Author: Bambi

“A political party as well as an armed group, Hezbollah has become caught up in a storm of protests sweeping the country. As part of the government, it has been accused of complicity in corruption and failing ordinary people” (France 24, November 2nd, 2019).

The response of the Lebanese people came today, clearer than ever: “All of them = all of them” (meaning all the politicians must step down, implicitly meaning the Hezbollah and their allies), as can be seen in this impressive demonstration of people from Tripoli and from elsewhere across the country. They did not even wait for dawn. All this happened during last night.

Another massive demonstration is currently under way in Beirut (where even psychologists and psychiatrists are offering FREE counselling, especially to parents worried about their children’s stress levels, as per the L’Orient Le Jour. Bravo for making room for mental health!).

Of course, all this seems to be a sort of a “peaceful” war between forces of Hezbollah (likely potentially diminishing, if Iran is being cornered by the USA? But who knows what is happening behind the scenes?) and forces pushing back (ALL, if not MOST of the people of Lebanon insisting on the end of corruption of all!).

Anyhow, Bambi wrote above MOST of the people because not everyone wants to be on the streets (from Day 1 likely) and some prefer their “own” streets, namely Hezbollah supporters or indirect Hezbollah supporters (supporting the President of Lebanon today and his party led by his own son-in-law, it seems). Perhaps they believe that Lebanon is better in his corrupt status quo. Perhaps they trust Hezbollah’s power in protecting them from I do not know what. Perhaps it is true that Hezbollah can be protective in addition to being corrupt, like the rest of its peers from the other parties.

Some fascist supporters even prefer to beat demonstrators, including women (see earlier post).

This crowd (counter-demonstration) is of course free to have its own opinion but it is sad not to see them hand in hand with the rest of the population, including and especially those literally risking their lives or losing their jobs, as described by the young Lebanese man in the video above [he is from Hezbollah’s own community and he wants to live in a “clean” (= non-corrupt) country, to use the own words of the President of the Lebanese Republic].

Lebanese people, and by extension, Middle-Easterners have a sad tradition of glorifying their own leaders or sometimes own clan (religious, tribal, etc.). Here, for the first time, we are watching a whole nation united in its demand: All of them means all of them.

Of course, we do not want to be naive. Things could degenerate but could change and the change can be for the best. Why not? Why should the destiny of a country be always fear, blood, and continuous immigration to search for safety and to feed one’s family. Why should families be shattered across the globe from generation to generation? Why should Bambi, and millions like Bambi, always worry about their loved ones’ safety and not know if they could see each other during their only opportunity of the year to hug each other. Why?

Isn’t enough enough? Regardless of whom will end up governing the country and having the bigger piece of the cake (whether in the government or outside it, whether in times of peace or unrest), let families live. Let people work. Relieve tax payers. Hands off Lebanon to all those external ferocious forces. No more proxy wars and no more internal stupid and corrupt governance.

Bambi is not a lawyer (thankfully, her spouse would have said—there are too many of them ?).

However, yesterday evening, she came across an interesting video by Dr. Bruce Pardy, Professor of Law at Queen’s University whom she happens to think highly of. Food for thought.

She is sharing here with the following disclaimer: If you are too rigid in your thinking, perhaps you need to relax your brain neurons before watching.

If you find the latter too challenging and become too triggered, you can always consider trying Rosenberg’ nonviolent communication (NVC). For a quick description, you may wish to read the earlier post :).

Ms. Roula Azar-Douglas is one of Bambi’s sisters living in Beirut, Lebanon. She is a journalist, editor, and author (in addition to being a PhD candidate and a mom).

Azar-Douglas’ article was published this morning in the Campus section of the L’Orient Le Jour (a francophone Lebanese daily). It is entitled “Apprendre aux jeunes à mieux communiquer”, which literally means “Let’s teach our youth how to better communicate”.

In each of her articles, Ms. Azar-Douglas highlights the inspiring work of students or researchers from across Lebanese university campuses and sometimes beyond.

Today, her article is about the work of Dr. Rita Ayoub, from the Université Saint-Joseph (USJ) who is promoting non-violent communication (NVC model or CNV in French), as a simple, practical yet non-magical way to counter broken communication and hate on social media and on the streets of Lebanon.

First, what is CNV or non-violent communication? This method or rather communication process was developed by Dr. Marshall Rosenberg, since the early 60s.

Dr. Rosenberg, who died in 2005, was an American clinical psychologist, a mediator, teacher, and author. His method supports partnerships and resolving conflicts among people, both in relationships and in society at large.

One of Rosenberg’s famous quotes goes as follows:

“Everything we do is in service of our needs. When this one concept is applied to our view of others, we’ll see that we have no real enemies, that what others do to us is the best possible thing they know to do to get their needs met.”

To come back to the Lebanese Dr. Ayoub, she is trained in Rosenberg’ non-violent communication and acts as the Coordinator of a Training Program in Islamo-Christian dialogue at the Institute of Islamo-Christian Studies of the USJ. Recently, she has offered demonstrators free sessions of 90-minute-training workshops in downtown Beirut.

