Response from a friend--
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You tell all the critics that Arabs make the best husbands! They are emotional, loving, caring, and protective. Even if the Arab husband asks a lot from his wife, he also gives her a lot.
It's all how you look at it.
Besides, Lebanon is not Saudi Arabia. I don't think you have to worry about him trying to throw a burka on you!
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So however much I criticize the idea of marrying an Arab, I am doing it. I know Mohamad will be an amazing husband, and I love that he is so loving, caring, and protective.
That said, I'm still talking to everyone.
The other day, it was with an American woman married to a Lebanese man who's been living here for 12 years with their 3 daughters. We'll call her Lois. She's the warden for the U.S. Embassy. That's a volunteer position, serving as an informal link between the Embassy and Americans. But her main job it seems has been smuggling women out of here. Her stories seemed endless . . .
1) Every time this American woman would take out the trash, she would take a bag of stuff to Lois's. After a couple weeks, while her husband was doing business in the Gulf, she came in the middle of the night with her two daughters, took the stuff, and got on a plane. She got to call her husband from the U.S. to say screw you, you're never seeing your kids again.
This is a good story.
2) One women was remarried in the U.S. The Lebanese ex-husband was getting tired of having to go to the U.S. every summer to see his kids. So he convinced his ex-wife to bring them to Europe. At some U.S. consulate, they signed a paper that he would bring them back August 28 (I don't know what year.)
She hasn't seen them since. Papers and signatures don't mean crap in Lebanon.
3) A Swedish woman came with her 2 kids and Lebanese husband to Lebanon to visit the family for 2 weeks one summer. After being in the apartment he rented for three days, with no sign of them, he calls her, "Oh. I'm divorcing you and taking the kids. Bye."
That's it. She has to leave--no kids.
4) After 28 years of marriage, one American woman finds out that her husband has been married to another woman for the past 4 years. She even lives in the same vilage. But hey, he was always "traveling." She found out because he had a new baby with the new wife.
Apparently, the man had some sort of midlife crisis when his kids turned 19. So he had to marry a new girl and get a new baby. Stuff like this is acceptable for some people here.
5) One American finally got her and the kids to the U.S. The kids had never set foot in the U.S. and had no American papers. Get this (and this is hard to believe, but she told me it really happened.) Because the mother hadn't established a domicile and had no job, she couldn't prove that could take care of her children, and without permission of the father, it looked like she kidnapped her own children. I'm not really sure of the details on this one. But the U.S. would not allow her children to enter the country. (Someone else can explain that to me.)
6) The Lebanese mother-in-law took one American woman's 9 and 4 year old away. But the 9-year old was such a pain in the ass to the grandmother and the whole family, they gave him back.
And these things aren't anomolies. They're actually very common.
So I ask Lois, "How can you stay here? You just told me you had a fight with your mother-in-law because she told your children that her Christian grandparents are going to hell."
"Yeah. We all make the decision to live here, knowing that at any minute, our husbands can throw us out of the house and take our kids. But marriage is marriage, you have to trust your husband. And anyways, he knows I'd take a gun to his head if he tried to pull anything."
"And if he dies."
"Hopefully, there won't be a problem with the family. But either way, I know people everywhere, I can get me and my kids out."
Maybe that's just the reality I'll have to live with. If anything happens to my husband and they stop us at the airport, I figure out another way to get them out. It's such a cloak and dagger, paranoia mindset . . . I think that's what happens when you live in the "Arab world" for a while. All these conspiracy theories/ paranoia situations take on a sort of normalcy.
December 1, 2006
It's so tense
They decided not to cancel school today. Instead, we have early dismissal at 12. Still our classes were less than half full.
Last night, Sanyoura spoke. He told the people to put out the Lebanese flags. Where I was in Beirut--Caracol Druze (a mostly Sunni area)--people put out their flags, shot fire works, and started marching down the street, banging drums.
Hizbollah people started camping out last night in Martyr's Square, where they protesters made a tent city a year and a half ago after Hariri died, calling for Syria Out.
Hizbolla says they will peacefully protest until the government steps down. They want new elections. Because they know it will give them more power.
Last year, in my History classes, we kept talking about the fact that Lebanon never had Truth and Reconciliation Trials after its Civil War. It's like the Lebanese never liked to talk about it. The national curriculum doesn't teach 1975-1991. There was Taif Accords and Syria stayed. But those underlying causes--an undemocratic, non-representative governmental structure and the interests of foreign powers (Israel, US, Syria, and Iran)--all still exist.
I don't think Civil War will break out. But I'm tired of stupid predictions. Who knows what's going to happen. And isn't it ironic that the General Security has my passport. That was my situation the last time the sh-- hit the fan, i.e. when the July War started.
Speculations and rumors are crazy. A couple days ago, it was Americans were told by their government to leave by December 1 (Oh wait, that's today.) The Embassy actually had to send out an e-mail to deny the rumor.
But everyone is tense. Today, the guy in the copy room was crying. I thought it was because his friend left. No, it's just all this.
Last week, when Pierre Gemayal was killed, I went to Aley to stay with my best friend. Her husband was crying too, while he was watching the news.
There's something really grim about watching grown men cry.
Last night, Sanyoura spoke. He told the people to put out the Lebanese flags. Where I was in Beirut--Caracol Druze (a mostly Sunni area)--people put out their flags, shot fire works, and started marching down the street, banging drums.
Hizbollah people started camping out last night in Martyr's Square, where they protesters made a tent city a year and a half ago after Hariri died, calling for Syria Out.
Hizbolla says they will peacefully protest until the government steps down. They want new elections. Because they know it will give them more power.
Last year, in my History classes, we kept talking about the fact that Lebanon never had Truth and Reconciliation Trials after its Civil War. It's like the Lebanese never liked to talk about it. The national curriculum doesn't teach 1975-1991. There was Taif Accords and Syria stayed. But those underlying causes--an undemocratic, non-representative governmental structure and the interests of foreign powers (Israel, US, Syria, and Iran)--all still exist.
I don't think Civil War will break out. But I'm tired of stupid predictions. Who knows what's going to happen. And isn't it ironic that the General Security has my passport. That was my situation the last time the sh-- hit the fan, i.e. when the July War started.
Speculations and rumors are crazy. A couple days ago, it was Americans were told by their government to leave by December 1 (Oh wait, that's today.) The Embassy actually had to send out an e-mail to deny the rumor.
But everyone is tense. Today, the guy in the copy room was crying. I thought it was because his friend left. No, it's just all this.
Last week, when Pierre Gemayal was killed, I went to Aley to stay with my best friend. Her husband was crying too, while he was watching the news.
There's something really grim about watching grown men cry.
November 28, 2006
Not Without My Daughter
After living in Lebanon for three months, I came home for Christmas break. At the meal at my aunt's house, I kept getting warnings about not marrying an Arab.
"Have you seen that movie, Not Without My Daughter?"
Actually, I didn't know if I had seen it. But I know the gist.
"Don't worry. I'm not marrying an Arab. Those people don't know how to treat women. Even if a guy says he's cool with a women being independent and being able to do her own thing, he's been spoiled by his mama his whole life, and will expect me to cook and clean after him, like a maid."
So I've pretty much been thinking that for the past year and a half.
And now look at me. I want to marry an Arab.
And you should really see the reactions. The strong negative reaction is almost equal amongst my Lebanese and American female friends.
Only the people who know Mohammad and know me are cool with it. But if anyone hasn't met him yet, I get completely accosted by. . .Do you know what you're going into.
And yeah, it's not pretty. Women have no rights in these countries. It doesn't matter if you're under the jurisdiction of Christian, Muslim, or Druze courts, basically a woman can't ask for divorce, has not claim to the custody of her children if they're between the ages of 7 and 14, and cannot guarantee her female daughters their inheritance. Of course, the details are different for the 18 official religious sects in Lebanon. But really, it's all bad.
It makes me wonder what Western woman would willingly give up her basic human rights to marry an Arab and live in his turf?
Right now, I don't have to worry about it so much because we'll get married in the U.S. That has more to do with technical visa/residence issues more than anything.
But there's a whole bog of Personal Status Law that I need to wade through.
"Have you seen that movie, Not Without My Daughter?"
Actually, I didn't know if I had seen it. But I know the gist.
"Don't worry. I'm not marrying an Arab. Those people don't know how to treat women. Even if a guy says he's cool with a women being independent and being able to do her own thing, he's been spoiled by his mama his whole life, and will expect me to cook and clean after him, like a maid."
So I've pretty much been thinking that for the past year and a half.
And now look at me. I want to marry an Arab.
And you should really see the reactions. The strong negative reaction is almost equal amongst my Lebanese and American female friends.
Only the people who know Mohammad and know me are cool with it. But if anyone hasn't met him yet, I get completely accosted by. . .Do you know what you're going into.
