Beirut, forgive us

The iconic Majida el-Roumi sings for Beirut.

History Repeats Itself, History Repeats Itself

In a previous post I wrote a couple of weeks ago, I shared a video for Ziad el-Rahbani. In it, Ziad reads out a message to a Lebanese militia fighter who died during the civil war. He died while blindly following the sectarian leaders – who are still around today. He died believing he was fighting for a bigger cause, but he wasn’t.

He and all of Lebanon died in vain, and as I mentioned in the post, we are still dying. Those “leaders” that we blindly follow, they live on. We don’t, though.

I won’t go on about that video, you can check it later.

The video I’m sharing today is also for Ziad el-Rahbani. Ziad is once again reading a message that was written during the civil war (1975-1990). The message, as always, is for all of Lebanon.

“History repeats itself,” Ziad says “but our history, I don’t know what’s wrong with it, it always repeats itself.”

He goes on saying: “Our history is unbelievable! It always repeats itself, but until when? Until when will it keep repeating itself?”

I think that is the question we should all be asking ourselves: “Until when?”

History doesn’t just repeat itself, we let it do so. We let Lebanon’s shameful history repeat itself; we allow this to happen.

Everything that is currently happening in Lebanon, all the painful events, they’ve happened before. But, as Ziad says, we “forget” and therefore we inevitably allow history to repeat itself.

“How can history repeat itself this often? How can it stand to do so?” Ziad says.

How can we allow history to repeat itself? How can we stand to do so? Why are we doing so? Haven’t we had enough?

What I feel like doing right now. (Photo via al-Adaab magazine)

You can watch the video here:

 

RIP Ali Chaaban

Al-Jadeed TV’s cameraman, Ali Chaaban, was killed on Monday in Wadi Khaled, on the northern Lebanese-Syrian borders while covering the clashes between the Syrian army and opposition.

Hussein Khreis – a reporter who was with Chaaban – confirmed that the crew had been on Lebanese side of the border when shots were fired at them from the Syrian side. The shots were fired by the Syrian army, according to Khreis, since that area is controlled by the army itself.

No journalist or cameraman should die while on duty.

My deepest condolences to Ali Chaaban’s family and friends, and to Al-Jadeed staff.

For a detailed account of what happened with Chaaban and the Al-Jadeed crew, read this article. For Arabic readers, you can read this piece, as well as this.

RIP Ali Chaaban

A message from Ziad el-Rahbani

A friend of mine recently shared this video: A Message to Fouad by Lebanese play-writer, composer, performer, musician and political commentator, Ziad el-Rahbani.

Ziad el-Rahbani in Wimpy Cafe, Hamra

Rahbani needs no introduction for my Lebanese and Arab readers. As for my international readers, Rahbani is known for his satirical plays and lyrics that target politicians, the political  establishment in Lebanon and even the Lebanese citizens (their mentality, mainly).

He is the son of Assi el-Rahbani (of the famous Rahbani brothers) and Fairouz – who also needs no introduction.

Ziad el-Rahbani and his mother, Fairouz

Ziad el-Rahbani as a child with his mother, Fairouz

Back to topic.

In the video – which is in Arabic – Rahbani reads out a message to a fighter in a Lebanese militia during the civil war (1975 – 1990) named Fouad.

Fouad died while fighting.

He died fully convinced that the leaders he follows know what is best for this country. He died fully convinced that those same leaders are worth dying for.

However, after his death, those turncoats of leaders changed, and changed their positions with them. Their foes became their friends, and their allies became their enemies. What they once considered wrong became right, and what was once right – what Fouad died for – became wrong.

Rahbani says: “If you could return today and see them, you will never go and fight with them and die. But you are dead now, and what can I do? You are dead now and you will never return.”

Fouad died in vain.

But it is not just Fouad who died in vain.

Lebanese – no, Lebanon – died in vain.

But the leaders live on. They are alive now, and they are living. We are dying.

We blindly follow, and die. They “lead”, then abandon us.

Yet we remain faithful, and keep following. And they lead us to carnage, bloodshed and devastation.

You don’t have to understand Arabic to understand Rahbani’s messages. Just look at the footage. Look at the leaders and the Lebanese, at Lebanon.

You can watch the video here:

[Note: this video was edited by my talented friend, Adeeb Farhat. And in this post the finger of blame is pointed at all political groups, not just one.]

Dragging Politics to the Court

Did the Lebanese basketball fans fail at separating politics from the sport?

My latest for al-Akhbar English; read more here.

نم يا خالد

Reblogged from جوعان... مواطن ضد الأنظمة المزورة:

خضر سلامة

ثقيلٌ يأتي نيسان، نفتح بابه بعيد الكذب، ثم نحصي موتانا، فهذه ذكرى جوليانو خميس، وتلك ذكرى فيتتوريو أريغوني، وغيرها من صفحة الوفيات التي لا تنتهي كل يوم في عالمٍ مريض بداء البكاء، واليوم، للفن حصة من المأساة، ندفن خالد تاجا.

من لا يعرف خالد تاجا؟ كبرنا على صورته وهو عجوز، بشارب أبيض يتكأ على هضاب تشبه قاسيون، فيها تجاعيد كأننا نقرأ فيها صورة قديمة لمجرى بردى، كان قامةً لا تنكسر، يشبه كل شيء نحبه، جدٌ نشتاق إليه في زحمة المدينة، أبٌ يلقننا قديم اللغة، وممثلٌ فذ، يخيط الضحكة تارة، والغضب تارة، والدفء دوماً، رحل خالد تاجا، وترك الفن العربي كمؤشر بورصة تستمر في الهبوط والانهيار، ترك الفن منكوباً بمال النفط، وانحلال النفط، وسقوط النفط.

