Author: Bambi

In Canada, Western University had to pull a poster of two women dressed in hijabs kissing due to complaints.

Canadian university pulls LGBTQ poster after Muslim community complains

In Lebanon, a world’s famous animation will not be screened because of a lesbian kiss. Thanks to journalist Roula Douglas for her thoughtful words that translate into English as follows: “They do not have any problem with scenes of rape, torture, mutilation, and of war… but a kiss between two consenting people of the same sex is a categorical NO“.

What is the message being given here? There is no same-sex love in the Muslim community? Only in other communities? Does that make any sense? Today, it is a poster, or an animation, pulled under pressure. Tomorrow, what? Pushed to the extreme of the extreme, it can be human beings that would be pushed or hanged, as it happens sadly in some Islamic countries of our world (do you research and read about it, if you do not believe Bambi).

To conclude this post on musical note, Mr. Enrico Macias’s wonderful song on tolerance naturally comes to Bambi’s mind. Below you can find an English translation of it by Bambi (from an older post) followed by the song interpreted by a certain talented Mr. Pascal Leyman.

First, here are the lyrics in English, followed by the original French:

“Tolerance is proof of love and intelligence

Tolerance is respect for life in all countries

Tolerance is to have a lot of indulgence for your neighbour

Open your heart instead of clenching your fists

For no reason for nothing

All forgiven for the tears

Of a child or of a woman

We are never loved

By fear or by severity

Understanding the ideas of others

Without wanting to impose our own

It is in this world a virtue

That we lost

Tolerance is reasoning about the passions of difference

Tolerance means recognizing to everyone their divine rights

Tolerance is the last chance for today’s humans

If they don’t want to no longer live in freedom

in a few years

Despite the many disagreements that still exist between us

Everything can be discussed if we know how to forgive first

Whatever the naysayers of all stripes can write

Mourning the future, I still refuse

Tolerance will eventually win out over backbiting

And on that day, on earth

There won’t be happier than me”

Original French lyrics of Mr. Macias’ song:

« La tolérance, c’est une preuve d’amour et d’intelligence
La tolérance, c’est le respect de la vie dans tous les pays
La tolérance, c’est d’avoir pour son prochain beaucoup d’indulgence
Ouvrir son cœur au lieu de fermer les poings
Sans raison pour rien

Tout excusé devant les larmes
D’un enfant ou bien d’une femme
On est jamais aimé
Par crainte ou par sévérité
Comprendre les idées des autres
Sans vouloir imposer les nôtres
C’est dans ce monde une vertu

Que nous avons perdue

La tolérance, c’est raisonner les passions de la différence
La tolérance, c’est reconnaitre à chacun tous ses droits divins
La tolérance, c’est pour les hommes d’aujourd’hui la dernière chance
S’ils ne veulent pas ne plus vivre en liberté
dans quelques années

Malgré les nombreux désaccords qui entre nous existent encore
Tout peut se discuter si l’on sait pardonner d’abord
Qu’importe ce que peuvent écrire les défaitistes de tous bords
Porter le deuil de l’avenir, je m’y refuse encore

La tolérance finira par l’emporter sur la médisance
Et ce jour là, sur terre
Il n’y aura pas plus heureux que moi»

This post aims to share a song that came to Bambi’s mind at the end of this long day.

Who knows? You may already know this 1973 French melody. You may or may not like it. As far as Bambi is concerned, she loves it. If you wish, you can listen to it, thanks to the Youtube video below with English sub-titles.

Thank you, Mr. Michel Sardou, for your beautiful song entitled “La maladie d’amour” [Love sickness]!

For Bambi, it is clear: The University of Québec in Rimouski (UQAR) owes Dr. Frédéric Bastien (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fr%C3%A9d%C3%A9ric_Bastien) apologies for having prevented him from giving a talk on its campus. It also owes Québeckers an explanation as to why other politically-oriented talks are regularly offered on its campus, but not this one? Is it because Dr. Bastien has criticized in the past extreme multiculturalism, which lends itself to movements like wokeism. Student associations have been highly critical of him because of the latter ( ttps://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1890283/conference-liberte-academique-universitaire-historien-frederic-bastien-universite-rimouski)?