And yeah, it's not pretty. Women have no rights in these countries. It doesn't matter if you're under the jurisdiction of Christian, Muslim, or Druze courts, basically a woman can't ask for divorce, has not claim to the custody of her children if they're between the ages of 7 and 14, and cannot guarantee her female daughters their inheritance. Of course, the details are different for the 18 official religious sects in Lebanon. But really, it's all bad.
It makes me wonder what Western woman would willingly give up her basic human rights to marry an Arab and live in his turf?
Right now, I don't have to worry about it so much because we'll get married in the U.S. That has more to do with technical visa/residence issues more than anything.
But there's a whole bog of Personal Status Law that I need to wade through.
Who is he?
His name is Muhamad, and he's Lebanese. I told some of y'all about him when I was home during the war. He's definately one of the reasons I got back here so quickly.
As for the other details, I have to hold off on them for now.
But we will shortly be starting the fiance visa process. Direct all your prayers and "good vibes" in that direction. Especially with the situation, who knows what will happen or how long things could potentially take.
As for the other details, I have to hold off on them for now.
But we will shortly be starting the fiance visa process. Direct all your prayers and "good vibes" in that direction. Especially with the situation, who knows what will happen or how long things could potentially take.
November 27, 2006
The situation
The situation is tense. But it will not erupt into civil war.
My heart sank when I found out. I was with one of the new American teachers, a guy who's only been here for two months. I said this assasination was a bad one. I've already told him to be ready, be able to pack up quickly, in case things start up again.
But after these past couple days, and Nasrallah doing things like telling people to go home and not be on the streets, and calling Amin Gemayal, I'm actually pretty hopeful.
Last Sunday (two days before the assassination of Pierre Gemayal), I was in the Dahiye, visiting my boyfriend's family. For about half an hour, people were firing their weapons, many of which sounded like automatic machine guns, from their balconies. Apparently, Hasssan Nasrallah had finished his speech. It was kind of freaky. Fireworks are usually the norm in that situation, and caravans of cars with flags and loud music blaring out of them. But the gunfire was crazy. I realized that these people are armed, and they're ready to go.
My friend was up in Aley picking olives. When she heard it, she thought, "It's started."
People are nervous. But after these tense days, I think people are feeling like it's not going to erupt in a civil war. The government, however, is likely to come down. The opposition, Hizbollah, wants to stop the international tribunal that would try the murderers of Rafik Hariri, which will implicate the inner sanctum of Syria. People expect more assassinations.
But I don't think Israel is going to start dropping bombs. And I don't think the people are going to start massacring each other.
But there will probably be more demonstrations and national strikes. Which is all starting to suck. Businesses suffer too much. School gets all crazy, and we have to make up the days.
For the Lebanese, it's just too hard to live here with all this uncertainty. Even me, will the school year finish?? Will I be looking for another job soon? Will we get a fiance visa before everything shuts down?
Yes, fiance visa. But that's another post.
(By the way, my computer is still messed up. iPhoto is jacked up. And I still haven't had the heart to go back to being controlled by my computer. I'm thinking maybe this week I'll fix it, and then finally I'll post some photos on this blog. I have so many.)
My heart sank when I found out. I was with one of the new American teachers, a guy who's only been here for two months. I said this assasination was a bad one. I've already told him to be ready, be able to pack up quickly, in case things start up again.
But after these past couple days, and Nasrallah doing things like telling people to go home and not be on the streets, and calling Amin Gemayal, I'm actually pretty hopeful.
Last Sunday (two days before the assassination of Pierre Gemayal), I was in the Dahiye, visiting my boyfriend's family. For about half an hour, people were firing their weapons, many of which sounded like automatic machine guns, from their balconies. Apparently, Hasssan Nasrallah had finished his speech. It was kind of freaky. Fireworks are usually the norm in that situation, and caravans of cars with flags and loud music blaring out of them. But the gunfire was crazy. I realized that these people are armed, and they're ready to go.
My friend was up in Aley picking olives. When she heard it, she thought, "It's started."
People are nervous. But after these tense days, I think people are feeling like it's not going to erupt in a civil war. The government, however, is likely to come down. The opposition, Hizbollah, wants to stop the international tribunal that would try the murderers of Rafik Hariri, which will implicate the inner sanctum of Syria. People expect more assassinations.
But I don't think Israel is going to start dropping bombs. And I don't think the people are going to start massacring each other.
But there will probably be more demonstrations and national strikes. Which is all starting to suck. Businesses suffer too much. School gets all crazy, and we have to make up the days.
For the Lebanese, it's just too hard to live here with all this uncertainty. Even me, will the school year finish?? Will I be looking for another job soon? Will we get a fiance visa before everything shuts down?
Yes, fiance visa. But that's another post.
(By the way, my computer is still messed up. iPhoto is jacked up. And I still haven't had the heart to go back to being controlled by my computer. I'm thinking maybe this week I'll fix it, and then finally I'll post some photos on this blog. I have so many.)
November 6, 2006
I didn't go
I didn't go to the South yesterday because the weather was really bad. He said that the olive oil harvest wasn't good this year. That they took the olives before the big rains, so they weren't fat and oily. I didn't really ask about the chemicals and all that. I don't know why.
A lot of trips have been cancelled in the last couple weeks because of weather. But I also think people are nervous. There was another bombing last night. And there are rumors about Nasrallah calling for a national strike for this government to step down.
There was a very heated faculty meeting on Friday about what to do in case of a potential emergency or lock down situation. The kids and teachers can't use their phones or leave. Some teachers who live in the southern suburbs were saying that they might have to call or leave. And others (like some of the foreign hires) were saying it's not fair if teachers can call and leave and not students.
Tensions were high all around.
A lot of trips have been cancelled in the last couple weeks because of weather. But I also think people are nervous. There was another bombing last night. And there are rumors about Nasrallah calling for a national strike for this government to step down.
There was a very heated faculty meeting on Friday about what to do in case of a potential emergency or lock down situation. The kids and teachers can't use their phones or leave. Some teachers who live in the southern suburbs were saying that they might have to call or leave. And others (like some of the foreign hires) were saying it's not fair if teachers can call and leave and not students.
Tensions were high all around.
October 31, 2006
Listening to F-16s & What's going to happen
On my way up the stairs to make copies, I saw two teachers standing next to an open window. Listening.
"What's going on?"
"We're just listening to the F-16s."
"Okay." Before the war, I would have walked on unperterbed. But today I'm slightly more perturbed. I saw on the front page of The Daily Star that the Israelis attacked a German ship "outside of Lebanese waters."
And just now I read on Yahoo! News that eight Israeli planes flew over southern Beirut and over the South. Israel refused to make any comments about it, because they won't talk about their military operations. But the Lebanese army fired some anti-aircraft stuff at them. And the French members of the UN peacekeeping forces are demanding that Israel comply with the ceasefire.
I am going to the South this weekend. I'm visiting my boyfriend's sister's fiance's village. They have many olives. They might have made a big part of their living from the olives. But now, they might all be poisoned. The government has to check all the produce coming out of the South. People have lost their livelihoods. And our, my, food supply in Beirut is surely affected.
And of course there are cluster bombs. The last three days before the ceasefire Israel just went wild--destroying factories and more bridges--trying to get it all in before the clock ran out. But the best was dropping cluster bombs, like little land mines that haven't blown up yet. I heard about 200 people have died since the ceasefire from these cluster bombs. I also heard that Israel finally gave the map of the cluster bombs to the UN last week.
But as some of you know, I've kept away from the computer and the media for the most part. I don't feel like wasting away in front of the computer anymore. (Who knows maybe I'll come back.) And as you know, my hard drive with photos, music, etc, is all messed up, and I still haven't rectified the situation.
I go into Dahiyeh a lot, too. I have pictures. On the weekends, I'm visiting my boyfriend's family who lives there. I saw the hole in the ground that used to be the two apartments his family owned in Hrat Hreik.
People were saying that maybe things will start up again when Ramadan ends. Others say it won't definately be until after January. The people in Aley think it'll be the summer.
But it's like everyone knows it's coming. "The situation is not stable." I keep telling that to the new hires. "Just keep a bag packed."
Am I sounding too over-dramatic? Not really. But like a Lebanese person, I just chose to not think about it. I mean that's the reality of life. "In sha allah (God willing), nothing will happen." But inside, we all know. We've had all kinds of drills and evacuation procedures at school. And the Internet-based Virtual School is set up. The kids all know how to access and turn in assignments. . .just in case.
"What's going on?"
"We're just listening to the F-16s."
"Okay." Before the war, I would have walked on unperterbed. But today I'm slightly more perturbed. I saw on the front page of The Daily Star that the Israelis attacked a German ship "outside of Lebanese waters."
And just now I read on Yahoo! News that eight Israeli planes flew over southern Beirut and over the South. Israel refused to make any comments about it, because they won't talk about their military operations. But the Lebanese army fired some anti-aircraft stuff at them. And the French members of the UN peacekeeping forces are demanding that Israel comply with the ceasefire.
