Yesterday, we read in the Canadian and Lebanese media that Lebanon’s President told reporters that his country is “going to hell” without a government (answer to a reporter).
The question that begs itself is the following: Where is Lebanon right now? Isn’t it in hell already?!
As one Lebanese citizen framed it (thanks Fadia for sharing the video) while talking from his partly destroyed living room: “We are already there, Mr. President. Hell is made of fire. We have been there. It is made of suffering. We have been there since Beirut blast and prior to it with the financial crisis“. He added that he is seeing people sleeping on their balconies because they cannot afford to repair a broken air conditioner. He said if the tire of someone’s car is damaged, he or she cannot afford to fix it.
Well, today, it seems that an explosion just took place in a village 50 km south of Beirut.
Can you imagine the fear triggered by the above?!
How many injured? How many victims? They say none. Hopefully!! If the information is accurate…
Assuming no one died, when will the next blast occur? And this time, how many casualties would it cause? Bambi is usually an optimistic person in life… but with Lebanon these days, it is hard to see the light of hope, she admits it. She is sure, it is there and a change is a MUST.
Yes, love will prevail again. Peace of mind too… and eventually prosperity.
Until then, can someone tell Bambi why is Hezbollah storing its weapons in a building in the middle of a village?!
When will movements like this one stop terrorizing civilians?
When will militias (in Lebanon, in the region, and around the world) stop playing with weapons and… with people’s lives?
To come back to the Lebanese politicians, how can they keep fighting among themselves for the pieces of the melting cake of power when their own country is diving into hell like that?! When will they wake up?! When the fire will reach them too? Or when Lebanon will vanish from the map?
It is nice to see colleagues across the country supporting Dr. Ngola. Bambi is happy for him to feel moved by the letter, as he described. She wishes him the best in his practice in Québec, even if she would not trust him to treat her own parents (had they been living where he is now practising). She may perhaps become his patient herself but, sorry, she would not recommend him to her parents, given his “irresponsible behaviour”, to use the words of our Premier.
Having said that, why are physicians from other
jurisdictions interfering with our own province by demanding a public inquiry? Health
is a provincial matter in our country. So, give us a break and let our province
manage the pandemic as it has been doing relatively well since last March. New Brunswickers
must have been generally satisfied, like Bambi, to give their current government
their confidence for a second mandate with a majority.
As for the outburst of angry online comments Dr. Ngola
has received, although unfortunate, it is part of normal human behaviour in the
context of a pandemic when we are afraid or frustrated (ie., a lockdown that had
to be extended, 40 people infected, and eventually 2 deaths). Did anyone ask
the citizens of Campbellton how they feel?
A few people may have sadly exaggerated ☹. This is unacceptable. However, is it
fair to insinuate or call the people of Campbellton (or Restigouche or NB, by
extension) racist?
Indeed, as reported above, according to the Mayor of Campbellton,
some of the people who may have commented online do not even live in Campbellton.
Similarly, many of the journalists rushing to judge New Brunswickers as being racist have never visited our province. Same for those 1500 physicians demanding a public inquiry as well.
Of note, the latest article above published in the National
Post AND in several other media (in the same exact format) is filed by Mr. Sidhartha Banerjee and is “produced
with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News
Fellowship”:
As per the link above, this is a one-year fellowship
program, worth $1 million, that “will hire eight journalists to cover
pressing issues in local communities across Canada… “Focusing on bringing more
coverage to Canada’s regions, fellows will report on pressing issues in local
communities, including the coronavirus pandemic’s impact on communities and tackling
racial injustice”.
So, “tackling racial injustice” is a “pressing
local issue” then? Bambi would have thought that truly LOCAL pressing subjects
would be stemming from the top priorities of so-called local communities. Instead,
they are once again being imposed on us to prove ideologies like “racial
injustice” or “systemic racism” or whatever label we are supposed to
swallow like “anti-blackness” or “too much whiteness”.
Why are we politicizing this story to that extent?