If you’re going to watch #StopKony video, please read this first

As the headline says: if you’re going to watch Invisible Children’s Stop Kony 2012 video, or you’ve already watched it, please take some time and read this post on Foreign Policy’s website or this post by Ugandan journalist Angelo Izama as well.

Here’s one thing Invisible Children (IC) failed to mention about Kony: he’s not in Uganda.
IC might have also missed some other crucial details about Joseph Kony, the LRA and Uganda – and by some, I mean A LOT.
The video also oversimplifies an extremely complicated matter and doesn’t really provide all the facts about the country.

And for my Arabic-speaking readers, this post by Khodor Salemeh is spot on.

لبنان يقتل زاهد

Reblogged from جوعان... مواطن ضد الأنظمة المزورة:

خضر سلامة

بعد انتحار والده فقرا وعوزا العام الماضي، قرر زاهد أيضاً الانتحار..

يقف على كورنيش البحر، في بيروت المغتصبة كل يوم، هنا صادر ضابط شرطة نذل عربته لبيع القهوة، وسجنه شهراً لمخالفته قرار بلدية المدينة التي لا تعترف الا باغنيائها، بمنع البسطاء من العمل على الكورنيش: هذا الشاطئ لمطاعم المنتفخين مالاً فقط، هذا الشاطئ لمسابح خدم الحريرية السياسية فقط، هذا الشاطئ للمثقوبين من أسفل في صالونات رئيس الحكومة المعتكف عن واجباته وعن حقوق عمال البلد، يقف زاهد، آخر المواطنين في هذا الوطن، يقف زاهد كي يريح رأسه المثقل بالهموم، بصخرة في أسفل البحر.

She has had enough

In this video, a Lebanese woman named Jamilah gives the politicians and officials a piece of her mind. I guarantee, every Lebanese out there can relate to at least one thing she says.

She speaks of the sad reality we live in, the truth. You can hear the pain in her voice. Yes, there is pain and despair in her voice. There is pain and despair in all our voices, but we are good at hiding it.

Jamilah doesn’t hide it. She has had enough and she wants them to know.

This video is only a minute and a half long, and is in Arabic.

A Message to Humanity

Today, my friend shared with me this video of Charlie Chaplin’s speech in the film The Great Dictator. I already thanked my friend, but I think I should thank him again, and again.

The speech is truly inspirational and touches every person out there – every person with a functioning conscience.

I’ve heard of Chaplin’s speech, but I’ve never actually listened to it until today. And for everyone who’s never heard it yet, I highly recommend you do; it is definitely worth your time.

[Note: the images in the video are not from the film The Great Dictator]

Here is the text of Chaplin’s speech:

“I’m sorry, but I don’t want to be an emperor. That’s not my business. I don’t want to rule or conquer anyone. I should like to help everyone – if possible – Jew, Gentile – black man – white. We all want to help one another. Human beings are like that. We want to live by each other’s happiness – not by each other’s misery. We don’t want to hate and despise one another. In this world there is room for everyone. And the good earth is rich and can provide for everyone. The way of life can be free and beautiful, but we have lost the way.

“Greed has poisoned men’s souls, has barricaded the world with hate, has goose-stepped us into misery and bloodshed. We have developed speed, but we have shut ourselves in. Machinery that gives abundance has left us in want. Our knowledge has made us cynical. Our cleverness, hard and unkind. We think too much and feel too little. More than machinery we need humanity. More than cleverness we need kindness and gentleness. Without these qualities, life will be violent and all will be lost.

“The aeroplane and the radio have brought us closer together. The very nature of these inventions cries out for the goodness in men – cries out for universal brotherhood – for the unity of us all. Even now my voice is reaching millions throughout the world – millions of despairing men, women, and little children – victims of a system that makes men torture and imprison innocent people.

“To those who can hear me, I say – do not despair. The misery that is now upon us is but the passing of greed – the bitterness of men who fear the way of human progress. The hate of men will pass, and dictators die, and the power they took from the people will return to the people. And so long as men die, liberty will never perish.

“Soldiers! don’t give yourselves to brutes – men who despise you – enslave you – who regiment your lives – tell you what to do – what to think and what to feel! Who drill you – diet you – treat you like cattle, use you as cannon fodder. Don’t give yourselves to these unnatural men – machine men with machine minds and machine hearts! You are not machines! You are not cattle! You are men! You have the love of humanity in your hearts! You don’t hate! Only the unloved hate – the unloved and the unnatural! Soldiers! Don’t fight for slavery! Fight for liberty!

“In the 17th Chapter of St Luke it is written: “the Kingdom of God is within man” – not one man nor a group of men, but in all men! In you! You, the people have the power – the power to create machines. The power to create happiness! You, the people, have the power to make this life free and beautiful, to make this life a wonderful adventure.

“Then – in the name of democracy – let us use that power – let us all unite. Let us fight for a new world – a decent world that will give men a chance to work – that will give youth a future and old age a security. By the promise of these things, brutes have risen to power. But they lie! They do not fulfil that promise. They never will!

“Dictators free themselves but they enslave the people! Now let us fight to fulfil that promise! Let us fight to free the world – to do away with national barriers – to do away with greed, with hate and intolerance. Let us fight for a world of reason, a world where science and progress will lead to all men’s happiness. Soldiers! in the name of democracy, let us all unite!”