Should the UQAR apologize to the general public for having been yet another Canadian university attacking academic freedom? Today it is the turn of Dr. Bastien. Tomorrow whom? And the day after tomorrow whom?

Isn’t enough enough, Canada? Indeed, it is about time to start re-committing to the principle of freedom, as a value or a principle. Bambi means by this a respect for the freedom of expression for ALL and respect of the rights of ALL. It is only when we return to principles for the sake of principles that our rights will be truly protected and respected. This means respect of freedom (i.e., Academic-Freedom-Freedom of expression) for ALL of us, not just the most powerful people, regardless of whom they are, at a particular time in history. In other terms, when one of us is under attack, we are all at risk of being under attack in the future. Make no mistake, it can happen to you too. it is just a question of time.

All this being said, Bambi sends her FULL solidarity to Dr. Bastien who filed a complained to the Commission des droits de la personne. Good for him! Bravo also to the CEGEP of Rimouski for welcoming him on its campus to give his talk!

On a more personal note, too bad Bambi is busy now, she would have gladly driven all the way to Rimouski to listen to this outstanding historian, lecturer, and journalist. She enjoys reading him and learning from him. It is her hope that younger Canadian generations will learn how to learn from all conferences and historical or scientific point of views. It is surely not by censoring our intellectuals that our universities will teach them how to build their critical sense and widen their horizons.

To conclude this post on a musical note, two songs come to Bambi’s mind. Both are on the value of freedom, thanks to Mr. Georges Moustaki (Ma Liberté sub-titled in English) and Ms. Nana Mouskouri’s song for liberty.

How can life be so cruel?

This post will be brief. It is an expression of a heartache, a thought, a prayer…

According to l’Orient le jour citing ANSA (https://www.lorientlejour.com/article/1302419/crash-dun-helicoptere-macron-exprime-sa-solidarite-avec-la-fille-dune-victime-libanaise.html), in a tragic helicopter crash that took place yesterday on Mount Cusna, Tamara’s dad lost his life, along with the Italian pilot and five other businessmen (including four Turkish and one Lebanese peer, Mr. Chadi Kreidi). May the memory of all the victims be eternal and may God know how to comfort their loved ones.

To come back to Ms. Tamara Tayah, when she was just 11 years old (less than two years ago), she lost her mother to the surrealistic Beirut port explosion. Back then, Mr. Macron gave her a big comforting hug during his trip to Lebanon. To thank him and honour the memory of her mother, she offered him a handmade jewellery by her. Bambi had an older post on this moving story (post shown further below). As a reminder, the French President reached out to the devastated residents of Beirut, after the surrealistic blast, before any Lebanese politician; none of them went to to comfort their “own” people.

Today, Mr. Macron expressed his heartfelt condolences to Tamara by writing the following on social media (Meta, formerly Facebook), as reported by l’Orient Le Jour: “If I got involved, if I remained mobilized for Lebanon and that I remain fully mobilized today, it is for Tamara and the hope that she embodies, that of Lebanese youth“… “On September 1, 2020 in Beirut, I heard many moving testimonies. There is one that particularly touched me, it is that of little Tamara”… “In an accident in Italy, Tamara lost her dad. I want to tell her that I share her pain and that my thoughts are with her in this terrible ordeal. More than ever with all my heart with her”.

Thank you Mr. Macron for your humanity and care for Tamara. If she may, Bambi would like to join the French President in sending her heart to you Tamara (without having had the chance to hug you in life). She does not have any meaningful word in neither Arabic nor French. Just a song-prayer for your dad through the moving (French) words and beautiful voice of Mr. Nicola Ciccone. It is entitled “Oh toi mon père“. Bless your grieving heart… You take good care Tamara, please.

—

Mr. Macron hugs 11-year-old Tamara after she offered him a handmade jewellery by her mother who died in the Beirut explosion. If only for her, will he succeed in pressuring the corrupt Lebanese authorities to reform and collaborate in the investigation?