First, we insisted on apologies from our Premier who
did not do anything wrong. Luckily, he did not fall into the trap of unnecessary
apologies. Indeed, this politician seems to be pragmatic and fact focused (even
if he is far from being perfect. No one is in life and surely not in politics).
Second, we are now increasing the pressure by
demanding a public inquiry of how the case was handled.
Third, we seem to be changing the story or the
narrative in the media? Or was there more to this story than what we know, as citizens?
In either case, why don’t we keep it to what it should
have remained in the first place: a LOCAL story. After all, it is the case of a
surely competent physician in Campbellton who unfortunately behaved unwisely in
the middle of a pandemic.
Canadians are losing their mind, it seems to Bambi these days.
Why is she saying so? Well, they are literally obsessed with what they call “diversity & inclusion” and with “systemic racism“.
This obsession does not seem to be really about making sure that our society is welcoming to all. It seems to be increasingly more about imposing a rigid imported ideology on our brains and in our lives, controlling the boards of our companies, our choices of investment, the operations in schools we send our kids too, etc.
When will all this stop? This has become a dangerous game.
Bambi recently read articles in the media about how bad medicine in Canada is because of racism :). Other articles are about systemic racism on university campuses, in the judicial system, and literally even on the streets of “white Ottawa” . Who calls the capital of a country like that? Only the real racists would think of such a label.
If we are that BAD as a country, why is our federal government keen on supporting the distressed Lebanese people since the Beirut explosion of August 4, 2020:
Why would we be bringing traumatized potential immigrants to a horrible country filled with structural racism and not diverse enough to be welcoming to them? Shouldn’t we pause immigration to fix our DEEP societal issues?
The ultimate cult-like Diversity & Inclusion fashion Bambi has seen is a pledge called the “Canadian Investor Statement on Diversity & Inclusion“:
This statement starts with the following words: “We, the undersigned institutional investors, acknowledge the existence of systemic racism and its impacts on Black and Indigenous communities and People of Colour in Canada and globally.
We furthermore acknowledge the existence of inequities and discrimination with respect to factors including, but not limited to gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, culture and socio-economic status.”
How can we take this group seriously when they apply their diagnosis of systemic racism to both Canada and globally.
You want systemic racism, go to some Arab or Muslim countries of the Middle East or… go to China and see how it treats its Muslim minority.
You want discrimination against women, go to some countries of the Middle East.
You want killing of gays, go to Iran or to other Islamic countries, perhaps to Saudi Arabia?
You want religious stupidity similar to what you are imposing on us in Canada now (with this dangerous racial or identity politics), go to Lebanon. Trust Bambi, sectarianism is a VERY dangerous game. It has lead to a 15-year civil war in 1975.
Please give Bambi a break from ideology.
We are far from being perfect, for sure. There are racist people anywhere and everywhere (it is part of human nature). It is surely not to the extent of justifying our collective stupidity and the resulting proposed solutions.
Indeed, we need to be mindful. The solution may be much worse than the problem. As an analogy, we can think of some extreme/unrealistic solutions proposed by some in their “fight” against climate change.
Talking about climate change, funny how this new obsession with systemic racism seems to have replaced the obsession with the changing climate. In both concepts of climate change and systemic racism, there is an element of truth. In both, it is hard to measure. In both, we see ideologies more than science. In both, we have heard stories of people silenced for not having blindly endorsed or questioned the methods (e.g., BLM, etc.). What a shame because both problems of racism and climate deserve our utmost serious attention!
According to ideologists, Bambi would be a person of so-called colour (BIPOC to use a fashionable acronym). However, in Bambi’s mind she is just a deer. Not any deer. A Canadian deer who thinks that it is time to question this collective insanity and remember to focus on what unites us, as a country, instead of what divides us.
Indeed, we are all Canadians, ideally united through a shared love for our country. Canada should come first and remain ABOVE any specific community we may belong to. PLEASE LET’S NOT LEBANONIZE OUR BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY.
Bambi sometimes wonders if the best thing about a serious issue, like our concern to be the most welcoming possible, is simply to leave things as they are without forcing any unneeded (and absurd) change.
Just let us live… and please relax and live yourself too. Life is not just beautiful but also short.