I am going to the South this weekend. I'm visiting my boyfriend's sister's fiance's village. They have many olives. They might have made a big part of their living from the olives. But now, they might all be poisoned. The government has to check all the produce coming out of the South. People have lost their livelihoods. And our, my, food supply in Beirut is surely affected.
And of course there are cluster bombs. The last three days before the ceasefire Israel just went wild--destroying factories and more bridges--trying to get it all in before the clock ran out. But the best was dropping cluster bombs, like little land mines that haven't blown up yet. I heard about 200 people have died since the ceasefire from these cluster bombs. I also heard that Israel finally gave the map of the cluster bombs to the UN last week.
But as some of you know, I've kept away from the computer and the media for the most part. I don't feel like wasting away in front of the computer anymore. (Who knows maybe I'll come back.) And as you know, my hard drive with photos, music, etc, is all messed up, and I still haven't rectified the situation.
I go into Dahiyeh a lot, too. I have pictures. On the weekends, I'm visiting my boyfriend's family who lives there. I saw the hole in the ground that used to be the two apartments his family owned in Hrat Hreik.
People were saying that maybe things will start up again when Ramadan ends. Others say it won't definately be until after January. The people in Aley think it'll be the summer.
But it's like everyone knows it's coming. "The situation is not stable." I keep telling that to the new hires. "Just keep a bag packed."
Am I sounding too over-dramatic? Not really. But like a Lebanese person, I just chose to not think about it. I mean that's the reality of life. "In sha allah (God willing), nothing will happen." But inside, we all know. We've had all kinds of drills and evacuation procedures at school. And the Internet-based Virtual School is set up. The kids all know how to access and turn in assignments. . .just in case.
They destroyed Khiam & Visiting the South
One of my students went last week to Khiam, the infamous prison that Israel established in southern Lebanon, where they threw people suspected of being part of Hizbolah in prison without trial. I went last year. I took pictures of all those medieval torture devices that they were using until the year 2000, when Israel finally ended its occupation of southern Lebanon (because Hizbollah forced them out.)
Hizbollah ran Khiam as a museum, so the world would never forget what Israel did. And now look. It's gone. My student told me. In the war this summer, Israel bombed and destroyed Khiam. It was one of those places the guide books said to visit.
That was the one time I visited the South. I went with a Lebanese friend and an AUB student from Thailand. I forgot to bring my passport. I just had the copy of the first page that I always carry in my wallet. Soldiers at the checkpoint gave us a hardtime, but after 20 minutes of talking about her important relative judges in the region, my friend talked our way in.
My Lebanese friend said that the South is like a different country. There were yellow Hizbollah flags everywhere. And posters of boys' and men's faces on the street lamps and the walls. These are the martyrs. People killed by Israel. Palestine (West Bank and Gaza) does the same thing.
And after Khiam we visited an old Crusader castle--Beufort. And that's where I talked to the Danish UNIFIL officer. Those UNIFIL guys have been patrolling the South since the Israeli withdrawal in 2000. That's why I was like--how is this ceasefire so different now? Now they're just beefing up the forces that were already there.
At Khiam, I bought a bunch of Hizbollah stuff. I thought I got rid of all of it while I was quickly packing up my stuff when I left during the war. But when I got to Houston, and my sister was helping me unpack, she pulled out a yellow bandana with Arabic writing on it.
"What's this?"
Daaag. That could have gotten me in big trouble at Customs. But I was mad that I had to get rid of all those DVDs that told the history of Lebanon from Hizbollah's point of view. But I shouldn't have that many problems finding them now.
Hizbollah ran Khiam as a museum, so the world would never forget what Israel did. And now look. It's gone. My student told me. In the war this summer, Israel bombed and destroyed Khiam. It was one of those places the guide books said to visit.
That was the one time I visited the South. I went with a Lebanese friend and an AUB student from Thailand. I forgot to bring my passport. I just had the copy of the first page that I always carry in my wallet. Soldiers at the checkpoint gave us a hardtime, but after 20 minutes of talking about her important relative judges in the region, my friend talked our way in.
My Lebanese friend said that the South is like a different country. There were yellow Hizbollah flags everywhere. And posters of boys' and men's faces on the street lamps and the walls. These are the martyrs. People killed by Israel. Palestine (West Bank and Gaza) does the same thing.
And after Khiam we visited an old Crusader castle--Beufort. And that's where I talked to the Danish UNIFIL officer. Those UNIFIL guys have been patrolling the South since the Israeli withdrawal in 2000. That's why I was like--how is this ceasefire so different now? Now they're just beefing up the forces that were already there.
At Khiam, I bought a bunch of Hizbollah stuff. I thought I got rid of all of it while I was quickly packing up my stuff when I left during the war. But when I got to Houston, and my sister was helping me unpack, she pulled out a yellow bandana with Arabic writing on it.
"What's this?"
Daaag. That could have gotten me in big trouble at Customs. But I was mad that I had to get rid of all those DVDs that told the history of Lebanon from Hizbollah's point of view. But I shouldn't have that many problems finding them now.
October 17, 2006
Has it been a month?
Where's Jane?
Teaching 8th grade Humanities in Beirut.
The kids are great. The other teachers are cool. This is a great place to be.
But I seriously jacked up my harddrive when I was backing up my stuff before I had to get on the plane. So I lost some music, and iPhoto is just whack. It's been a month and I've started fixing it, but then the problems just keep mounting. And I really haven't had any patience to sit down and really work at it.
Plus, I'm trying to see people. I have this whole other life in the mountains. So on the weekends I'm trying to see those friends.
I took pictures of Hrat Hreik. And hopefully I will post them soon. Me, standing in rubble, next to "Made in America" signs. It's really sick looking at kids' shoes, and toys, and books, and photo albums and furniture and just everything that would be in a person's house in huge mountains of rubble in craters on the street. The people are constantly cleaning up. In fact, people were like, "Oh, they've cleaned it up. You won't really see anything." Well, that's crazy. There is no semblance of normality to it at all.
And it's Ramadan. So the people working can't even drink. They wear masks over their faces.
I will eventually post pictures.
Teaching 8th grade Humanities in Beirut.
The kids are great. The other teachers are cool. This is a great place to be.
But I seriously jacked up my harddrive when I was backing up my stuff before I had to get on the plane. So I lost some music, and iPhoto is just whack. It's been a month and I've started fixing it, but then the problems just keep mounting. And I really haven't had any patience to sit down and really work at it.
Plus, I'm trying to see people. I have this whole other life in the mountains. So on the weekends I'm trying to see those friends.
I took pictures of Hrat Hreik. And hopefully I will post them soon. Me, standing in rubble, next to "Made in America" signs. It's really sick looking at kids' shoes, and toys, and books, and photo albums and furniture and just everything that would be in a person's house in huge mountains of rubble in craters on the street. The people are constantly cleaning up. In fact, people were like, "Oh, they've cleaned it up. You won't really see anything." Well, that's crazy. There is no semblance of normality to it at all.
And it's Ramadan. So the people working can't even drink. They wear masks over their faces.
I will eventually post pictures.
September 22, 2006
Demonstration today
I was going to have my friends in Aley come to my new apartment in Beirut for dinner tonight. But yesterday, they all bailed because Hizballah is having a big demonstration. It might be Hassan Nasrallah's first public appearance since the War. For some reason, people at the school haven't been saying anything, but when I went to Aley yesterday and talked to them on the phone, they are all very concerned.
I went to downtown the other day for a tour the school put on for the new hires. They have a lot of signs that basically diss Israel. And a lot of pictures of carnage and destruction. On the main clock tower, in the center of Place d'Etoile, Saha Nijme, Star Plaza, they have long black banners that hang down with pictures of child casualties that say "Jetfighters against Children". I'll post the pictures soon.
I went to downtown the other day for a tour the school put on for the new hires. They have a lot of signs that basically diss Israel. And a lot of pictures of carnage and destruction. On the main clock tower, in the center of Place d'Etoile, Saha Nijme, Star Plaza, they have long black banners that hang down with pictures of child casualties that say "Jetfighters against Children". I'll post the pictures soon.
Keefer Sutherland
Excerpt from an e-mail from a friend in L.A.:
------------------------------------------------
We went to a bar in Hollywood and saw Keefer Sutherland. He was totally drunk and belligerant, but somehow stopped to say hello to me and my Iranian friend. He kissed her and shook my hand. Weird, huh? I told my friend that he must have recognized us as Middle Eastern and then felt bad that his show "24" makes us look like we're all terrorists. Oh well.
------------------------------------------------
We went to a bar in Hollywood and saw Keefer Sutherland. He was totally drunk and belligerant, but somehow stopped to say hello to me and my Iranian friend. He kissed her and shook my hand. Weird, huh? I told my friend that he must have recognized us as Middle Eastern and then felt bad that his show "24" makes us look like we're all terrorists. Oh well.
