian occupation that seeks the destruction of Lebanon's cultural identity and push it backward to the old ages.
4. Cutting down the number of foreigners in Lebanon after they have exceeded 50% of the total sum of Lebanon's population (internationally the average is 5%). Visas of entry must not be given without thorough checking and taking into consideration Lebanon's security and supreme interests.
5. Confiscating the Palestinian properties, companies and stock shares in Lebanon as a compensation for the Lebanese losses during the Palestinian wars on them.
B. Building A Modern State - Internal Affairs:
1. Declaring that Lebanon is Lebanese without any other quality whether it is Arabic or non-Arabic.
2. Declare Lebanon a secular country, eliminate sectarianism and open the door for all the qualified Lebanese to be part of government regardless of religion and sect.
3. Exclude all the traditional politicians from government and form a special juridical panel to try them with the charge of destroying the country.
4. A massive discharge of all the government employees who lived on bribery and corruption and open the door for new and specialized personnel.
5. Ban all political parties that imported their ideologies and political programs from outside Lebanon.
6. Abolish the law that entitles foreigners to buy and own land or property in Lebanon and produce a new decree that allows the government to retake the properties that were previously sold to foreigners.
7. Abolish the normalization law. The honor of the Lebanese nationality must only be given to the distinct and those who served Lebanon well.
8. Solve the case of the Lebanese newspaper's submission to foreign financing (almost all the papers were pro-Palestinian during the war).
9. Purify the juridical body and make it a truly independent authority. All Lebanese must be equal in front of the law.
10. Release a new electoral law that reflects the ambitions of the Lebanese and that opens the door for a wide participation in the electoral process.
11. Declare the Lebanese language as the official language of Lebanon.
12. Substitute the Arabic alphabet with the alphabet devised by the Lebanese philosopher Said Akl, who restored the letter to its Phoenician origins after liberating it from the defacement that was caused by the Arabic language. The Arabic language became very old and it does not respond to the rapid development in our age because it is abnormal to think in one language and write in another one. It is worthy to note that we have a superior command of the Arabic language and our decision to abandon it does not stem from an ignorance complex.
13. Finance the establishment of research centers in Lebanon to attract Lebanese intellectual brains both inside and outside Lebanon.
14. Organize and link the 12 million Lebanese expatriates to their homeland.
C. Social:
1. Demolish all shanty towns that surrounds the capital Beirut or the other big cities and ensure descent housing for those who receive minimum wages.
2. Ensure free education for all Lebanese and place all state hospitals under the supervision of the medical school at the Lebanese University.
3. Education should be free of charge for all the Lebanese from the elementary school up till the university and the Lebanese University must have branches in directorates.
4. Education must also be compulsory up till high school and those who fail must be fined.
5. Start an intensive program to eradicate illiteracy.
6. Replace the old educational curriculum (schools and universities) with new and developed ones.
D. Economic
1. Develop a new agricultural policy in the countryside.
2. Lighten the taxes on newly built factories provided that these factories are in rural areas as a procedure to decrease pollution in the cities and resolve the problem of population density in them.
3. Encourage the light industries at the level of the individuals and the families in order to raise the per capita income of the Lebanese individuals.
4. Plan a new tourist policy that would promote the cultural value of Lebanon through the ages.
5. Fight unemployment through cutting down the number of foreign hand in Lebanon.
E. Security
1. Build a strong army with a firm Lebanese national doctrine.
F. Foreign Affairs
1. Build normal relations with the international community and with neighboring countries that are firmly established on mutual respect and based on the Lebanese supreme interests. Reject any distinctive relationship under the slogans of fraternity or else that were used by the traditional politicians as a cover-up for their cowardice.
2. Sign a comprehensive peace treaty with the state of Israel. Lebanon has no interest in the hostilities with Israel, on the contrary, the relationship between the two was based on friendship and cooperation.
3. Withdraw Lebanon from the Arab League to eliminate the quality that designates Lebanon as an Arab country.
4. The party calls for an alliance between all the people of the Mediterranean sea (MPA, Mediterranean People Alliance).
5. It is normal for the Lebanese to look to the sea when seeking alliances because historically speaking, the sea was the playground of the Phoenicians and on its beaches they spread their culture.