Fairouz’ “Ya Ana Ya Ana” in Arabic (its original music is Mozart’s Symphony #40) and Aznavour’s “Emmenez-moi” (subtitled in English) are two beautiful songs, which are taking Bambi far away in her mind right now… ahead of the weekend.

Enjoy the end of your week, whatever you will be doing or wherever you will be :)!

Two days ago, New Brunswick (NB) welcomed 170 Ukrainians who arrived in a chartered flight. They escaped the bloody conflict in their home country (https://www2.gnb.ca/content/gnb/en/news/news_release.2022.06.0299.html: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/new-brunswick-ukrainian-immigrants-1.6480065).

Many NB families have opened their own houses, in addition to their hearts, to host our newcomers until they find long-term housing. If this is not generosity, what it is then?

This gesture is not surprising for Bambi who has witnessed the generosity of her fellow citizens when Syrian newcomers arrived to Canada a few years ago.

This being said, this brief post will conclude with two songs by Mr. Enrico Macias: Of course, his famous “J’ai quitté mon pays” [I left my homeland] and “Les gens du Nord” [People of the North]. The first song, sub-titled in English, is about the sadness of being torn away from our birth country. The second song is full of tenderness. It is about the kindness and generosity of the people of our host country. It is precisely this generosity that makes the whole difference for migrants despite the challenges inherent in their adaptation process.

She does not know about you, but Bambi is always moved to hear Mr. Macias’ beautiful words that go like this: “ People of the North always open their doors to those who have suffered. People of the North don’t forget they’ve been through hell. If their houses are lined up, it is for the sake of equality. And the peniches, poor or rich, bear the fruit of their efforts.“

To the Ukrainian newcomers, Bambi will now allow herself to say: Welcome to New Brunswick/Atlantic Canada. May peace know how to find its way back to your birth country. Along with the kindness of NB people, may your own peace of mind be your best friend throughout your good and bad days.

Bambi discovered a wonderful singer yesterday evening while working. Thanks again to her Lebanese-American radio station from LA 🙂 . She now learned that Ms. Yasmina Joumblatt, singer and songwriter, is the “great-granddaughter of the legendary 1930s diva Asmahan” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asmahan). Wow!

Anyhow, her voice is SO beautiful…

Her message is moving (in French, with a sentence in Arabic, sub-titled in English).

Yesterday, Bambi learned from Reuters that “Lebanon warned Israel on Sunday against any “aggressive action” in disputed waters where both states hope to develop offshore energy, after a ship arrived off the coast to produce gas for Israel” (https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/lebanon-warns-against-any-israeli-aggression-disputed-waters-2022-06-05/).

Today she read in Naharnet that “Israel is relieved over border row after Iran reassured it on Hizbollah” (https://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/290238-report-israel-relieved-over-border-row-after-iran-reassured-it-on-hizbullah).

We can read the above piece of information with relief, and even joy, that apparently there will not be a round of war over the latest confrontation in Lebanon. Plus another reassuring news is that Lebanon wants US mediation to help solve this new crisis (https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20220606-lebanon-wants-us-mediation-after-israel-gas-ship-move) and Israel states that this gas dispute can be resolved “diplomatically” (https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/gas-dispute-with-lebanon-be-resolved-diplomatically-says-israeli-defmin-2022-06-06/). How wonderful if fairness in diplomacy can have the last word. Thanks to the United States if they will accept Lebanon’s invitation.

Bambi does not know much about the history or story behind this latest development. She just knows that the people of her birth country have suffered from domestic political paralysis for a LONG time. Her questions today are neither about the “(still) official enemy” of Lebanon, Israel, nor about Lebanon or even the Hezbollah. Her questions are about how the fate of a tiny supposedly sovereign country is decided, far away, in another country: What does sovereignty mean? Does the international community care about Lebanon’s sovereignty, like it cares or would care for other conflicts? Is this story strictly about gas or could it be related to the larger problem in the area about the nuclear ambitions of Iran? Or is just raising the latter question a form of a “conspiracy theory” by Bambi, as they say, she wonders now?