Crazy Cartoon
Go to Click on the first link that says "Slideshow: Check Out The Controversial Comic Book"
It is super-dooper whack.
The whole part about Allah being a moon god and a former idol in Mecca is so stupid. The exact same arguments could be made about Jehovah of the Old Testament.
It is super-dooper whack.
The whole part about Allah being a moon god and a former idol in Mecca is so stupid. The exact same arguments could be made about Jehovah of the Old Testament.
September 19, 2006
Back in Beirut
I'm here.
Some people are upset by that. A couple people called to try to have me rethink the decision. But I know it's the right one. I was praying that God would make everything clear--open the doors, close the doors. And he miraculously opened the doors, with a great job, with a great package, with a really nice hook up in Hamra.
And I still have my concerns; I know the situation is not exactly stable. Yes, anything can happen.
But as Corrie Ten Boom said, "There's no safer place to be than at the center of God's will." And God has been doing all kinds of things. I know this is where I'm supposed to be.
As you can see, I haven't been on the computer since I've gotten here. Thank God. I directly went up to Aley and spent the weekend with my friends. It was really amazing to walk in the souk and surprise the few people who didn't know I was coming back.
It brought tears to our eyes. Really. It means a lot--my coming back, any of the foreigners coming back--like we believe in this place, we're not abandoning it. We're going to be a part of rebuilding, that Lebanon has a good future.
I took the bus from Aley to Cola, through the Dahiye. But the part I went through, I couldn't really see that much damage. And I haven't gone to the beach yet either. But I have a friend from the Dahiye who's going to show me around. Everyone says I must be accompanied. And I'll be going to the beach this weekend.
In some ways, it feels. . . normal. But eveyone has really sad stories. Lots of stories, about being freaked out, about having to leave.
But the South is beyond disgusting. They cluster bombed really low to the ground, and left all these explosives that haven't exploded yet that look like little toys. A reporter working in Iraq (my new boss's daughter) said that the destruction in the South is the worst she's ever seen.
And the beach--the oil spill--is beyond disgusting. They couldn't start cleaning it up at the beginning because they were still bombing. So coming in weeks later to start is too late. And for some reason they haven't brought that state-of-the-art bacteria stuff that eats the oil.
But I haven't seen it yet.
I've been doing orientation with the new job and seeing my friends. I'm sooooooo happy to be back. I went clubbing on Monot on Saturday night. My new apartment in Hamra is in an amazing location. I have a guest bed in the living room. So you should come! You are most welcome!! It's really a beautiful place. One friend said he's thinking about coming over the Christmas break.
Some people are upset by that. A couple people called to try to have me rethink the decision. But I know it's the right one. I was praying that God would make everything clear--open the doors, close the doors. And he miraculously opened the doors, with a great job, with a great package, with a really nice hook up in Hamra.
And I still have my concerns; I know the situation is not exactly stable. Yes, anything can happen.
But as Corrie Ten Boom said, "There's no safer place to be than at the center of God's will." And God has been doing all kinds of things. I know this is where I'm supposed to be.
As you can see, I haven't been on the computer since I've gotten here. Thank God. I directly went up to Aley and spent the weekend with my friends. It was really amazing to walk in the souk and surprise the few people who didn't know I was coming back.
It brought tears to our eyes. Really. It means a lot--my coming back, any of the foreigners coming back--like we believe in this place, we're not abandoning it. We're going to be a part of rebuilding, that Lebanon has a good future.
I took the bus from Aley to Cola, through the Dahiye. But the part I went through, I couldn't really see that much damage. And I haven't gone to the beach yet either. But I have a friend from the Dahiye who's going to show me around. Everyone says I must be accompanied. And I'll be going to the beach this weekend.
In some ways, it feels. . . normal. But eveyone has really sad stories. Lots of stories, about being freaked out, about having to leave.
But the South is beyond disgusting. They cluster bombed really low to the ground, and left all these explosives that haven't exploded yet that look like little toys. A reporter working in Iraq (my new boss's daughter) said that the destruction in the South is the worst she's ever seen.
And the beach--the oil spill--is beyond disgusting. They couldn't start cleaning it up at the beginning because they were still bombing. So coming in weeks later to start is too late. And for some reason they haven't brought that state-of-the-art bacteria stuff that eats the oil.
But I haven't seen it yet.
I've been doing orientation with the new job and seeing my friends. I'm sooooooo happy to be back. I went clubbing on Monot on Saturday night. My new apartment in Hamra is in an amazing location. I have a guest bed in the living room. So you should come! You are most welcome!! It's really a beautiful place. One friend said he's thinking about coming over the Christmas break.
September 11, 2006
September 8, 2006
Beirut or Bust
Yesterday, my friend said she's going to make me a T-shirt that says "Beirut or Bust."
Well, now she doesn't have to. I got a job offer. They want me to fax back the contract with the signature. It's with the best American school in Beirut, where those Embassy people and local rich people send their kids. Therefore, I will have a real work visa and a good salary. And if anything were to happen, I would be right there, and I'm sure would be on those secret helicopters that get out before everybody else. (I heard rumors about those.)
Yesterday, I went to a training session to subsitute teach in Katy I.S.D. And it was just so depressing. I seriously felt bad about myself.
This is a good opportunity--not just work-wise, where I can actually learn from other, more experienced teachers. But I can continue with the Arabic and get to know all those NGO people I started working with and help Rania at my church start a home for street kids. There's a lot of people doing good work. And I do hope I can figure out ways to help them. One idea is to get those local non-profits with websites. So they can advertise themselves and tell the world what's happening and find supporters.
As Wally keeps pointing out, I had big ideas to raise money and do this kind of work. So hopefully I'll be working on that a little on that end. But at the same time, I'll have a real JOB. And have to do all that. But maybe it can be community service stuff through the skill--getting those rich, priveleged kids to show other kids how to use the technology, so they can help out their own communities.
I'm supposed to report September 14. What does that mean, leave on Tuesday???
Well, now she doesn't have to. I got a job offer. They want me to fax back the contract with the signature. It's with the best American school in Beirut, where those Embassy people and local rich people send their kids. Therefore, I will have a real work visa and a good salary. And if anything were to happen, I would be right there, and I'm sure would be on those secret helicopters that get out before everybody else. (I heard rumors about those.)
Yesterday, I went to a training session to subsitute teach in Katy I.S.D. And it was just so depressing. I seriously felt bad about myself.
This is a good opportunity--not just work-wise, where I can actually learn from other, more experienced teachers. But I can continue with the Arabic and get to know all those NGO people I started working with and help Rania at my church start a home for street kids. There's a lot of people doing good work. And I do hope I can figure out ways to help them. One idea is to get those local non-profits with websites. So they can advertise themselves and tell the world what's happening and find supporters.
As Wally keeps pointing out, I had big ideas to raise money and do this kind of work. So hopefully I'll be working on that a little on that end. But at the same time, I'll have a real JOB. And have to do all that. But maybe it can be community service stuff through the skill--getting those rich, priveleged kids to show other kids how to use the technology, so they can help out their own communities.
I'm supposed to report September 14. What does that mean, leave on Tuesday???
September 7, 2006
18 Israel and Jerusalem Facts: Wally's old post
These facts that Wally sent me are in all caps. My response comes after each of them. I basically went to Wikipedia to confirm stuff I knew. I would invite anybody with some good evidence and arguments to jump in here.
Many of these "facts" are just not true. Wally put these at the end of a post where the Israeli Prime Minister was defending his actions in Lebanon. I don't see how any of these are a defense, or answer to any of the arguments I or the Arab World has leveled against Israel's human rights violations.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
1. ISRAEL BECAME A STATE IN 1312 B.C., TWO MILLENNIA BEFORE ISLAM;
Are you saying that Arab or Palestinian=Muslim?? Many Palestinians are Christians. And the majority of Palestinians who have been in the U.S. for many generations are Christians.
Does this not mean that other groups of people lived in Palestine before the 12 tribes of Israel settled there around 1312 BCE? God told Moses he would bring him "into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites--a land flowng with milk and honey" (Exodus 3:17). Now, I'm not going to say that the modern-day Arabs are descendents of these groups.
There is much historical debate as to whether today's Arabs can be traced back to these groups. It's a muddled and kind of silly project--of course, people have mixed and moved over all these millinia. But have their been non-Israeli people there since before the 12 tribes of Israel setteled there? Of course. Are these the ancestors of today's Palestinians? That's a trickier question.
2. ARAB REFUGEES FROM ISRAEL BEGAN CALLING THEMSELVES "PALESTINIANS" IN 1967, TWO DECADES AFTER (MODERN) ISRAELI STATEHOOD;
Semantics? The politics of identity? The words "Palestine" and "Israel". Even today, different groups of people use these same words to mean the same thing and different things. Arabs don't call the region Israel, they call it Palestine. In the U.S., many people say Palestine refers specifically to the West Bank and Gaza. These names are very political, and people use them differently in all kinds of contexts.