Bambi may be wrong but, in her non-expert citizen opinion, if we push the concept (now it is an ideology or almost an orthodoxy) of “Diversity & Inclusion” too much, we risk excluding those who do not think like us, even those from so-called diverse groups mentioned above. Is this what we really want for our society? To impose diversity in a very reduced manner (e.g., skin colour) AND at all costs, even to the point of sacrificing the diversity of opinions and voices in a society?
As mentioned in the article above, Israel and two Arab
countries, UAE and Bahrein, signed “historic diplomatic pacts”.
Even if the media is usually mostly biased against Mr.
Trump, always making fun of him (there is material, one must say…), President
Trump did something good for humanity today: PEACE.
Some may say ok but the timing is meant to help making
him good before elections. Well, bravo for his administration for being smart
enough to arrange the timing of the announcement now, to work to his advantage.
Some write: Well, the UAE already had ties with Israel
but secretly. Well, this relationship is now out of the closet. It takes much
courage to do so in the Middle East… A HUGE taboo has been broken today (as
everyone usually hates Israel).
Those deals will change the course of history at so
many levels. Bambi can think of research collaborations that could benefit
generations of trainees across sectors. We can think of business deals that
would generate prosperity to all the countries involved. On the security front,
it may help coordination among them, for sure. It will perhaps impress Iran
enough to stop its destructive influence in the region. Who knows, one day,
Iran may be invited to make peace with the United States. Hopefully, all this
will translate on the ground with better days for all the innocent populations
in Iran itself, Saudi Arabia, the Gulf countries, Irak, Lebanon, Syria,
Palestine, and in Israel.
Bambi is writing all this, without forgetting the injustice triggered by the creation of the State of Israel, to the poor Palestinians… and, by extension, to all of us in the Arab world. especially the neighbouring Lebanon in which the original conflict has spilled over. This being said, we are in a new era now, time for peace. Time to move forward in life.
The reality is that the Palestinians also have corruption like Lebanese politicians. They also have an Islamist party that is being instrumentalized by Iran (just like in Lebanon). The leader of this party, called Hamas, went to Beirut recently to meet with Mr. Nasrallah (Hezbollah). He also met with folks in the Palestinian camps.
Whether Israel or Palestine (or Hezbollah or Iran),
all these entities have often given Bambi the impression of validating their own
existence with the hate of the other entity. They cannot exist without hating
the other, in other terms. Well, today, we can perhaps allow ourselves to dream
peace, even if it will not be comprehensive and as just as we would have liked
it to be at one point in time (land for peace… now it is peace for prosperity).
Can we just call it peace for the sake of peace? As
human beings, we have the right to live in a peaceful country. We have the
right to be able to say: Enough of wars, enough of hate, no?
It is Bambi’s hope that Palestine will stop boycotting
the Trump administration and will consider direct negotiations of peace with
Israel. The latter must show respect to the Palestinians by stopping any new
colonization and surely annexation (the latter seems to be the case now,
bravo).
Who knows? One day, we may see the two states of
Israel and Palestine living in peace next to each other. Bambi would love (have
loved?) to see Jerusalem as the capital of both states. Not from a religious
perspective. She does not care about that, despite the faith in her heart. It
is more from a citizen’s rights perspective. Period.
One day, Bambi’s nephews and nieces will hopefully live
long enough to see a sovereign and prosperous Lebanon living in peace with all
its neighbours, namely both Syria and Israel, while being in peace with both
Iran and all the Arab countries. Of course, also having enriching diplomatic
relations with all the European countries, the USA, and with all the countries
of the world (including China). In Lebanon, they call this concept, “positive
neutrality”. Only the latter can guarantee safety to tiny yet beautiful
Lebanon.
To conclude this post, it takes much courage to extend
your hand to your former enemy. Bravo for doing it for the sake of the children
of “Abraham” (as per the name of the peace deals)… and the children who
are not related to Abraham.
As we say in Arabic and in Hebrew: Mabrouk & Mazal
Tov.
Mr. Macron gave the Lebanese brainless and corrupt political leaders two weeks to form a government. They failed to do so.
