Here is a song for you– of course, it is the one by the late Christophe about “Aline” :)!
Here is a picture for you— is there anything more beautiful than the sea? We are lucky to live by the Atlantic ocean… and having known the Mediterranean sea!
A picture taken by Bambi yesterday (Cap-Pelé village, NB)
On the way to Cap-Pelé, Bambi heard Aline’s song in the car. Upon returning home, she was singing another old French song she has not heard for ages! She bets Aline likes it too– it by the late and talented Mr. Sacha Distel. It reminds her of her childhood and it is also about the ocean :).
To conclude this post on another friendly wink, Bambi has an old friend (Maha) in mind today. She has not seen her for over 15 years years (they first met about 30 years ago). She hopes/trusts she is doing well and wishes her a Happy Birthday too :). She tried to touch base last year and again today… in vain. Hopefully, she will manage to find the new contact soon!
Even if she does not agree with his insults about Québec, Bambi defended Dr. Amir Attaran’s free expression in earlier posts (see further below). She even likes some of his comments, even if she is disturbed by many others.
Indeed, today, Professor Attaran went a step further in his notorious insults by tweeting about his happiness to see another human dead. Can you imagine? How could he? The late Prince Philip could have been his own dad, his grand-father, or simply another brother in humanity…
Of course, Professor Attaran is free to think whatever he wants about the Royal family or the British Empire or whatever else in life. He is also free to be woke. This is not the issue. The sad story here is his lack of respect of human life. Plus, even if he wanted to score a point, even so-called racists deserve respect at their death.
Regardless of any political or ideological opinion, Bambi refuses to understand mean statements or gestures in life, especially by those who consider themselves highly-educated… Even during a 15-year-long civil war, her heart was not filled with hate.
Mind you, in addition to the above tweets, Dr. Attaran made recent insulting comments about and to Québec Minister Benoit Charette (calling him “white supremacist“, if only he knew that his own wife is of Haitian origins and their kids have a dark skin… ). It is both sad and absurd to see the low level of intellectual “exchange” by the elites of our country.
To come back to the late Prince Philip, Bambi took the time to send her heart to our Queen who “lost the love of her life” (as shown at the very bottom of this post). She has never met the Queen in life… just thought of her in a human way.
Related to this loss, Dr. Attaran’s mean words about Prince Philip are a sharp contrast to Bambi’s own words about another man, called Mr. Nasrallah, during a recent chat with her spouse. They were discussing politics of the Middle East. For Bambi’s readers who do not know this man, she often chats with him on her blog (replying to his public speeches). It is actually one of her pleasures in life ?.
Seriously, Mr. Nasrallah is the Head of the Hezbollah (considered a terrorist organization by Canada). He dragged her birth country into unwanted wars so many times. His organization may even have a responsibility in the Beirut explosion that almost killed her parents, brother-in-law, niece, and childhood friends. The surrealistic Beirut explosion abruptly ended the lives of MANY of her parents’ neighbours whilst destroying a large part of their city.
Despite all the above, Bambi still had words of human compassion toward Mr. Nasrallah when she was mentioning that he lost his son during one of the past wars with Israel. In her mind, no one deserves to lose a child, including this (nasty or criminal) man. So, yes, she has human compassion toward his own suffering, as a father. Plus, she would never wish death to anyone, including the heartless, corrupt, and/or criminal Lebanese politicians (former warlords). Not even to Lebanon’s foreign enemies who have occupied Beirut or who try hard to control it by proxy (note that Bambi’s aunt was killed during one of these invasions…).
Thus, it is Bambi’s wish that Dr. Attaran would one day learn to put aside his hate in order to open his heart to reach out to his fellow human beings, including those he regularly insults, calling them racists or white supremacists.
OK, that was the story of Dr. Attaran.
Now who is the other (former) lawyer? You may be curious. Well, his name is Mr. Ezra Levant. He is an independent Canadian journalist who created the Rebel News. One or two weeks ago, he showed a video on his Twitter account about how the Montreal police asked one of his journalists “if he wasaJew?” Bambi was skeptical at first, thinking perhaps this apparently racist name calling was because the officers thought he may have been a guest of the Hassidic Jewish community attending a service for Passover (during a lockdown). Maybe he needed to show some papers, etc. Well, now, she clearly understood that she was wrong as this story was likely due to racism. It actually repeated itself today, by some Montreal police officers. The latter may be enjoying abuse of power during the successive Covid-19 lockdowns of their city. It seems that they have perhaps enjoyed bullying the Rebel News journalists. You can see this for yourself in the video below…
To conclude this post, what is refreshing or inspiring about this video is to see an employer defending his employees. Not too many employers have the same courage as Mr. Levant… especially in our collectively insane (or sadly increasingly fascist) times. For this, Bambi will say: bravo Mr. Levant!