Am I Latina, Hispanic (not Herspanic), or white, or Anglo? People use different words to refer to the same thing, and they all have political connotations and baggage? Of course, in 1967, the territories were occupied, so people decided to take on a new name to reflect their new political and social situation. So? When did Americans start calling themselves Americans, and not British? It has something to do with the Revolutionary War. Were they still the same people?
3. AFTER CONQUERING THE LAND IN 1272 B.C., JEWS RULED IT FOR A THOUSAND YEARS AND MAINTAINED A CONTINUOUS PRESENCE THERE FOR 3,300 YEARS;
The Romans burned down Solomon's temple and destroyed Rome in 70 CE. My World History textbook said that these Roman persecutions led to the Jewish diaspora that started around 150 CE. That was when Jewish people started settling in Europe. That's why they started coming back in the late-ninteenth century with the Zionist movement.
4. THE ONLY ARAB RULE FOLLOWING CONQUEST IN 633 B.C. LASTED JUST 22 YEARS;
So then who did the Franks conquer Jerusalem from in the First Crusade in 1099? Wasn't it the infidels?
"Further east, Anatolia, Syria, Palestine, and Egypt were all under Muslim control" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_crusade#The_East_in_the_late_eleventh_century
5. FOR OVER 3,300 YEARS, JERUSALEM WAS THE J EWISH CAPITAL. IT WAS NEVER THE CAPITAL OF ANY ARAB OR MUSLIM ENTITY. EVEN UNDER JORDANIAN RULE, (EAST) JERUSALEM WAS NOT MADE THE CAPITAL, AND NO ARAB LEADER CAME TO VISIT IT;
"The Fatimids, at this time ruled by caliph al-Musta'li (although all actual power was held by the vizier al-Afdal Shahanshah), had lost Jerusalem to the Seljuks in 1076, but recaptured it from the Ortoqids in 1098 while the crusaders were on the march." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_crusade#The_East_in_the_late_eleventh_century
6. JERUSALEM IS MENTIONED OVER 700 TIMES IN THE BIBLE, BUT NOT ONCE IS IT MENTIONED IN THE QUR'AN;
Palestinian=Muslim? This really isn't about religion. I find it bothersome that Westerners like to portray people in the Middle East as somewhat savage, uncivilized, and very irrational because religion plays such a big part in their thinking and leads them to violence.
People aren't any more religious than Americans. And it's probably a similar percentage of the population that uses religion to justify their politics. In fact, in the U.S. it might even be more. (You know, that whole religious right. George W. reads My Utmost For His Highest every morning.)
Again, the media likes to play up this fear that doesn't exist, so the current administration will be justified when it does bad things like go to war and occupy other countries. Making Middle Easterners out to be irrational religious fundamentalists plays into this.
The more the arguments can stay in the realm of politics and history, the better.
7. KING DAVID FOUNDED JERUSALEM; MOHAMMED NEVER SET FOOT IN IT;
Jerusalem is considered the third most holy city in Islam. The Dome of the Rock is considered the place from where the angel Gabriel led Muhammad on a tour of heaven and hell. This is called the night journey.
"Some time in 620, Muhammad told his followers that he had experienced the Isra and Miraj, a miraculous journey said to have been accomplished in one night along with Angel Gabriel. In the first part of the journey, the Isra, he is said to have travelled from Mecca to the furthest mosque, in Jerusalem, presently known as Masjid al Aqsa. In the second part, the Miraj, Muhammad is said to have toured Heaven and Hell, and spoken with earlier prophets, such as Abraham, Moses, and Jesus.
Muslims believe that the Dome of the Rock is the site from which Muhammad ascended to Heaven." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammad
But what does this have to do with the current political situation of how Israel deals with its occupied territories?
8. JEWS PRAY FACING JERUSALEM; MUSLIMS FACE MECCA. IF THEY ARE BETWEEN THE TWO CITIES, MUSLIMS PRAY FACING MECCA, WITH THEIR BACKS TO JERUSALEM;
So???
9. IN 1948, ARAB LEADERS URGED THEIR PEOPLE TO LEAVE, PROMISING TO CLEANSE THE LAND OF JEWISH PRESENCE. 68% OF THEM FLED WITHOUT EVER SETTING EYES ON AN ISRAELI SOLDIER;
Now this is such an interesting claim. I've never heard this. Most of the literature says that about 700,000 people were made refugees on Israeli Independence Day/Al-Nakba (the catastrophe). But you're saying these people left because the Arab govenrments told them they would start the war.
So you think that means the Arab leaders wanted these people to leave their land and homes and not ever come back? If they warned them about the fighting and told them to leave so as to not get killed, that's one thing, but telling them to leave and they don't have the right to return is another. The Arab leaders did not make these people into refugees. They told them to get out during the war, so they could come back to their homes, alive.
10. VIRTUALLY THE ENTIRE JEWISH POPULATION OF MUSLIM COUNTRIES HAD TO FLEE AS THE RESULT OF VIOLENCE AND POGROMS;
Yes. This is true.
11. SOME 630,000 ARABS LEFT ISRAEL IN 1948, WHILE CLOSE TO A MILLION JEWS WERE FORCED TO LEAVE THE MUSLIM COUNTRIES.
"the 1948 Arab-Israeli War that erupted following the invasion of neighbouring Arab states, resulted in the flight or expulsion of an estimated 700,000 Palestinian refugees, [4] and the abandonment and destruction of up to 418 Palestinian villages." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakba_day
I don't know how many Jews had to leave Arab countries.
12. IN SPITE OF THE VAST TERRITORIES AT THEIR DISPOSAL, ARAB REFUGESS WERE DELIBERATELY PREVENTED FROM ASSIMILATING INTO THEIR HOST COUNTRIES. OF 100 MILLION REFUGEES FOLLOWING WORLD WAR 2, THEY ARE THE ONLY GROUP TO HAVE NEVER INTEGRATED WITH THEIR CORELIGIONISTS. MOST OF THE JEWISH REFUGEES FROM EUROPE AND ARAB LANDS WERE SETTLED IN ISRAEL, A COUNTRY NO LARGER THAN NEW JERSEY.
This is true. Shame on Lebanon and all the others.
13. THERE ARE 22 MUSLIM COUNTRIES, NOT COUNTING PALESTINE. THERE IS ONLY ONE JEWISH STATE. ARABS STARTED ALL FIVE WARS A GAINST ISRAEL, AND LOST EVERY ONE OF THEM;
Some say Hizballah won this one. Israel certainly didn't win.
So are you saying that Israel is justified in treating its Palestinian population the way it does, becauase the Arab countries started all the wars against Israel?? That doesn't seem to make sense.
14. FATAH AND HAMAS CONSTITUTIONS STILL CALL FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF ISRAEL. ISRAEL CEDED MOST OF THE WEST BANK AND ALL OF GAZA TO THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY, AND EVEN PROVIDED IT WITH ARMS;
Israel has ceded most of the West Bank to the Palestinian Authority? How much land are we talking about here? These are small places. And there are still too many Israeli settlements and not enough land for the Palestinians? When it all used to be their's and now they have practically nothing, it seems that the least Israel can do is give them all of West Bank and Gaza. But the details of how much land and where these boundaries should be drawn is the difficult work of these peace negotiations that has to be continued now.
I should definately get more stats to show how much land is in the West Bank and how much of it goes to the Palestinians.
15. DURING THE JORDANIAN OCCUPATION, JEWISH HOLY SITES WERE VANDALIZED AND WERE OFF LIMITS TO JEWS. UNDER ISRAELI RULE, ALL MUSLIM AND CHRISTIAN HOLY SITES ARE ACCESSIBLE TO ALL FAITHS;
Yes, and unfortunately, people who live in Arab countries cannot visit these sites becasue their govnerments won't let them. But that's not Israel's fault.
16. OUT OF 175 UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS UP TO 1990,
97 WERE AGAINST ISRAEL; OUT OF 690 GENERAL ASSEMBLY RESOLUTIONS, 429 WERE AGAINST ISRAEL;
So the international community recognizes the crimes and illegal violations of the Israeli government. Shouldn't the U.S.?
17 was missing???
18. THE U.N. WAS SILENT WHEN THE JORDANIANS DESTROYED 58 SYNAGOGUES IN THE OLD CITY OF JERUSALEM. IT REMAINED SILENT WHILE JORDAN SYSTEMATICALLY DESECRATED THE ANCIENT JEWISH CEMETERY ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES, AN D IT REMAINED SILENT WHEN JORDAN ENFORCED APARTHEID LAWS PREVENTING JEWS FROM ACCESSING THE TEMPLE MOUNT AND WESTERN WALL.