Anyhow, regardless of any question, what matters the most is to ALWAYS allow diplomatic channels of communication, even through a third party, to have the last word. Only a good communication, ideally along with good faith by all (as much as realistically possible), can solve imminent problems and prevent long-term armed conflicts in our world. In the end, we have no choice but to return to the negotiation table to solve the world’s problems, even when they last for 15 years like the Lebanese civil war (1975-1990). Last but not least, it is Bambi’s hope that Lebanon will not be used as a battleground for (any failed?) US Middle Eastern policy.

To conclude this post on a light musical note, and if she may with all due respect, Bambi would like to offer this kids’ song entitled “I am a good listener” to the US mediator, Mr. Amos Hochstein (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amos_Hochstein), if he will re-visit Lebanon soon. Best wishes!

Sometimes Bambi likes to hear the same song over and over. There is something soothing about repetition in life (when it does not becoming boring to death :).

Seriously, since yesterday evening, one song has been on Bambi’s mind, even before closing her eyes to sleep. It is called Bayti Ana Baytak [My home is yours] and it is like a prayer (spiritual). Thank you Fairouz and the Rahbani Brothers for the Key Guardian album, which includes this beautiful melody. In Arabic, the album in question is called Natourit el Mafatih.

Did you know that tiny Lebanon,10,452 km² (4,036 sq mi), has several small islands, including the largest one called the”Rabbit Island” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_islands_of_Lebanon)?

The overall area of the Rabbit Island is about 4.2 km ² (likely also including the two smaller islands of Ramkeen and Sanani). It is located 5.5 Km from the coast, namely from the Noth-West of Elmina, Tripoli.

Now, if you are curious about the cute name of this island, like Bambi has been during her childhood, here is its origins: It comes from the LARGE number of rabbits that were grown on it during the French mandate of Lebanon in early 1920s (Lebanon got its independence on November 22, 1943). Cool, isn’t it? Here is picture of a rabbit for you taken from Plus 961 (https://plus961.blog/2020/07/16/8-things-you-didnt-know-about-rabbits-island/).

Before showing you two short yet fun videos featuring this island that Bambi found on YouTube, here are some interesting pictures and facts.

The first picture comes from 961:

The Story Of Tripoli’s Rabbit Island In Lebanon

The next picture below shows another resident of the island, thanks also to Plus 961. Well, as can you see it is a beautiful giant sea turtle!

This picture of the giant sea turtle is now bringing Bambi perhaps 37 years ago [when she was born : ). That was a joke obviously]. She was a teenager at the time on a kayak by herself across from the coast of a city North of Beirut, called Jounieh. She saw five giant turtles floating and looking completely still. Her excitement to bump into them did not last long as she quickly understood that something was deeply wrong about them. She quickly reached the shore and called for help. Two men came and checked on them. They were divers and experts of the sea. Their verdict was that the five turtles got killed by the heavy shelling the night before that morning. Leaving this very sad story behind, Bambi will now share a happier scene with you:

OK, enough of rabbits and turtles now and back to the island itself and its human guests, the tourists.

Indeed, there will be a last fact or fun human story for you before the two promised videos, which will be followed by three songs, to end this post on a musical note.

First, we will hear our own Mr. Daniel Lavoie singing in French, with English sub-titles, J’ai quitté mon île [I left my island]. Second, if you wish, you can hear a very talented Lebanese singer discovered lately by Bambi, thanks to a Lebanese-American internet radio station. Her name is Ms. Christina Haddad. Her first song does not need any introduction as it is Madonna’s La Isla Bonita. Last but not least, Mr. Haddad’s last song is actually on of Bambi’s favourite ones in life, as you may know. Yes, it is the Egyptian Three dakat [3 heart beats] about a summer love on the beach. Ms. Haddad interprets it in her unique way and pace. Bambi hopes you will enjoy it.

Before letting music have the final word, it is time now for the last historical piece of information related to the Lebanese islands that Bambi mentioned earlier. Thank you Plus 961 for the interesting information!