There are, and there will always be, tragedies in life from power struggles in the world to natural disasters. There will be heartaches after heartbreaks. There will be accidents, illnesses, grief periods, and other challenges—or opportunities—to navigate and grow through. Yet, there is beauty in life. There is love. There is an inspiring human capacity in all of us to heal and thrive, forgive even when we do not forget—of course if we want to or can embrace forgiveness, choose love, and to remain grounded in our dignity and compassion.
Bearing the above in mind, Ms. Zeina Farah is Bambi’s beloved first cousin once removed. This blog devoted several posts to her talent over the past years. Singing is just one of her many talents. Her voice is a gift to us all and she uses it to share/spread love, humanity, peace, and sweet entertaining moments. In the Byzantine prayer piece (Arabic) shared in this post, we can hear Zeina honouring Mary, the mother of Jesus. What a beautiful tribute at all times, especially on the eve of the Feast of the Assumption of Mary or “Im el Nour” [Mother of the Light], as Bambi’s late mom used to call her.
If she may, Bambi will take the opportunity to wish Lebanon a happy day off tomorrow. May the light of healing, reason, safety, sovereignty, unity, peace, love, and prosperity shine on the Land of Cedars.
Of course, Bambi will also use her blog to to wish her beloved childhood friend Fadi a wonderful birthday tomorrow :). May he and his adorable family have fun and be merry!
Last but not least, with much love, Bambi’s heart goes to all her readers, friends, and fellow citizens who will be celebrating the “Quinzou” tomorrow :)!
About ten days ago, on her way to the grocery story, Bambi took the time to re-visit one of her favourite places in Atlantic Canada. It is located between her small town of Sackville in New Brunswick and the town of Amherst in Nova Scotia.
She sat on a large red bench to enjoy the view of the Bay of Fundy, under the warmth of the sunshine mixed with a cool breeze. She took a few pictures and a brief video, which she happily shares with you now, dear readers.
Of note, there is a lot of sad memories in this national historic site with its past “three acts of war between France and Great Britain, the deportation of the Acadians, and the tearing apart of British North America” (https://shorturl.at/JA2TQ). Yet there is much Canadian charm where we instantly connect with both a peaceful nature and our own inner peace.
May the memory of all those who lost their lives on this site be eternal and thanks to Canada for its incredible beauty.
Bambi just learned from l’Orient Today the following piece of news: “Greta Thunberg, activists plan new aid flotilla, with ‘dozens of boats,’ to Gaza” (https://tinyurl.com/2a2ky7cf). First, who is funding this project? Second, may they all be safe because war zones are usually a bad idea for summer vacation, despite our passions or eagerness to make a difference in the world. Third, do they also have funds to help other populations as well?
To begin with, what has been unfolding in Gaza since the start of the latest Hamas-Israel cruel and absurd war is beyond heart-breaking (death, injuries, trauma, continuous kidnapping, hunger, etc.). As usual, it is sadly innocent people who pay the price of the imposed armed conflicts. If there is anyone who knows this reality well, it is Bambi who grew up in the bloody Lebanese civil (1975-1990) war from age 2 years and 9 months to age 17.
Tragically, Sudan has been facing a harsh civil war, along with a related severe famine and displacement of innocent population. Indeed, according to UN data reported by the BBC, over 38% of children under age 5 in camps have suffered from acute malnutrition (https://tinyurl.com/4h76kfvh).
Similarly, innocent populations of other countries not too far from Israel and Palestine, are going through hell as well. Following their long and awful civil war, the innocent Syrians have been experiencing massive execution killing, along with sectarian bloodshed. In Sweida, over 1,000 individuals have been killed recently, according to the Syrian Network for Human Rights. Of note, the latter reported more cruel killing today at a hospital (https://tinyurl.com/3rnrk2nd). Don’t these innocent Syrian people deserve international support as well, including the indignation of Ms. Thunberg et al.?
All the above being said, what can we add about Iran now? At least 975 citizens were executed there in 2024, according to a UN report (https://tinyurl.com/4bvt7dd9). Tragically, the Islamic regime in Iran has been stepping up its repression of the Iranian population following the latest war with Israel, as reported by Le Monde (https://tinyurl.com/bdemejra). Don’t these innocent people—youth, women, and men—deserve our global support as well? They surely deserve our respect for their courage and aspiration for freedom from their awful regime.
To conclude this post, may Ms. Thunberg et al. be safe. May God help the Gazans and may we see peace among nations, starting with the Israelis and the Palestinians and spreading not only across the regional neighbourhood, but also also in the entire world. Most importantly, may we all be filled with inner peace and compassion for all.
It seems that a “32-year-old Jewish man was violently assaulted at a Montreal park in the Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension borough in broad daylight on Friday afternoon, in an incident captured on video that shows children present during the attack” (https://tinyurl.com/39fpdacz).
This father was transported to the hospital. The police is investigating.
Regardless of the motivation behind this cruelty, Bambi stands in full solidarity with this man and his children.