Okay. Should I start to list the Israeli crimes?? There isn't enough room here.
Many of these "facts" are just not true. Wally put these at the end of a post where the Israeli Prime Minister was defending his actions in Lebanon. I don't see how any of these are a defense, or answer to any of the arguments I or the Arab World has leveled against Israel's human rights violations.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
1. ISRAEL BECAME A STATE IN 1312 B.C., TWO MILLENNIA BEFORE ISLAM;
Are you saying that Arab or Palestinian=Muslim?? Many Palestinians are Christians. And the majority of Palestinians who have been in the U.S. for many generations are Christians.
Does this not mean that other groups of people lived in Palestine before the 12 tribes of Israel settled there around 1312 BCE? God told Moses he would bring him "into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites--a land flowng with milk and honey" (Exodus 3:17). Now, I'm not going to say that the modern-day Arabs are descendents of these groups.
There is much historical debate as to whether today's Arabs can be traced back to these groups. It's a muddled and kind of silly project--of course, people have mixed and moved over all these millinia. But have their been non-Israeli people there since before the 12 tribes of Israel setteled there? Of course. Are these the ancestors of today's Palestinians? That's a trickier question.
2. ARAB REFUGEES FROM ISRAEL BEGAN CALLING THEMSELVES "PALESTINIANS" IN 1967, TWO DECADES AFTER (MODERN) ISRAELI STATEHOOD;
Semantics? The politics of identity? The words "Palestine" and "Israel". Even today, different groups of people use these same words to mean the same thing and different things. Arabs don't call the region Israel, they call it Palestine. In the U.S., many people say Palestine refers specifically to the West Bank and Gaza. These names are very political, and people use them differently in all kinds of contexts.
Am I Latina, Hispanic (not Herspanic), or white, or Anglo? People use different words to refer to the same thing, and they all have political connotations and baggage? Of course, in 1967, the territories were occupied, so people decided to take on a new name to reflect their new political and social situation. So? When did Americans start calling themselves Americans, and not British? It has something to do with the Revolutionary War. Were they still the same people?
3. AFTER CONQUERING THE LAND IN 1272 B.C., JEWS RULED IT FOR A THOUSAND YEARS AND MAINTAINED A CONTINUOUS PRESENCE THERE FOR 3,300 YEARS;
The Romans burned down Solomon's temple and destroyed Rome in 70 CE. My World History textbook said that these Roman persecutions led to the Jewish diaspora that started around 150 CE. That was when Jewish people started settling in Europe. That's why they started coming back in the late-ninteenth century with the Zionist movement.
4. THE ONLY ARAB RULE FOLLOWING CONQUEST IN 633 B.C. LASTED JUST 22 YEARS;
So then who did the Franks conquer Jerusalem from in the First Crusade in 1099? Wasn't it the infidels?
"Further east, Anatolia, Syria, Palestine, and Egypt were all under Muslim control" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_crusade#The_East_in_the_late_eleventh_century
5. FOR OVER 3,300 YEARS, JERUSALEM WAS THE J EWISH CAPITAL. IT WAS NEVER THE CAPITAL OF ANY ARAB OR MUSLIM ENTITY. EVEN UNDER JORDANIAN RULE, (EAST) JERUSALEM WAS NOT MADE THE CAPITAL, AND NO ARAB LEADER CAME TO VISIT IT;
"The Fatimids, at this time ruled by caliph al-Musta'li (although all actual power was held by the vizier al-Afdal Shahanshah), had lost Jerusalem to the Seljuks in 1076, but recaptured it from the Ortoqids in 1098 while the crusaders were on the march." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_crusade#The_East_in_the_late_eleventh_century
6. JERUSALEM IS MENTIONED OVER 700 TIMES IN THE BIBLE, BUT NOT ONCE IS IT MENTIONED IN THE QUR'AN;
Palestinian=Muslim? This really isn't about religion. I find it bothersome that Westerners like to portray people in the Middle East as somewhat savage, uncivilized, and very irrational because religion plays such a big part in their thinking and leads them to violence.
People aren't any more religious than Americans. And it's probably a similar percentage of the population that uses religion to justify their politics. In fact, in the U.S. it might even be more. (You know, that whole religious right. George W. reads My Utmost For His Highest every morning.)
Again, the media likes to play up this fear that doesn't exist, so the current administration will be justified when it does bad things like go to war and occupy other countries. Making Middle Easterners out to be irrational religious fundamentalists plays into this.
The more the arguments can stay in the realm of politics and history, the better.
7. KING DAVID FOUNDED JERUSALEM; MOHAMMED NEVER SET FOOT IN IT;
Jerusalem is considered the third most holy city in Islam. The Dome of the Rock is considered the place from where the angel Gabriel led Muhammad on a tour of heaven and hell. This is called the night journey.
"Some time in 620, Muhammad told his followers that he had experienced the Isra and Miraj, a miraculous journey said to have been accomplished in one night along with Angel Gabriel. In the first part of the journey, the Isra, he is said to have travelled from Mecca to the furthest mosque, in Jerusalem, presently known as Masjid al Aqsa. In the second part, the Miraj, Muhammad is said to have toured Heaven and Hell, and spoken with earlier prophets, such as Abraham, Moses, and Jesus.
Muslims believe that the Dome of the Rock is the site from which Muhammad ascended to Heaven." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammad
But what does this have to do with the current political situation of how Israel deals with its occupied territories?
8. JEWS PRAY FACING JERUSALEM; MUSLIMS FACE MECCA. IF THEY ARE BETWEEN THE TWO CITIES, MUSLIMS PRAY FACING MECCA, WITH THEIR BACKS TO JERUSALEM;
So???
9. IN 1948, ARAB LEADERS URGED THEIR PEOPLE TO LEAVE, PROMISING TO CLEANSE THE LAND OF JEWISH PRESENCE. 68% OF THEM FLED WITHOUT EVER SETTING EYES ON AN ISRAELI SOLDIER;
Now this is such an interesting claim. I've never heard this. Most of the literature says that about 700,000 people were made refugees on Israeli Independence Day/Al-Nakba (the catastrophe). But you're saying these people left because the Arab govenrments told them they would start the war.
So you think that means the Arab leaders wanted these people to leave their land and homes and not ever come back? If they warned them about the fighting and told them to leave so as to not get killed, that's one thing, but telling them to leave and they don't have the right to return is another. The Arab leaders did not make these people into refugees. They told them to get out during the war, so they could come back to their homes, alive.
10. VIRTUALLY THE ENTIRE JEWISH POPULATION OF MUSLIM COUNTRIES HAD TO FLEE AS THE RESULT OF VIOLENCE AND POGROMS;
Yes. This is true.
11. SOME 630,000 ARABS LEFT ISRAEL IN 1948, WHILE CLOSE TO A MILLION JEWS WERE FORCED TO LEAVE THE MUSLIM COUNTRIES.
"the 1948 Arab-Israeli War that erupted following the invasion of neighbouring Arab states, resulted in the flight or expulsion of an estimated 700,000 Palestinian refugees, [4] and the abandonment and destruction of up to 418 Palestinian villages." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakba_day
I don't know how many Jews had to leave Arab countries.
12. IN SPITE OF THE VAST TERRITORIES AT THEIR DISPOSAL, ARAB REFUGESS WERE DELIBERATELY PREVENTED FROM ASSIMILATING INTO THEIR HOST COUNTRIES. OF 100 MILLION REFUGEES FOLLOWING WORLD WAR 2, THEY ARE THE ONLY GROUP TO HAVE NEVER INTEGRATED WITH THEIR CORELIGIONISTS. MOST OF THE JEWISH REFUGEES FROM EUROPE AND ARAB LANDS WERE SETTLED IN ISRAEL, A COUNTRY NO LARGER THAN NEW JERSEY.
This is true. Shame on Lebanon and all the others.
13. THERE ARE 22 MUSLIM COUNTRIES, NOT COUNTING PALESTINE. THERE IS ONLY ONE JEWISH STATE. ARABS STARTED ALL FIVE WARS A GAINST ISRAEL, AND LOST EVERY ONE OF THEM;
Some say Hizballah won this one. Israel certainly didn't win.
So are you saying that Israel is justified in treating its Palestinian population the way it does, becauase the Arab countries started all the wars against Israel?? That doesn't seem to make sense.
14. FATAH AND HAMAS CONSTITUTIONS STILL CALL FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF ISRAEL. ISRAEL CEDED MOST OF THE WEST BANK AND ALL OF GAZA TO THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY, AND EVEN PROVIDED IT WITH ARMS;
Israel has ceded most of the West Bank to the Palestinian Authority? How much land are we talking about here? These are small places. And there are still too many Israeli settlements and not enough land for the Palestinians? When it all used to be their's and now they have practically nothing, it seems that the least Israel can do is give them all of West Bank and Gaza. But the details of how much land and where these boundaries should be drawn is the difficult work of these peace negotiations that has to be continued now.