With Rosenberg’s nonviolent communication, youth can learn to identify their own moral judgments against others in a specific moment.

With the use of words, the underlying idea is to allow them to move from their moral judgments into an expression of their own needs.

Together, they try to identify each person’s feelings when they are judging (e.g., someone may not accept that another person may have a different opinion or may not wish to participate in a demonstration or may judge those who are demonstrating, etc.).  

Of course, this process cannot help counter ferocious regional violent forces blowing on tiny Lebanon. However, it can perhaps help plant small seeds of peace in people’s minds, here and there, to keep communication channels open.

Who knows? This may in turn perhaps serve peace in the region in the bigger scheme of things.

This is crucial for a nation that is sick and tired of violence in the Middle East.

A country that simply wants to live in dignity and keep collective hope alive.

All this whilst courageously standing on top of a mountain facing a deep valley made up of the ghosts of civil and regional wars.

May respect and love prevail, despite the increased polarization in Lebanon.

Thank you Roula for your informative article:

Thanks Dr. Ayoub for promoting peace and life… instead of the culture of martyrdom.  

In the first part of this exclusive interview, Lebanese Interior Minister Raya Haffar El Hassan tells Ms. Becky Anderson that Lebanon’s “political elite can no longer weasel its way out of protestors”.

https://www.cnn.com/videos/world/2019/10/31/raya-haffar-el-hassan-lebanon-anderson-intv-ctw-part-1-vpx.cnn

In the second part of the interview, Ms. Raya Haffar El Hassan adds that “despite painful US sanctions against Hezbollah the group are part of the country’s social fabric — and aren’t going anywhere”.

https://www.cnn.com/videos/world/2019/10/31/connect-the-world-raya-haffar-el-hassan-pt-2-intv-vpx.cnn

Whilst searching the internet for the latest news from Lebanon, Bambi came across this interesting text by Dr. Khuri, the 16th and current President of the American University of Beirut (AUB).

Dr. Khuri is a hematologist/oncologist and a lung and head/neck cancer expert. His is also the Editor-in-chief of ACS Journal Cancer.

His article is entitled “Lebanon Doesn’t Need Heroes. The destiny of the well-intentioned citizen leader need not always be that of the martyr”.

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/11/lebanon-protests-role-university/601084/

Further below is a translation of the article by Mr. Martineau entitled “A stain on Canada”.

https://www.journaldemontreal.com/2019/10/31/une-tache-sur-le-canada

Before, here is the link to the original editorial in the Globe & Mail:

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/editorials/article-the-federal-parties-embarrassed-themselves-over-bill-21-during-the/#comments

“Do you think the debate on Bill 21 is over?

Do you think that the federal campaign is behind us and that we will finally be able to turn the page and move on?

Sorry, but I have bad news for you: it’s just beginning.

A poison text

On Monday, The Globe and Mail, the largest and most influential newspaper in the country, considered by many to be the thermometer of the Canadian left, published a devastating editorial on Bill 21.

This is not a comment, an opinion piece or a chronicle, which is binding its author only.

Rather, this is an editorial, which represents the point of view of a newspaper.

Of all the negative texts that have been written about Bill 21, it is by far the most ferocious and enraged.

According to The Globe and Mail, Jagmeet Singh, Andrew Sheer and Justin Trudeau dishonored themselves by not condemning the “odious” Bill 21 during the electoral campaign.

“This opportunistic betrayal of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms was only a cynical strategy to win seats in Québec,” it says.

“The leaders of the NDP, the Conservative Party and the Liberal Party have turned their backs on vulnerable populations, leaving the Québec government trampling on their most fundamental rights.

Bill 21 is a blot on Canada and Québec. It prevents people, even people who are born, raised and educated here in Canada, from teaching, becoming police officers, judges or prosecutors, and from holding a variety of jobs in the public service sector in Québec. “

(There is neither a mention of the “grandfather” clause, which allows existing public servants to keep their religious sign, nor of the fact that Bill 21 only applies to officials in positions of authority. Bof, as they say in English: Never let the facts get in the way of a good story).

“The victims of Bill 21 do not need friends who show up to court years later. They need those who sit in the federal Parliament to recognize that something very ugly and very unfair is happening right now in Québec, and that they find the political courage to confront this Bill that everyone with eyes sees as discriminatory. “

A national shame

A reminder to the readers: this text is not any insignificant letter to the editor published in an obscure weekly. It is rather an Editorial published in the most important daily newspaper in our country.

The newspaper that foreigners may read, if they wish to take the pulse of Canada.

Nevertheless, and at least, this text has the merit of being clear: for the Canadian media elite, Bill 21 is a national shame that must be fought tooth and nail.

It does not matter if it was adopted by a democratically elected government and if 70% of Québecers support it.

Canada cannot accept such a Bill on its territory.

It is more or less an open declaration of war. A peaceful war, of course. It is still a war though, make no mistake.