They stole public funds. They resorted to a historical banking fraud.
They allowed terror to hijack their beautiful country from within in the name of imported ideologies serving the interests of foreign powers.
They forgot that they are supposed to represent and serve the Lebanese citizens.
Of course, like the rest of the world, their country had the coronavirus to cope with.
Since September 1st, 2020, they are now fighting for the remaining melting pieces of the cake of power… For instance, the Hezbollah and their allied Amal movement insist on keeping the Ministry of Finances. They called it “theirs” since 2014. Can you imagine the arrogance of their demands?
Other political leaders are probably demanding other governmental Ministries.
Welcome to Lebanon, where forming a government takes months of bargaining. Such a long process may be the case of other respectable countries like Belgium, if Bambi is not mistaken. However, the difference is that in this and other European countries people respect the rule of law. Yes, they also must have corruption here and there, like us in Canada, but surely not to epidemic levels like tiny bankrupt Lebanon.
This being said, Lebanon is the country of miracles where anything is possible. A new government may see the light tomorrow, next month or in December 2020 when Mr. Macron will return to Lebanon for the third time since the surrealistic explosion of August 4th, 2020. This may hopefully bring stability and/or the trust of investors again. However, what is the point of changing the faces of politicians, if it is without any SIGNIFICANT change?
The Lebanese people have been demanding a change of their failed political system since October 17, 2020 (financial crisis).
They have asked for new elections sine then.
They want an international investigation to the Beirut explosion. Yesterday, the Beirut Bar Association demanded the latter again. So did Amnesty International, twice not just once!
Lebanese people had wished to see a fair outcome to the UN-backed Special Tribunal for Lebanon for the killing of Mr. Hariri and many innocent citizens. This tribunal took years and was partly financed by Lebanon (i.e., tax payers’ money). What did it achieve? It just showed that the UN is incapable of delivering justice. What a shame… as we are talking about a UN in which Lebanon is a proud founding member.
To come back to you Mr. Macron, of course you are also thinking of France’s best interests in Lebanon and the region (Bambi hopes you are, as this means you are a decent President of your country…). Regardless, you have proved that you care deeply and genuinely about the Lebanese people. You shared their grief. You showed compassion to their suffering, you listened to their anger, you gave them your respect, time, and attention. This in addition to all the aid on the ground and the generous donations directly to the people, as Canada cleverly did.
They say in the media that France and the USA have different approaches to solving problems as complex as Lebanon’s saga. In their respective ways, at least, both are trying to do something good for that doomed Middle East.
For a change, it would be nice to see all the people of this part of the world living in peace. Peace of mind, to begin with. Peace, trust, and hopefully love one day… yes love among citizens of a same country and among nations. Is this too much to ask for in 2020?
Until then, Mr. Macron may think that Bambi is out of her mind as she is asking him for the favour of re-colonizing her birth country. How can she say so in a world where the Western civilization is accusing itself of being a monster (deserving to vanish) for having had a colonial past. Funny how we think so whilst totally ignoring those civilizations that are currently colonizing brains and entire countries. We do not hold them to the same standards.
Mind you, Bambi is highly patriotic in life. Yes, she loves Canada whilst having a deep tenderness for her birth country Lebanon. It breaks her heart to see the latter struggling for its democracy and survival. In other terms, Bambi honours where she has chosen to take root whilst always remembering where she originally comes from.
Despite her dignified feelings (or because of them actually), she is kindly asking if you can consider her request… just in case Lebanon “succeeds” in (fully?) earning the title of a “failed state” .
The CBC news documentary below wants us to
believe that anti-black racism is so bad in our schools and in our society, at
least in two Canadian provinces (i.e., Ontario and Nova Scotia).
Things are presented as being too bad to the point
that parents of “black” school-aged Canadians are taking charge of race and
history courses.
Yes, extremely bad that we are now incorporating a
black history course into science, maths, and even into physical education.
One of these days, Canadian people will start getting upset by all this victimhood discourse. This could fuel racism (for real).
Would you be surprised when his happens? Bambi won’t be.