I should definately get more stats to show how much land is in the West Bank and how much of it goes to the Palestinians.
15. DURING THE JORDANIAN OCCUPATION, JEWISH HOLY SITES WERE VANDALIZED AND WERE OFF LIMITS TO JEWS. UNDER ISRAELI RULE, ALL MUSLIM AND CHRISTIAN HOLY SITES ARE ACCESSIBLE TO ALL FAITHS;
Yes, and unfortunately, people who live in Arab countries cannot visit these sites becasue their govnerments won't let them. But that's not Israel's fault.
16. OUT OF 175 UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS UP TO 1990,
97 WERE AGAINST ISRAEL; OUT OF 690 GENERAL ASSEMBLY RESOLUTIONS, 429 WERE AGAINST ISRAEL;
So the international community recognizes the crimes and illegal violations of the Israeli government. Shouldn't the U.S.?
17 was missing???
18. THE U.N. WAS SILENT WHEN THE JORDANIANS DESTROYED 58 SYNAGOGUES IN THE OLD CITY OF JERUSALEM. IT REMAINED SILENT WHILE JORDAN SYSTEMATICALLY DESECRATED THE ANCIENT JEWISH CEMETERY ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES, AN D IT REMAINED SILENT WHEN JORDAN ENFORCED APARTHEID LAWS PREVENTING JEWS FROM ACCESSING THE TEMPLE MOUNT AND WESTERN WALL.
Okay. Should I start to list the Israeli crimes?? There isn't enough room here.
Anonymous??
So for those people still reading the blog, you might have noticed a new person, or maybe that person has been there all along, called Anonymous. I thought I knew who Anonymous was, but in the last post, Anonymous revealed that s/he is from Katy. I think I know who it is. I have two strong guesses. Don't out yourself yet. This is fun.
Anonymous says we didn't have exposure to Jewish people growing up. But I did.
Anonymous questions my links to Jewish people. Like I said before, I started taking a class at the Hillel called "Introduction to Rabbinic Literature." Of course, it was just getting my feet wet. But with that, and the people I met there, who I still talk to, and the very, extremely cool rabbi who taught it, many of my Christian-formulated ideas about Judaism were shattered. And I can say I do know more than many of my Christian friends. Somehow many Christians think they understand Judaism because we read the "Old Testament." And Christians like to talk about what religion and life was like when Jesus was around. But of course, this is misleading and doesn't tell us anything about how Judaism is practiced in its myriad forms today.
Okay, but that's irrelevant.
I should stop saying I'm paranoid. As I talk to some friends, about my conspiracy theories, they say it's true. Do I know about the Carlisle group? Or not wanting to get on a boat with a bunch of Americans during a war situation. Some of my friends (those who also hate Fox) think all these thoughts are true. But somehow I still feel silly saying them, because so many people just dismiss that stuff.
Sorry. But I'm still digging through a backlog of e-mails, that I had stuffed in different folders. I haven't come to that one explaining the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict from the Israeli side that Wally sent out before. But when I find it, I will respond to it.
And I like these three comments:
1) "broadening your fairly myopic and increasingly tiring perspective on the issues in a region that you claim to have so much perspective on."
My perspective is myopic and increasingly tiring. Yes, the issue of Israel/Palestine gets so tiring, doesn't it?? The same arguments and facts getting spun round and round. But myopic, hmmm, that's a little harder to understand.
2) "How about taking a break from looking for people to blame and trying to put all of this in context."
Sorry. But I spend a lot of time going through e-mails people have sent me, and sorting through magazines and even books. Please don't accuse me of not taking the time to put all of this in context. I can say that's what I've been doing too much. And I actually have been trying hard to take a break from all of this. Since you are one of those people I grew up with, I think you do know how much of my life, has been concerned about studying Christianity and then dabbling in Arabic and Islam. Since you know me, you know I've spent much time trying to "put all of this in context."
3) "A little self-examination and perhaps some recognition that reasonable people can disagree . . ."
This makes me think I know how you are because you're resorting to this argument. I love how in high school all those debater people loved to dismiss me because I was the irrational, girl who would just get too emotional and upset during our little philosophical/political debates.
But again, since you know me, I think you know how much "self-examination" I'm always involved in, and how much I engage with "reasonable people" who disagree with me. Why are you throwing this stuff out, when you see what I'm trying to do now?
===================================
Do you really want me to keep all the discourse "rationed" and "reasoned" devoid of the personal and emotional? Keep it to that bland academic speak that tries not to offend so as nothing gets said whatsoever???
I mean is there really any evidence to counter what is very well-documented evidence that there is bias in the American media towards Israel or that Israel commits major abuses against its own population?? I can point to a million different sources, which I have cited in the blog. You haven't countered or criticized these sources, or these basic facts that I've been claiming. Instead, you call me "arrogant," "paranoid," and "ironic."
So you're going to give me some good evidence showing that the American media is really showing how it is in this side of the world? Or you are going to justifiy how Israel treats its native-Arab, Palestinian population? Yes, please do that.
I think that's what Wally's 18 Israel and Jerusalem facts tried to do. Which if that was the case, it failed. But maybe he's been referring to another post. If so, please resend it.
Anonymous says we didn't have exposure to Jewish people growing up. But I did.
Anonymous questions my links to Jewish people. Like I said before, I started taking a class at the Hillel called "Introduction to Rabbinic Literature." Of course, it was just getting my feet wet. But with that, and the people I met there, who I still talk to, and the very, extremely cool rabbi who taught it, many of my Christian-formulated ideas about Judaism were shattered. And I can say I do know more than many of my Christian friends. Somehow many Christians think they understand Judaism because we read the "Old Testament." And Christians like to talk about what religion and life was like when Jesus was around. But of course, this is misleading and doesn't tell us anything about how Judaism is practiced in its myriad forms today.
Okay, but that's irrelevant.
I should stop saying I'm paranoid. As I talk to some friends, about my conspiracy theories, they say it's true. Do I know about the Carlisle group? Or not wanting to get on a boat with a bunch of Americans during a war situation. Some of my friends (those who also hate Fox) think all these thoughts are true. But somehow I still feel silly saying them, because so many people just dismiss that stuff.
Sorry. But I'm still digging through a backlog of e-mails, that I had stuffed in different folders. I haven't come to that one explaining the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict from the Israeli side that Wally sent out before. But when I find it, I will respond to it.
And I like these three comments:
1) "broadening your fairly myopic and increasingly tiring perspective on the issues in a region that you claim to have so much perspective on."
My perspective is myopic and increasingly tiring. Yes, the issue of Israel/Palestine gets so tiring, doesn't it?? The same arguments and facts getting spun round and round. But myopic, hmmm, that's a little harder to understand.
2) "How about taking a break from looking for people to blame and trying to put all of this in context."
Sorry. But I spend a lot of time going through e-mails people have sent me, and sorting through magazines and even books. Please don't accuse me of not taking the time to put all of this in context. I can say that's what I've been doing too much. And I actually have been trying hard to take a break from all of this. Since you are one of those people I grew up with, I think you do know how much of my life, has been concerned about studying Christianity and then dabbling in Arabic and Islam. Since you know me, you know I've spent much time trying to "put all of this in context."
3) "A little self-examination and perhaps some recognition that reasonable people can disagree . . ."
This makes me think I know how you are because you're resorting to this argument. I love how in high school all those debater people loved to dismiss me because I was the irrational, girl who would just get too emotional and upset during our little philosophical/political debates.
But again, since you know me, I think you know how much "self-examination" I'm always involved in, and how much I engage with "reasonable people" who disagree with me. Why are you throwing this stuff out, when you see what I'm trying to do now?
===================================
Do you really want me to keep all the discourse "rationed" and "reasoned" devoid of the personal and emotional? Keep it to that bland academic speak that tries not to offend so as nothing gets said whatsoever???
I mean is there really any evidence to counter what is very well-documented evidence that there is bias in the American media towards Israel or that Israel commits major abuses against its own population?? I can point to a million different sources, which I have cited in the blog. You haven't countered or criticized these sources, or these basic facts that I've been claiming. Instead, you call me "arrogant," "paranoid," and "ironic."
So you're going to give me some good evidence showing that the American media is really showing how it is in this side of the world? Or you are going to justifiy how Israel treats its native-Arab, Palestinian population? Yes, please do that.
I think that's what Wally's 18 Israel and Jerusalem facts tried to do. Which if that was the case, it failed. But maybe he's been referring to another post. If so, please resend it.
September 6, 2006
Black and White
Okay, so now I'm offending everybody because I'm over-simplifying all these issues, making generalized statements and assumptions, and foregoing my previous good-efforts of trying to be "balanced."
Sure, I can blame it on deciding to poison myself by watching FOX and CNN.
