Bambi spent some time this evening reading about the worrisome/sad news of Lebanon. For a change, she started searching the net for songs that she can dedicate to her birth country, which is going through its worst crisis ever and for which her heart is broken…
It is unbelievable the number of patriotic songs we can find for Lebanon in Arabic for sure, in French (to a great extent), and in English or even in mixed languages. Yes, one thing is clear: This tiny country is loved by so many artists, Lebanese and international!
One of these artists is called Ycare. Bambi just discovered his talent! He is a French singer, born in Dakkar (Senegal) to Lebanese parents (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ycare).
His song, entitled “The Cedars“, opened the Games of the “Francophonie” [“Les Jeux de la Francophonie“] in 2013 in Nice (France). The French lyrics, likely written by him, appear further below… What a moving song. Bravo et merci!
“Dites à quoi servent les paysages Si on ne peut pas les raconter A quoi bon être une montagne Qui ne sait pas se déplacer Avant que la chaleur ne gagne Ses sommets enneigés.
O toi Liban, je t’ai cherché, Il n’a pas suffi que je parle, Pour que tu me comprennes enfin Alors j’ai agité les mains, en vain Et puis un jour j’ai rencontré Un vieux chêne qui m’a raconté Son histoire de très loin Depuis ce jour les cèdres enfin Parlent français Et plus rien n’est pareil
On peut tous enfin festoyer Je m’emplis d’une joie intense La lune de l’Orient immense Traverse la Méditerranée Pour éclairer la France
A quoi peut servir ton sourire Si je ne peux pas le retourner Afin de voir tes yeux qui brillent Et si je ne sais pas écrire tant pis Mes poèmes ne sont qu’en Français, tu sais
O toi Liban, je t’ai cherché, A-t-il suffi que je m’en aille Pour que tu me comprennes enfin Alors j’ai agité les mains, en vain
Et puis un jour tu as rencontré Ce vieux chêne qui t’a raconté La même histoire qu’à moi Depuis ce jour les cèdres en toi Parlent français Et plus rien n’est pareil
On peut tous enfin festoyer Je m’emplis d’une joie intense La lune de l’Orient immense Traverse la Méditerranée Pour éclairer la France
O toi Liban, je t’ai cherché, Il n’a pas suffi que je parle, Pour que tu me comprennes enfin Alors j’ai agité les mains, en vain Et puis un jour j’ai rencontré Un vieux chêne qui m’a raconté Son histoire de très loin Depuis ce jour les cèdres en moi Parlent français.“
Over the weekend, Bambi received a couple of phone calls from a family friend as well as her aunt who were worried about the heat wave in Canada (the irony was that at her end of the country, she had to close the windows as it was too cold, like Beirut’s winter actually). She was moved by the calls, especially that she is the one worried about them in their heat and NO POWER to turn the air conditioning on ☹. She could not help not to be sarcastic in her mind, wondering if her aunt would call again, freaking out, if her Facebook or international media informed her about the 10+ churches that have been burned in the past few days!
“The issue
of residential schools will figure prominently in the news this summer.
Canada is
waking up to a historic injustice lodged in the bowels of the country that
still shapes its present reality. How not to be obsessed with the fate of these
children torn from their families and their culture to make them strangers?
This country
which presents itself as a model for the whole world does not live up to its
reputation, to put it mildly.
Canadians
discover that Canada is not heaven and fail to believe it.
Hatred
The feeling
of revolt is inevitable, and natural. It is also legitimate.
But too
often it speaks in a criminal way, as seen in Western Canada with the growing
number of church fires. Others are vandalized. All this takes place, it must be
said, in a general media indifference. Or else, the events are reported with
great modesty, almost in embarrassment. Not to mention the statues unbolted in
front of the police capitulating to the vandals.
Even more,
if we wander a bit on social media, we find several to rejoice, as if it were
the flames of justice razing a cursed institution. They see it as a legitimate
revenge, forgetting that several indigenous leaders themselves denounced these
arson attacks and are sorry for this violence.
Let’s sum
up: in Canada, in the summer of 2021, churches are being burned down in a
mixture of indifference and evil joy.
Imagine
another scenario. Imagine if, after September 11, 2001, in the United States,
or after the Islamist attacks of recent years in France, “angry”
citizens decided to attack mosques, to vandalize them, to burn them.
We would all
have been outraged by such gestures. We would have condemned them outright [“sans
nuances”, in French]. We would have recalled that such acts are criminal, in
addition to requiring severe punishment for their perpetrators. Above all, we
would have been right to be intractable towards the vandals.
How, then, to explain the current reaction?
Is it more serious to attack a Muslim place of worship than a Catholic church [thanks also to Mr. Jonathan Kay who raised the same question for mosques and synagogues]?