This is not Canada. This is not Québec. This not Montreal. ENOUGH of violence against anyone, including our fellow Canadian Jewish citizens. For the record, and according to B’nai Brith’s latest audit (2024), “the total number of reported cases of hatred targeting Jews reached an apex of 6,219 incidents in 2024” (https://tinyurl.com/y2982849).
Do you find the above incident, and statistics, acceptable? If not, what can we collectively do to respect and protect each other? What can you and what can Bambi individually do to remain connected to our humanity while honouring our beautiful Canadian values of civility as well as democracy and responsibility? These values are well explained by Dr. Mark Milke in a recent promotional video about the Aristotle Foundation for Public Policy.
This picture was taken from an older post, originally found on the internet
Bambi read this morning that “Iran’s Quds Force deputy commander says Hezbollah will never be disarmed… “The weapons of ‘the Resistance’ and the Lebanese people are the means of defending their land, and ‘the Resistance’ will never be disarmed” (https://tinyurl.com/bk37b72m). Iran forgot a little yet significant detail: Lebanon is not an extension of it. It is increasingly moving toward independence from its latest era of Iranian hegemony. Thus, it does not have the right to speak in the name of the “country of the cedars”, or any other state. Surely not in the name of the people of Lebanon.
With its controlling attitude, Iran is making Bambi think of narcissists and she is using this term in its most pathological or toxic sense, not just as a personality style or a buzzword. She will explain why: When it comes to abusive individuals—especially those with high narcissistic traits—, they often have people in their toxic circles who enable their overt or covert aggressive behaviour. Some may do it without fully realizing it while others chose to participate in the aggression. We commonly call these people “flying monkeys” because they carry out the manipulative actions of a narcissist. In other terms, they are used by narcissists. They could be essentially people-pleasers (or lacking solid boundaries), not as domineering as narcissists, yet they can cause trouble or frustration to the victims or targets.
Bearing the above in mind, let’s now try to think on a more macroscopic level, focusing on toxic or controlling behaviours among nations and not individuals. Iran has a history of resorting to regional manipulation in its Arab neighbourhood. It creates and finances extremist groups in weaker states, leading them to endless wars by proxy. The latest one is still ongoing in the Middle East.
In this volatile context, we can perhaps consider some entities as flying monkeys, including the Hezbollah or or the Houthis and what have you. They are used by Iran unless they decide to bring a significant change to their toxic ties to the Iranian regime, either ending them or becoming wiser about them.
In Bambi’s non-expert citizen opinion, Hezbollah has a historic domestic chance now to do the above by moving to a space of Lebanon’s interests, along with its fellow Lebanese citizens. It has also a historic opportunity to improve its image worldwide and eventually maybe stop being listed as a “terrorist entity” under Canadian law, like Hamas, El Qaida, and many other unkind groups (https://tinyurl.com/mrxzytf4).
Reforming its mission, by making it more Lebanese-focused, would be ideal. This means becoming/remaining a strictly political party, even if it wants to keep its Islamic philosophy or spirit of resistance. Why not? It is its right and Lebanon would benefit from this important voice too. However, Lebanon is sick and tired of being used and abused by Iran or by any flying monkey, whether external or internal, including the Hezbollah.
Stated differently, it would be a dream come true if the Hezbollah would finally accept to fully recycle itself into a strictly political party (without its scary militia wing), like all other parties at the end of the Lebanese civil war. No more weapons, the hot current issue until the end of the year, it seems (https://tinyurl.com/2pur32ms). No more past, present, or future wars, destruction, and heart aches. No more covert or overt aggression, counter-aggression, preventive aggression, blunt aggression, or occupations by Israel, Syria (or by any other neighbouring country or not). No more decisions of wars behind the back of the government—whether in Syria or with Israel. No more enabling behaviour by anyone. Just stronger borders, institutions, and a healthy will of living in peace.
With all due respect to the Hezbollah as a strictly potentially reformed political Lebanese party, it would be nice to one day see it considering changing its name or logo because both are too much in Bambi’s mind: God never asked to have a party in its name and the picture on the flag is far from being peaceful, even if the yellow colour is beautiful and the idea of a resistance is not the issue. It is its violent format, namely those remaining weapons that must be in the hands of the Lebanese authorities. Bravo to the Lebanese cabinet, which appears to be working well towards this direction. Good luck (https://tinyurl.com/2pur32ms).
Instead of “resisting” disarming itself, why can’t the Hezbollah learn to open the concept of resistance to others who have always “resisted” as well, aspiring for freedom and independence. They did it on their own, peaceful ways. They have used their pens, arts, or voices. They did not resort to weapons and wars. They have valued life and love. They do not aspire to live with an endless victim mentality, even if they have been victimized too. They want to thrive. They want their children and grandchildren to to live in peace once and for all.
