Soon the holy month of Ramadan will come to a end.
Yes, Eid el Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan, is around the corner.
For observant Muslims, fasting from dawn to dusk during Ramadan is one o the five pillars of their religion. The four other pillars of Islam are daily payers, the profession of faith, alms-giving, and pilgrimage.
Of course, not everyone wants or can fast. However, we all enjoy the spirit of this month where families and friends come together to break a daily fast and to celebrate Eid el Fitr.
Whether they fasted or not, from the bottom of her heart, Bambi wishes her dear readers, friends, and relatives a Happy Id. May they feel fulfilled by their faith. May their generosity return to them in surprising ways. May their hearts be filled with inner peace and love, along with hope, while their bellies are spoiled with delicious meals, shared with cherished ones.
In Lebanon, President Aoun (and former army commander) declared that the Hezbollah is “cooperative on the weapons issue” (https://tinyurl.com/mrxr9j4j) while Prime Minister Salam stated that “a page has been turned on Hezbollah’s weapons” (https://tinyurl.com/5453bkx7). The above comments sound promising up until we learn that the Head of the Hezbollah, Mr. Naim Qassem, recognizes the new phase, but “not without weapons” (https://tinyurl.com/5a3avh4c). For him, “this phase does not mean a change of principles, only an evolution of methods” (https://tinyurl.com/5a3avh4c).
If you find the above confusing, it is because this is Lebanon. Nothing is simple in this tiny yet highly complex country, with its conflicted past, current, and likely imminent history. Imagine how touchy the militia weapons’ issue must be in the context of the recent/current war with Israel, which weakened the Hezbollah, along with heavy destruction.
Bearing the above in mind, among the three Lebanese men mentioned in this post, where does the truth lie? The question that begs itself is the following: what is next for tiny Lebanon, which is sick and tired of endlessly absurd wars?
Year after year, especially since October 2023, the Al-Quds (Jerusalem) Day, has been promoted as being for the rights of the Palestinians. Most likely, and sadly, this annual event has nothing to do with justice for the Palestinian people. It just pretends to speak in the name of the Palestinians How sad. How unfair.
But what could the agenda of such global day be? Based on an article published in the BBC (Siavash Ardalan, 2013, ten years before the massacre of October 7, 2023), the idea of Al-Quds (Jerusalem) Day came from Mr. Ebrahim Yazdi, Iran’s second foreign minister after the revolution in 1979 (https://shorturl.at/Qal7X). We all know how much Iran is fond of Israel, namely with its famous chants of “Death to Israel“, in addition to “Death to America”.
Given the above, and in the context of increased antisemitism in Canada and worldwide, Torontonians of Jewish heritage are anxious. The police has been urged to protect Jews as reported by the National Post (https://shorturl.at/D6IDH).
Because of the potential for excesses in this protest (like past ones), “B’nai Brith Canada has urged the mayors of Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, and Vancouver to ban the event“.
In as much as Bambi disagrees with the approach of these events, she disagrees with the esteemed B’nai Brith Canada. Why? Because she is against cancel culture. In other terms, she is with freedom of expression for ALL, which includes the most radical voices within Islamism and wokeism.
It is Bambi’s hope that these protests, which are planned to take place on Sunday, the 23rd of March, will be as peaceful as possible, that is without expressed hatred and acts of vandalism.
As for the volatile and bloody Middle East, may God/G-D/Allah/No existing God(s) have mercy on ALL the innocent people of all sides and in all places.
Enough of absurd violence in the name of ideologies, including religious ones. Enough of individual and collective trauma. Enough of suffering. Just enough.
Yes, it will be March 17! Happy Saint Patrick’s Day!
As a Christian character, Saint Patrick is all about those beautiful values of universal love, forgiveness, kindness, understanding, and acceptance of the uniqueness of everyone.
To what extent are such values reflected in the behaviours of some in today’s Ireland?
Perhaps not much when it comes to the spitting and unkind words of rejection of an Israeli young man, Mr. Tamir Ohayon, who was recently visiting Ireland for a conference. He was told Zionists are not welcome in Ireland by a group of girls who made him feel scared and distressed in addition to receiving their saliva on (https://tinyurl.com/yhpdtbsu). In times of the Covid-19 pandemic, the latter behaviour would have been considered socially shocking.
Isn’t it sad when the level of intolerance is that high in some? Indeed, what is the fault of this young man? And even if he had served in the armed forces of his country, so what?
Mr. Ohayon could have been from Canada, the USA, Ukraine, Russia, Iran, Yemen, Syria, Lebanon or from anywhere. He could have served in the armed forces of any country, not just Israel, or even within a militia. As a visitor, he still deserves to be treated with civility.
Mind you, Bambi is saying the above, even if Israel (former occupier) has destroyed her birth country again, in addition to reoccupying it, in its war with the Hezbollah. As a reminder, this pro-Iranian Lebanese militia opened a battlefront with Israel on October 8, 2023, claiming to support the Palestinian cause (no clue how).
As for the government of Ireland, it is free to endorse one side of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as it did. Even if this endorsement seems unwise or biased, it is the approach that was chosen in external politics. One must respect this choice. However, when citizens of this beautiful country start aggressively mistreating visitors/tourists, it is worrisome.