In the About of this blog, you can read the following:
“… Afkar” means thoughts in Arabic. Thoughts (or thinkers) are naturally free. However, paradoxically and sadly, this does not seem to be the case in our days and time, even in a “clever” small town like ours (Sackville, NB). It tells us something about the state of tolerance of diverse opinions, starting with our own brains and extending to our families, communities, schools, and public spaces.
This is why I decided to pay tribute to the freedom of ideas (or thoughts) on this blog by choosing a name that refers to a German song I love dearly, called “Die Gedanken sind frei” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Die_Gedanken_sind_frei)...
Die Gedanken sind frei My thoughts freely flower, My thoughts give me power No scholar can map them, No hunter can trap them, No man can deny: Die Gedanken sind frei! “
For your freedom of spirit Dearest Firas as well as for her own values, namely of freedom and respect of the diversity of opinions in life, Bambi will sing again and again our childhood song. It remains timely, perhaps today more than ever…
She can imagine how sad you must be (even in heaven!) if you are watching the state of intolerance of diverse opinions, ironically in our beloved Canada… not just in Lebanon where people courageously resist intolerance, sometimes until their last breath, to preserve their precious collective freedom of expression… or what is left of it.
Many Canadian and international media have covered and are still covering the 10thanniversary of the wave of the so-called “Arab spring” that swept over Arab countries, one after the other.
It started in Tunisia with a man and his vegetable
cart. He set himself on fire to denounce misery, the direct consequence of dictatorship
in his country.
From Tunisia, the protests, and the aspiration for democracy, spread to other countries like Libya, Egypt, Yemen, Bahrain, and Syria.
Sadly, the dream of freedom did not materialize in
democratization or in better economies. Many people are still struggling to
survive poverty or to find jobs to secure a future. The covid-19 crisis is an
additional economic nightmare.
Tragically, chaos and devastating civil wars broke out here and there, like in Libya, Yemen, and Syria. Human suffering and tragic refugee stories, both within and outside of one’s own country and continent, became daily routine.
Sadly, in some countries like Syria, the choice became between living under a dictatorship OR under Islamism (the latter is a political ideology; it is not the broader beautiful Muslim religion also called Islam). Which of the two evils is less of an evil, in this catch 22 double tragedy?
Other countries interfered, fuelled, or benefited from wars. Some managed to run businesses out of the misery of other human beings. And yet, of course, others found ways to be generous, to help, and to become better human beings.
So, what is left from the Arab spring? Or did the
summer follow the spring or not yet—even after 10 years?
Can we say that a newer Arab spring tried
to see the light, more recently (October, 2019) in Lebanon and Irak?
What would be the fate of all these so-called
Arab revolts or springs?
So many questions. So many unknowns. Perhaps taboos
have been broken and perhaps hope can renew itself in this or in the future
spring season(s)?
Hope is surely in the younger generations of Arabs, not only aspiring for but also demanding a just world: an end to dictatorships, oligarchy, discrimination, and sectarianism (or tribalism)! Not only dreaming of a new cultural renaissance (or another “Nahda“!), but also slowly contributing to it in business, science, industry, literature, music, and all forms of arts, etc.
To conclude this post on a musical note that describes the tragedy of the “Arab spring”, here is a song by Lebanese singer Hiba Tawaji, preceded by its powerful English lyrics. Bambi has goose bumps every time she listens to it…
Like his family and the artists who produced the moving song below, “Bambi is/remains Raif” (as per the French slogan #JeSuisRaif!).
It is about time for him to join his spouse and kids in Québec/Canada. Please set him free!
The artists behind this powerful song (copied and pasted from the YouTube link above): “Skye Dorval: vocal backing and synths Yves Loiselle: bass Pierre-Luc Racine: drum Providence Sta (Providence St-Amand): Violin Lyrics: Johan Gass & Skye Dorval Guitars: Johan Gass Song and arrangements recorded by Johan Gass at Johan Gass Communications studio except lead voice recorded at Silver Wings Studios. Mixing: Johan Gass and Jonathan Lefrançois-Leduc, Silver Wings Studios Mastering: Jonathan Lefrançois-Leduc, Silver Wings Studios Music video produced by Johan Gass Communications.”
A picture taken in court when Ms. Ensaf Haidar testified in support of Québec’s bill 21 on the state’s secularism that ironically Amnesty International is now criticizing in its recent official report!! The world is truly up side down, no :)?
Families of the 206+ victims of the Beirut explosion gathered at the scene of the Beirut port explosion site to mark the 8th month since the tragedy. Bambi’s heart goes to all of them.