Banalization
How is it
that such criminal acts are trivialized, that they are almost categorized as
miscellaneous facts, when they are in the strong sense of hate acts? Once
again, the logic of double standards is in order [Bambi will
add: would so-called activists working for Liberties organizations in BC who were
born in Bahrain dare to write let’s burn all mosques there? So why do it in
Canada?]
Depending on
the religion that will be yours, we will denounce, relativize or excuse acts of
violence and hate speech intended for you.
Without a
doubt, the Canadian federal state, which imagined and piloted the Indian
residential school policy, must take severe self-criticism and improve the
situation of Indigeneous communities. It is primarily responsible for this
macabre story. The religious orders which have participated in this enterprise
must also assume their responsibilities.
But that
cannot justify, today, the repeated anti-Catholic arson and its transformation
into trivial facts.”
The song is not new (2017). Bambi loves it and she is fond of Mr. Claude Capéo’s talent. “Riche” was written for him by co-authors Manon Romiti, Silvio Lisbonne, Nazim Khaled, and Mark Hekic.
While driving yesterday from NB to NS back and fourth, Bambi listened to it. What a beautiful song! If you do not believe her, here is a translation of the deep lyrics found on the internet (https://www.musixmatch.com/lyrics/Claudio-Cap%C3%A9o/Riche/translation/english), followed by the song with Capéo’s warm voice!
Last summer, Bambi’s post honoured one of her childhood friends who runs an annual marathon for her country in which she is famous for her jump at the final destination :):
This year, if she may, Bambi will share an older message in Arabic from the Ambassador of the USA in Lebanon (July 4th, 2020): “Like the Lebanese people, we are resistant. We face challenges in a direct way. We keep growing, adjusting, and learning” (by Ms. Dorothy Shea who remains the US Ambassador in Beirut).
Finally, to conclude this post on a joyful musical note, here is a French song from Bambi to all her American friends and relatives (hello if you are reading now :)). This song, by Mr. Joe Dassin (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Dassin), is entitled l’Amérique. Well, you may notice or know that l’Amérique is Yellow River, which was written by Mr. Elton John and turned into a worldwide hit by a British band, called Christie.
Bambi would like to thank one of her friends for sharing the powerful cartoon above entitled “Today’s democracy”.
Sadly, it applies to so many countries historically known for defending, sometimes with blood, perhaps the most important value in the world: Freedom.
Here is a translation of the cartoon above (by an unknown source): The Raven (the free bird on the tree branch) asked the parrot: “Why are you in a cage?” The parrot replied: “Because I talk…“.
This is how citizens are feeling in so many countries of the world, including us in Canada and in the nearby United States as well as in Lebanon (+ several others countries) where worrisome stories are increasingly occurring.
In Canada, citizens have been/risk increasingly being the target of forces of censorship. Bambi is not talking about her own censorship saga here (even if it is a sad and unacceptable example of the erosion of our democratic societies). She is talking about “illeberal” bills by so-called Liberal governments. Yes, she is referring to Bill 36:
She is also talking about dangerous practices in the USA like what Facebook is doing right now: Encouraging its clients to denounce each other in the name of so-called anti-extremism:
The link above is in French. Thank you Mr. Vincent Dessureault for interviewing one of our most talented thinkers on the topic, Dr. Mathieu Bock-Côté. Like the latter, Bambi is for a liberal approach to speech in life. It is definitely the healthiest approach to a society. Saying otherwise is a slippery slope that we usually see in the former Soviet era or under dictatorships, not in free societies. It is precisely for this reason that Bambi has never been on any social media. Many of her family and friends found her odd for that. She told herself: I do not trust those things. If one day someone decides you are a terrorist, they can go after all your friends, etc. Remember, for having grown up during a bloody, absurd civil-war, she knows what she is talking about here.
See what is happening today with those big tech companies. They even dared to silence their own President. How could this be done, whether you like him or not and whether he says vulgar things sometimes or not. No one should silence anyone in life, not Mr. Biden and not Mr. Trudeau. Not Mr. Aoun and not even Mr. Nasrallah… and surely not human citizens or deer.
Everyone has a place in a democratic society. Everyone’s insights are valid. Of course, as long we do not call for violence or do not resort to defamation, all expression in all languages and in all countries that respect themselves must be protected.
The last example Bambi will conclude with sadly happened in Lebanon to two foreign journalists. It gave Bambi goose bumps, reminding her of the kidnapping of journalists during war times… Luckily, they are released now and the Lebanese Press Syndicate publicly condemned the action. Same for many journalists and the “Samir Kassir eyes (SKeyes) Center“… “established in Beirut in November 2007 at the initiative of the Samir Kassir Foundation, which was founded following the assassination of Lebanese journalist and historian Samir Kassir on June 2, 2005.” (https://www.skeyesmedia.org/en/About-Us).