Related to the above aspirations, why should the Lebanese people, including the Hezbollah (or any other armed groups), be suicidal just to please Iran in its wars by proxy? When will Iran stop fighting with the blood of the Lebanese people, including Hezbollah members or lovers? Of course, Bambi is saying all this regardless of the slogan du jour, whether it is fight for “Quds” [Jerusalem], the resistance of Lebanon, God, the hate of Israel and the USA, fight in the so-called name of the innocent Palestinians, or just for the sake of fighting.
Bambi is grateful for her friend Yvonne for sharing a beautiful and moving 3.5 minute-long Dutch NOS documentary by Ms. Daisy Mohr.
Yes, bravo to the Baalbeck International Festival for staging the grand opera of Georges Bizet’s “Carmen” (https://tinyurl.com/yny66w3x) this summer despite the volatile security situation in Lebanon (https://tinyurl.com/5hdd65mr).
When Ms. Mohr asked Mr. Jorge Takla (https://tinyurl.com/cmtntjar), Stage Director, “what is your message” with this performance, his reply was: “It is to never abandon hope” .
Related to the above uplifting message, as Ms. Nayla de Freige, President of the Baalbeck International Festival, expressed at the end of this documentary: “Culture should be stronger than weapons“.
It is often said that “justice delayed is justice denied“. Sadly, the latter saying is pervasive in Lebanon to the point of being known as the “land of impunity”. When will the unfair history/culture of impunity end there? While waiting for what looks like an impossible dream, Bambi thanks Ms. Majida El Roumy for having shared this brief video excerpt on her Instagram account: https://tinyurl.com/43ww4wf6. May the memory of all those who lost their lives in the surreal Beirut explosion be eternal. May all the injured, grieving, and/or traumatized survivors be heard and healed. May truth and accountability finally prevail.
If you are a regular reader of this blog, you probably recall the two posts related to Dr. Timothy Jackson’s absurd, unfair, and revolting academic saga.
To begin with, and as a reminder, Dr. Timothy L. Jackson is an esteemed American music theory professor of Canadian origins. Ottawa-born, he received his B.A. (1979) from McGill University and PhD (1998) from the City University of New York. He spent most of his inspiring musicological career at the University of North Texaswhere he has specialized in the music of the eighteenth-twentieth centuries, including Schenkerian theory.
Of note, in addition to his academic talent, Dr. Jackson is a wonderful human being/man. Bambi had the honour to write a post about his ordeal in 2021. Later, she was interviewed in 2022, along with him, by the great professor of piano Ora Itkin from the University of St. Thomas (Saint Paul, Minnesota). These older posts are shared below.
in July of 2020, both the Journal of Schenkerian Studies and its Founder/Editor, Dr. Jackson were subjected to a massive censorship attempt over their reasonable efforts to counter an attack on Schenker as well Schenkerian music theorists, and even methodology. Dr. Jackson was absurdly and, of course wrongly, accused of being “racist”. The absurd saga took place in the context of what Bambi likes to call “our collectively insane times” where a music theory could be accused of being “white supremacist”.
Indeed, just for engaging in and sharing rigorous academic research, Dr. Jackson was the target of an evil campaign to destroy his career and academic reputation (https://tinyurl.com/yvkjj47x). Thankfully, he fought back by filing a lawsuit against his university, and maybe possibly also some of his colleagues, for violation of academic freedom and for defamation.
Well today, thanks to FAIR (https://tinyurl.com/yvkjj47x), Bambi JUBILATED when she learned about his “resounding victory for academic freedom and intellectual integrity“. Indeed, following “a hard-fought legal battle“, “Dr. Jackson has reached a $725,000 settlement with the University of North Texas, marking a decisive win against efforts to silence scholarly debate” on American university campuses (https://tinyurl.com/yvkjj47x). WOW. Bravo/”Mazel Tov” [Congrats] to dear Dr. Timothy Jackson!
It is promising to see what looks like reason, finally finding its way back to Dr. Jackson’s university, fostered by his inspiring tenacity in fighting back. Here, and if she may, Bambi will allow herself to congratulate his attorney or legal team as well as the Jacksons. This incredible success is a piece of good news not just to them, but also to each one of us, academics and citizens—human beings and deer too : )!
Long live academic freedom, freedom of expression, and reason. Long live musicology and music. To end this post with music as usual, Bambi offers Dr. Jackson two meaningful songs. The first famous German song about freedom of thought is sub-titled in English. As for the second song, it is the “Mabrouk” [Congrats] joyful Lebanese song by Mr. Rami Ayash :)!
Thanks to the Lebanese army for all its sacrifices over the years.
Bravo to all those who work/want to work for the best interests of Lebanon, including its new President et al.
If you are interested, below you can find an N Youtube short video subtitled in English.
Good luck to Bambi’s beautiful birth country, which deserves safety, dignity, justice, healing, reconstruction, sustainable peace, harmony, prosperity, and MUCH love.
Do you have a sense of humour, being funny yourself and/or appreciating humour? Do you like “Dabke”, the Levantine folk dance, like Bambi? If you do not know what it is, you may wish to consult the older post shared further below. If you do like it, you might have another reason to watch Mr. Rudy Ayoub’s multi-talent. Enjoy!