These families are putting their faith in Judge Tarek Bitar who is now leading the investigation since February, 2021. They are urging him to “strike with an iron fist” in his pursuit of a “clear and transparent investigation” , as per L’Orient Today.
Judge Bitar is described by many, including senior Professors of Law, as being a very decent and highly competent fellow. To what extent will he be able to do his job in peace, knowing that his predecessor was removed from his position by Lebanon’s top court a day before his appointment? Thank you and best wishes to him… May he be able to lead a truly independent, thorough investigation AND may he be safe!
Judge Tarek Bitar. A picture taken from 961.
Is there any picture more moving than this one? Taken from Xinhuanet.
Another moving picture from Xinhuanet.
The sign of one of the mothers reads: “Why is the Justice system insisting on silence?” . A picture taken from An Nahar.
When will justice be served in Beirut? Another moving picture taken from Xinhuanet.
“Mabrouk” or Congratulations, Rania!! Bambi is proud of her sister, Ms. Rania Berbery. She has just been highlighted by the New-York-based Scopio (https://scop.io/), “the largest library of authentic and diverse images that tell stories from around the world” as an “inspiring woman“!
Well, here are Scorpio’s own words: “Even though the Women History Month ended, Scorpio’s mission to highlight inspiring women from all over the world shall never end. Meet @raniaberbery a portrait and documentary photographer from Lebanon who exhibited her work in many famous Lebanese Museums“!
Here is Ms. Berbery’s portrait in her own English words:
picture taken from Scorpio.
Bambi has already posted on Ms. Rania Berbery’s talent, as you can see at the very end of this post.
Ms. Berbery literally went through hell during the Beirut explosion. In addition to losing many close friends, she spent hours looking for her badly injured spouse in several Beirut hospitals whilst her daughter was being driven by a kind man to yet another healthcare centre to treat her injuries. Like her fellow Beirut citizens, she showed a legendary courage, pragmatism, and dignity. Like artists do when facing adversity, she turned the trauma of the surrealistic Beirut port explosion into beautiful pictures that attracted the attention of photography professionals miles away. Bambi, along with all the family deer, are proud of you Rania. Keep up the good work and be safe please!
Lebanese pharmacists “are accusing exclusive agencies of provoking medication shortages while waiting for the end of the subsidy program for the purchase of basic necessities“.
“Since September 2020, 50% of medicines had disappeared from the market“, as per Libnannews.
Can you imagine the impact of all this on people’s lives, quality of life, health, and prognosis of their diagnoses and chronic conditions? For example, many citizens need to take a drug for their heart disease, thyroid condition, diabetes, cancer, or clinical depression? Due to shortages in medication, people find themselves walking or driving from one pharmacy to the other, putting themselves and others at more risk of exposure to the coronavirus. If they are lucky, they find the needed drug, or a similar medication. If they are unlucky, they leave without their much needed medication.
To conclude this post, once again, it is unbelievable how much Lebanon’s status has gone down, within months only: from a middle-income developed country, it currently looks like a state with low income. It is probably one with the fastest declining income.
What is the solution for tiny bankrupt yet resistant Lebanon?
Bambi will allow herself to cheat today. She will share an older Easter video from the “Orthodox Archdiocese of Mount Lebanon, a selection of Paschal (Easter) chants in Arabic“, even if the Orthodox Easter falls five weeks behind our Canadian Easter this year (it uses a different calendar and sometimes the time difference is ridiculously large… but this means two opportunities to eat chocolate :)).
Seriously now, Bambi’s family includes 8 different religions (Lebanon has 18 in total). This weekend, she wants to wish part of her family who are Christian Catholics and Maronites a Happy Easter, saying as they say in Lebanon: “Al Massih Kam”! It means: Christ is risen! She will repeat this again in five weeks to the other part of the family who are Orthodox Christians :)!
This year, Easter is even tougher on our world and particularly on Lebanon :(.
Bambi’s heart aches when she reads or hears stories of hyperinflation, famine, despair of the people of Lebanon who are fed up of their political leaders. The latter do not listen to them and do not respect their basic rights to have a government and to have reforms in order to stop the boat from sinking!
One day Lebanon will rise again, just like this Jesus that many believe in or the Phoenix bird, if you prefer. Until then, may the people of Lebanon keep their sanity, hope, healthy sense of humour, faith in humanity, and lucid rejection of agendas of divisive sectarianism. The latter may be used by some to hide their moral, military, and financial corruption. The people of Lebanon are lucid and wise enough: More than ever they are united and in solidarity– sadly, they are all in the same boat of misery… but even this collective nightmare shall pass…The light is behind the cloud. The light will shine again on the beautiful land of Lebanon!