Enough of censorship. Enough of intimidation of any citizen/all citizens, journalists, scholars… in any country of the world. Just ENOUGH!
Thank you, Judge Bitar, for doing your job in what appears to be an independent and transparent way.
First, here is one of Bambi’s posts on the surrealistic Beirut port explosion in which she reported that Judge Bitar is considered by senior Law Professors as being both talented and decent. She also wished him to be safe.
Second, a few days ago, Bambi read that the office of a lawyer was the target of a blast. It was not clear if it is related to this case or to another case. Regardless, it is (always) shocking and unacceptable to see targeted violence against lawyers, judges, courts, etc. Anyhow, it seems that this lawyer and his two children (also lawyers) are thankfully all safe and sound (https://www.the961.com/sakher-al-hashem-office-explosion/amp/).
Third, Bambi was happy to read about this decision by Judge Bitar:
Bambi does not know the engineer Nayla el Hage and Maj. Daoud Fayad, but it does not take much reflection in life to guess that often innocent scapegoats pay the price instead of negligent criminals. Bambi wrote a post about Ms. el Hage (she did not know abou Maj. Daoud Fayad’s story at the time):
Fourth, it seems that Judge Bitar is also asking to remove the immunity on three Ministers in order to interview them. Questioning top politicians is a first in the investigation of the Beirut port…
As a reminder, the surrealistic Beirut port explosion destroyed half of the capital, killing 200+ residents (including children), and injured 6000+ others (including Bambi’s niece, brother-in-law who almost lost an eye, and a DEAR childhood friend who is still undergoing serious surgeries to her leg since August 4. 2020).
For Bambi, who is not an expert of explosives or politics, this surrealistic blast seems to be like the icing on the cake of Lebanon’s negligent governance. The latter operates in the context of an endless toxic marriage between two powerful forces, the mafia and the militia. The mafia is that endemic corruption from the top down OR bottom up, as politicians usually come from the people who sadly keep on re-electing the same politicians. The militia is the warrior mindset/forces of the strongest group, which may feel empowered by the apparently weak American external policy about Iran. Bambi is saying so with respect to all nations, including both the USA and Iran. She just hopes she is wrong in being concerned because both the present and long-term future of Lebanon are at stake.
To conclude this post on a musical note, here is a song about the Beirut explosion (released in December 2020). It is in French, sub-titled in English. The singer is called Mr. Fady Bazzi. Bambi discovered his talent lately, first with the song “Jeannot le fou” (one of the earlier posts) and then she came across this song that you may or may not like. He is a businessman living in his adoptive country, the Ivory Coast or Côte d’Ivoire in French (https://fady.fr/index2.php?fady=biographie). He seems to be in love with the Ivory Coast and with “hisAfrican sun“, to use his own terms. Of course, he remains attached to Beirut/Lebanon like Mr. Mark Hachem from Montreal, Québec, Canada (featured in the latest post).
Thank you Mr. Mark Hachem (2019) for this interesting video… at least for Bambi :).
This is particularly meaningful for her, especially following the “Saint-Jean” (June, 24) and “Canada Day” (July, 1), of course both yearly celebrated on this blog!
As Bambi
posted last year, and as one of her friends from Québec and the talented Dr.
Mathieu Bock-Côté reminded her (https://www.journaldemontreal.com/2021/06/30/la-verite-a-propos-du-o-canada),
our beautiful national anthem “was initially composed for the French-Canadians”
(= today’s Québeckers), before gradually being “taken” by the Canadian state
“in its process of building a symbolic identity” .
Dr. Bock-Côté
is right, one must not forget the truth about a powerful symbol like our O
Canada.
Of course, this wisdom also applies to the dark part of our history about the fate of Indigenous children in residential schools… and the agony resulting from this tragic cultural genocide ☹.
Nevertheless, it is by embracing our entire past, with both its tragedies and beauties (while committing to truth, increased peace, healing, and hopefully finally TRUE justice!) that we will write together the next chapter of our country’s great book.
Yes together, we can do it with maturity, peace, and love.
Not with
fire, not with blood… and without destroying any historic statue or burning any
churches.
Yes, we
can… PLEASE let’s do so!
Until then, with or without municipal celebrations, Happy Canada Day to all/Bonne fête du Canada à tous!
This
being said, you argued that “the calls to cancel Canada Day celebrations
this year have nothing to do with so-called “cancel culture”… On the
contrary, #CancelCanadaDay is what real reconciliation looks like”.
It is a point of view, but Bambi cannot help not to wonder how cancelling Canada Day would bring people together for reconciliation, love, and unity… to move forward together?
Plus, Bambi comes from a country (Lebanon) already destroyed… She does not want her country (Canada!) to self-destroy.