May calmness, civility, respect, and dignity for all prevail nor just in Ireland, but everywhere, including Canada. May we all learn to separate ideologies from the personal treatment of individuals we encounter, even if they come from countries we may dislike.
To conclude this post, Happy Saint Patrick’s Day to all, including to these girls!
What do the three inspiring men mentioned in this post’s title have in common? Their immense talent, to begin with, mixed with their humanity, along with their moving LOVE for their birth countries, Algeria (Mr. Bruel and Mr. Macias) and Lebanon respectively (Dr. Saad). In addition to the above, they all also happen to be of Jewish ancestry.
Just because a piece of their identity is Jewish, after their families escaped war atrocities, they could not return to visit their places of birth. Sadly, they cannot show their families where they were born. As for their numerous fans there, they cannot even dream of meeting them in person. How sad. How absurd. How unfair for all.
This being said, Bambi was happy to learn today about Mr. Bruel’s recent trip to Algeria where people were very welcoming and sweet with him and with his mom. It seems that, after over 60 years abroad, they received an official invitation by the Algerian government to return for a visit, perhaps as a gesture of openness toward France?
When will Mr. Enrico Macias’ family also be able to visit his beloved Algeria, wondered the journalist in the short YouTube interview below?
In the same spirit, will Canada’s Dr. Gad Saad return to visit his cherished Lebanon of origin one day, if he wishes?
Bambi was in the mood of taking a few minutes to listen to both Aznavour and Girac after finishing a long day of work. She was well served, thanks to a YouTube video of Mr. Kendji Girac singing Mr. Charles Aznavour’s “La Mamma“. Bravo for his GREAT performance. If she may, she will dedicate the latter to all the mothers and maternal figures of the world, those with us and those in heaven.
Bambi happens to be currently reading a masterpiece of a book, which she highly recommends, entitled: “Les identités meurtrières” [its English version is: In the Name of Identity: Violence and the Need to Belong] (1998). This timely book, which was written by the inspiring Mr. Amine Maalouf, received a prestigious European prize, “le prix européen de l’essai Charles Veillon” in 1999.
The first part of this post shares an English translation of some of Mr. Maalouf’s book’s thought-provoking paragraphs (translation found on the internet).
As for the second part, it features a powerful song by Ms. Carol Samaha. The video shared below includes English subtitles. However, for your convenience, Bambi also shares the English lyrics (as reported in an older post).
Last but not least, this post ends with the soothing Hallelujah of the late yet great Leonard Cohen, as performed a capella in Arabic by the most talented Ms. Marilyne Naaman.
May the souls of all those who were helplessly massacred rest in peace (https://shorturl.at/5KgQN). May their memory be eternal. Despite the unbearable horror, may God know how to comfort the shattered hearts and souls of their loved ones.
“All the massacres that have taken place in recent years, as well as most of the bloody conflicts, are linked to complex and very old identity “issues”; sometimes the victims are desperately the same, as always; sometimes the relationships are reversed, yesterday’s executioners become victims and the victims transform into executioners”.AMINE MAALOUF
Taking the line of least resistance, we lump the most different people together under the same heading. Taking the line of least resistance, we ascribe to them collective crimes, collective acts and opinions. “The Serbs have massacred…”, “The English have devastated…”, “The Jews have confiscated…”, “The Blacks have torched”, “The Arabs refuse…”. We blithely express sweeping judgments on whole peoples, calling them “hardworking” and “ingenious”, or “lazy”, “touchy”, “sly”, “proud”, or “obstinate”. And sometimes this ends in bloodshed.” AMINE MAALOUF
“You can’t say history teaches us this or that; it gives us more questions than answers, and many answers to every question”. AMINE MAALOUF
“Doctrines are meant to serve man, not the other way around”.AMINE MAALOUF
Keeping the above in mind, it is now time for Ms. Samaha’s magnificent song, which includes English subtitles. For your convenience, you can find an English translation of the Lebanese-Arabic lyrics, followed by the singer’s moving performance.
“At the dawn of the third millennium, there is still hunger
Homeless children, crying and tears!
Let us end all wars, oh powerful nations
No to poverty
No to oppression
No to racism
Who are you? I would not question (I would not care)
But your sadness told me who you are.
I don’t know (care) which colour nor which religion.
All I know is that you are my brother
My brother in humanity
At the dawn of the third millennium, yet, there are still those exiled
People who have been in detention for years!
Let us, at the dawn of this new era when the world is so longing for peace
End all oppression
End all fear
And agree on justice
Who are you?
I would not question (I would not care),
But your sadness told me who you are.
I don’t know (care) which colour nor which religion.
All I know is that you are my brother, my brother in humanity
I come from the East
The land of faith
Our villages are the home of the sunrise and the colours of the time
From here to all the people (of the whole world) we send our greetings
May generations go and come on the path of freedom!
Who are you?
I would not question (I would not care),
But your sadness told me who you are.
I don’t know (care) which colour nor which religion.
All I know is that you are my brother, my brother in humanity”.