The most influential newspaper in the country is asking the federal government to fight a provincial Bill that was passed – with popular support – by a democratically elected government!

And some still find that we have our place in this country?”

Bambi cannot go to sleep without taking the time to quickly comment on the following CBC article she read earlier today. It means a lot for her to do so:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/prayer-removed-remembrance-day-jubilee-elementary-school-1.5341641

Year after year, we see respect toward our veterans eroded a little bit more.

Since when a prayer is not “inclusive” by definition?

A prayer is all about spirituality.

Spirituality is a moment (or a longer journey) of inner peace, of hope, of gratitude, of love, and of communion with others.

Whether we believe in God, in Gods or Goddesses, or not at all, this prayer is meant to provide us with a sense of peace, a moment of reflection, a connection with the past for a better future, a communion with our inner selves, with human beings, with nature, with the creator if we believe/want to believe or if we just take the time to respect.

Most importantly, such prayer (whether silent or filled with wise words) is our traditional way of pausing to honour those who have served and survived as well as those who lost their lives whilst serving.

It is also an indirect way of saying thank you and for asking for the protection of those risking their lives to make our world safer, more peaceful, and freer, etc.

Last weekend, in a different town, at a workshop meant for families, Bambi promised family members organizing/hosting the public outreach event to take the time in her welcoming words to pause to honour three individuals who took their lives in the past weeks in this community (after losing their battle with mental health).

The whole audience of families, staff, physicians, and clinicians closed their eyes with Bambi for a minute of silence. This brief, silent pause was also meant to send positive vibes to families and friends in their grief journey.

No one felt offended or triggered. No one questioned the relevance of the gesture.

Last year, at another public event in our own town, one of the invited speakers was from a First Nations community. She asked Bambi if she can say a prayer (mind you, she did not ask to recognize the land). Bambi’s answer was: “Of course. Please do so!”

At the end of the event, Bambi asked this colleague if she wishes to close the event with a prayer. This colleague asked another speaker to do so. This is how it was spontaneously done.

The spiritual circle was closed.

Again, no one felt offended or triggered. No one questioned the relevance.

So. how can we be so unwell in our current society to the point of cutting all the bridges with whom we are, with our history, and with the transmission of traditions and memories to our children?

George Santayana said it so well: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it”.

How sad all this, to say the least.

How insulting to our veterans and to the memory of our ancestors and loved ones.

Indeed, such a ceremony is also a sort of tribute to the values our veterans defended to allow us to live peacefully and in freedom.

Ironically, there are many people around the world (ie. in Lebanon for sure!) who are dreaming to have a beautiful country like Canada or… to immigrate to it.

Thus, to come back to the CBC article, as a sad conclusion to this post, Bambi thinks that one reader’s comment summarizes the situation well in one single word: “Garbage”.

Regardless of the outcome of this revolt journey, perhaps for the first time of their history, Lebanese people did not blame neither external powers nor the overburden from 1-2 millions of refugees (nor anything else).

Instead, they have blamed their failed political system (all these politicians they have either elected, re-elected, or found themselves stuck with since the “end” of civil war).

For this, bravo to the people of Lebanon. They have tried to force their politicians to do some introspection (for those capable of it) in order to be accountable to them.

UNITED in their demonstrations across all major cities and smaller villages, they have all waved Lebanese flags ONLY, not just on the streets but also on their social media platforms (i.e., their beloved WhatsApp included :)).

Perhaps their demand of a caretaker government (until future elections) is naive given the vicious external forces and the internal loyalty of some for such or such regional powers?

Regardless of the outcome of this deep crisis, Lebanese people can sleep on their pillows, or in their temporary tents on the streets, with peace of mind and pride.

They have dared to dream a new Lebanon!

They have learned the (survival) value of unity.

They had the courage to demand accountability.

They are questioning sectarianism.

They are not dump. To use the expression of Mr. Pierre Haski (French journalist), “they know they are sitting on a top of a volcano, after PM Hariri’s resignation”:

https://www.franceinter.fr/emissions/geopolitique/geopolitique-30-octobre-2019

May their inspiring unity protect them in the next stages of Lebanon’s history, regardless of the outcome.

Prime Minister Hariri resigned:

Here is an article published by the CBC:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/lebanon-pm-resigns-protests-1.5339325

Bambi’s nephew was right there, attending one of his university’s lectures at the site of the demonstration (perhaps under one of these tents. Who knows?!). Thank Goodness he left the place a few moments before the horrible violent attacks that were luckily widely condemned.

NO to violence!! And NO to government corruption!

Yes to democracy. Yes to a reborn Lebanon where people live in peace, respect, freedom, prosperity, love, and fun.

No more wars (civil or other), no more deceptions (internal or external), and no more stupid governance.

Sectarianism has failed, period. The people of Lebanon do not want to be divided in tribes, in groups (religious, political, and what have you).

They want a UNITED Lebanon. They = We = Bambi… We are ALL aching with you Lebanon, whether we “live in you” or “you live in us”, as one Moncton resident said so well at the Moncton Lebanese Association support gathering the other day.