Is moving forward together in a constructive way your aspiration? If so, the cancellation will sadly only serve to bring people further apart. It is a logical consequence, if this trend will not stop one day.
You
ended your article with the following conclusion, “cancelling Canada Day has
the potential to shine a much-needed spotlight on our collective truth and
surround us all with the warmth that comes from community support, as we move
towards justice and reparations for Indigenous peoples.”
With all due respect for your passionate advocacy, Bambi has trouble understanding how cancelling Canada Day will serve to “surround anyone in need” of human “support” (national and even international) “with the warmth that comes from community support”.
Usually in life, people and nations come together in times of grief. Why the call for further divisions then? And then what? What is next?
If this July 1st is a time of reflection, as our Prime Minister (Mr. Trudeau) said, why not reflect together? Why not pray together? Why not embrace one another’s grief… to truly “move towards justice and reparations for Indigenous peoples.”
Usually, when we discover remains, inasmuch as this is SAD, the journey of grief can finally start for survivors and families, thankfully. Of course, what makes these discoveries particularly devastating is the context of the horrible cultural genocide that still has long-term concrete consequences. Yes, many individuals, families, and communities will need extra love, support, and counselling. However, the discoveries of graves or remains are surely a step further in the healing process, despite the DEEP sorrow :(.
So, why not allow us all to come together to mourn and to envision a more beautiful and fairer Canada? Why are we allowing ourselves to be divided further?
To continue on the same topic Dear Dr. Palmater, when you tweeted the following by a historian in Manitoba, Bambi was very sad and disturbed. She will explain why further below.
She of course understands his sorrow for having witnessed massacres during civil war (i.e. friends seeing their parents and siblings shot in front of their eyes… and her volunteering in her teen years to support older survivors of a couple of massacres who became internal refugees in her Beirut neighborhood).
However, the danger of such a message, underlying this image, is to dichotomize society and to foster more guilt in people’s hearts. No, sorry Dr. Carleton, loving/celebrating Canada is NOT a choice of celebrating genocide. It is celebrating love and life rather. It is also simply celebrating a summer day off or maybe the start of vacation with family or friends.
So, what is the purpose of this guilt? Can we turn it into something more constructive? And what about people of Indigenous heritage who may perhaps wish to feel Canadian on Canada Day, today or in the future. Is this allowed in our increasingly authoritarian times?
As
for Dr. Palmater, you do not know it, but Bambi is a listener! She listens to
you online on a regular basis. She particularly enjoyed one of your shows in
which you hosted our Chiefs from NB. She learned about their talents and sense
of humour. You were also fun too and what an excellent host. Bambi has the
highest respect for your advocacy for your fellow citizens.
To conclude this post, have you ever considered resigning from positions/affiliations funded by Canada (i.e., its taxpayers), to score a strong political, and perhaps congruent, point? Alternatively, have you considered running in federal politics, a bit like the Bloc Québécois, to advance your views? Bambi is curious…
Grégoire’s charming voice, incredible talent, and especially inspiring lyrics about one’s attitude in life are perhaps precisely what makes life beautiful, despite adversity. Many thanks to him for his new “beautiful” song!
If you do not understand French, you may wish to read the lyrics. Bambi will first share the French words, which will be followed by a quick translation into English.
“Bravo et merci”, Grégoire!
“La vie est belle” (by Grégoire)
“Non, surtout ne crois pas Que pour certains tout est facile C’est simplement qu’ils ne pensent pas Que c’est trop dur, trop difficile Bien sûr qu’il y a des matins
Où ils voudraient tout foutre en l’air C’est justement dans ces matins Qu’ils se répètent : je peux le faire
Non, surtout ne crois pas Qu’il y a des gens qui ont de la chance C’est simplement qu’ils ne veulent pas Voir le mauvais ni la malchance Bien sûr qu’ils traversent des orages Et des moments durs à survivre Mais ils préfèrent tourner la page Et continuer d’écrire le livre Et surtout de se dire Malgré le pire et le cruel Que le plus beau est à venir Et que la vie est belle Belle
Non, surtout ne crois pas Que certains ont une bonne étoile C’est simplement parce qu’ils y croient Et n’se perdent pas dans des dédales Ils ne se trouvent jamais d’excuses Et n’ont pas de boucs émissaires C’est simplement parce qu’ils refusent De rester un genou à terre Et qu’ils continuent de se dire Malgré le pire et le cruel Que le plus beau est à venir Et que la vie est belle Belle
Non, ne crois surtout pas Que pour certains tout est facile C’est simplement parce qu’ils ne pensent pas Que c’est trop dur et trop difficile Et qu’ils continuent de se dire Malgré le pire et le cruel Que le plus beau reste à venir Et que la vie est belle Oui la vie est belle Oui la vie est belle”.