I agree with this part of the last comment and think it is very well-stated:
"In reality, all sides bear great responsibility for the escalation of the conflict and all sides have unfulfilled responsibilities. On Israel's side, I see the need for (at least) a full pull-out from the Palestinian territories (with an possible exception for the heavily populated settlements right on the Green Line), a clear endorsement for a Palestinian state, and a commitment to end the blockades which make trade and travel difficult. On the Arab side, it is imperative that they recognize the state of Israel, commit themselves to land negotiations, and - this is really important, I think - begin to build a culture the cohesion of which does not depend on the continued demonization of Israel. One of the possible reasons why the Arab world is so slow to help the refugees is because without the spector of Israel, the Arab world might have to actually consider some of the other reasons why their society is plagued with structural problems. Israel functions as an effective scapegoat, but this isn't doing much to get people jobs."
As for the issue of media bias. . . Is the U.S. media controlled by the Israel lobby? Is Europe showing things that you don't see on U.S. media and being more critical about Israel than the U.S. media? Of course. Why is that? I will stick to the fact that the Israel lobby is the second-most powerful in Congresss. I have seen way too much footage and heard way too much honest questioning of Israeli policies on media sources that are not based in the U.S.
I'm not exaggerating or being too simplistic. It is true. Americans do not know what is going on. I've been asking people if they know what is happening right now in Gaza. They don't know that there is no power in Gaza, which means there is no clean drinking water, that civilians and too many children have been targeted and killed while hanging out at the beach. Arabs know this. Europeans know this. It is a basic story that their news channels carry. Why don't Americans know?? Why will I never see this on an American news source?
Obviously, the situation is complicated. And I do have a horrible tendency to talk in black and whites and start offending everybody, especially when upset and tired. Of course, the Israel-Palestine issue is always the same. So it's tiring. I'll do the PC-thing and talk about it in a way so as not to offend. But then I just give that up.
I don't see how anyone can think that the U.S. media is not biased towards Israel. What bad things do they show about Israel? And they always try to stay balanced. So if they mention that 2 Palestinians got killed, they'll say 2 Israelis got killed--to stay balanced. But of course, percentage wise that means they're reporting Israeli victims far more than Palestinian victims. NPR, CBS, ABC, NBC all do this. Go to and
But again, I don't want to blame people. I think it's these bad governments. I'll put the Israeli, the U.S., the Lebanese, the Palestinian, and all these governments in the category of bad. People are people. And I think they will do the right thing. But they need to be informed correctly.
Of course, it's always the same reverse culture-shock, when I return to the U.S. I haven't been here for this long in a while. And it does freak me out when I talk to people and see how they think and how little they know.
Maybe all the well-informed, intelligent people who post here (and believe me, that's not sarcastic, but I think it could have sounded sarcastic) don't realize or think about those people at the YMCA and my church--who are well-meaning people, but so lacking on real information. They really are manipulated by FOX News. They really think Islamo-fascists are out to get them. They really did buy those lies about WMD in Iraq. They really thought that occupying Iraq would protect them from terror threats. These lies are so dangerous
Sure, I can blame it on deciding to poison myself by watching FOX and CNN.
I agree with this part of the last comment and think it is very well-stated:
"In reality, all sides bear great responsibility for the escalation of the conflict and all sides have unfulfilled responsibilities. On Israel's side, I see the need for (at least) a full pull-out from the Palestinian territories (with an possible exception for the heavily populated settlements right on the Green Line), a clear endorsement for a Palestinian state, and a commitment to end the blockades which make trade and travel difficult. On the Arab side, it is imperative that they recognize the state of Israel, commit themselves to land negotiations, and - this is really important, I think - begin to build a culture the cohesion of which does not depend on the continued demonization of Israel. One of the possible reasons why the Arab world is so slow to help the refugees is because without the spector of Israel, the Arab world might have to actually consider some of the other reasons why their society is plagued with structural problems. Israel functions as an effective scapegoat, but this isn't doing much to get people jobs."
As for the issue of media bias. . . Is the U.S. media controlled by the Israel lobby? Is Europe showing things that you don't see on U.S. media and being more critical about Israel than the U.S. media? Of course. Why is that? I will stick to the fact that the Israel lobby is the second-most powerful in Congresss. I have seen way too much footage and heard way too much honest questioning of Israeli policies on media sources that are not based in the U.S.
I'm not exaggerating or being too simplistic. It is true. Americans do not know what is going on. I've been asking people if they know what is happening right now in Gaza. They don't know that there is no power in Gaza, which means there is no clean drinking water, that civilians and too many children have been targeted and killed while hanging out at the beach. Arabs know this. Europeans know this. It is a basic story that their news channels carry. Why don't Americans know?? Why will I never see this on an American news source?
Obviously, the situation is complicated. And I do have a horrible tendency to talk in black and whites and start offending everybody, especially when upset and tired. Of course, the Israel-Palestine issue is always the same. So it's tiring. I'll do the PC-thing and talk about it in a way so as not to offend. But then I just give that up.
I don't see how anyone can think that the U.S. media is not biased towards Israel. What bad things do they show about Israel? And they always try to stay balanced. So if they mention that 2 Palestinians got killed, they'll say 2 Israelis got killed--to stay balanced. But of course, percentage wise that means they're reporting Israeli victims far more than Palestinian victims. NPR, CBS, ABC, NBC all do this. Go to and
But again, I don't want to blame people. I think it's these bad governments. I'll put the Israeli, the U.S., the Lebanese, the Palestinian, and all these governments in the category of bad. People are people. And I think they will do the right thing. But they need to be informed correctly.
Of course, it's always the same reverse culture-shock, when I return to the U.S. I haven't been here for this long in a while. And it does freak me out when I talk to people and see how they think and how little they know.
Maybe all the well-informed, intelligent people who post here (and believe me, that's not sarcastic, but I think it could have sounded sarcastic) don't realize or think about those people at the YMCA and my church--who are well-meaning people, but so lacking on real information. They really are manipulated by FOX News. They really think Islamo-fascists are out to get them. They really did buy those lies about WMD in Iraq. They really thought that occupying Iraq would protect them from terror threats. These lies are so dangerous
September 5, 2006
Palestinians in Lebanon
In response to yesterday's comment, it is true, Lebanon, Jordan, and the Arab world has pretty much abandoned the Palestinians. People of Palestinian descent born in Lebanon are not considered Lebanese citizens. It is illegal for them to own property, and can only work 18 jobs that are allotted by the government. They have been living in refugee camps since 1948. The Lebanese government says that if they granted them the same rights as their other citizens, than that would encourage the Palestinians to settle, and the Lebanese government thinks they should return to their land. It's an almost childish argument that goes something like this: We're not going to let Israel win and get away with doing this to the Palestinians. If we accept the Palestinians, than we are complicit in Israel's crime. And of course, it becomes our problem, and it should be Israel's problem.
Of course, this is all horrible. And yes, as everyone knows, the Palestinians get screwed over from every side. But I think it's just as silly or manipulative for Israel to always use this argument as if 1948 and Al-Nakba are okay, because hey, none of the other Arab countries are helping the Palestinians. No, it doesn't make it okay to take people's land.
It's as silly and manipulative as blaming Yasser Arafat for there not being peace. "Arafat blew his big chance. He didn't accept the peace." This is also BS. Israel loves to blame the corrupt Palestinian leaders for the problems of the Palestinians. Sure, corruption compounds problem. But this is blaming the victim, and shifiting blame. Again, if anyone's looked at the terms of these peace settlements, they would see why it would be impossible for any Palestinian person or leader to accept the terms.
It's a matter of shifting blame. Pointing the finger. Blaming the victim. It's the oppressor coopting the language of the oppressed. Edward Said talks about this discourse that Israel uses to always defend itself. It's so old. And then when it's pointed out that Israel commits human rights abuses that would be unacceptable for any other country to commit, you're called an anti-Semite. Please. Europeans in the media say things how they are. They aren't coopted by the Israeli lobby that controls the media. Call me a conspiracy theorist, call me an anti-Semite.
There's a big, fat elephant in the room and you have to pretend it's not there. = Israel commits major human rights abuses. Oh wait, so does the U.S. We have 1% of our population in prison, performing slave labor. But is that at the same scale as the destruction and daily humiliation that the Palestinians have to live with. Well, that's a whole other bag of worms.
Of course, this is all horrible. And yes, as everyone knows, the Palestinians get screwed over from every side. But I think it's just as silly or manipulative for Israel to always use this argument as if 1948 and Al-Nakba are okay, because hey, none of the other Arab countries are helping the Palestinians. No, it doesn't make it okay to take people's land.
It's as silly and manipulative as blaming Yasser Arafat for there not being peace. "Arafat blew his big chance. He didn't accept the peace." This is also BS. Israel loves to blame the corrupt Palestinian leaders for the problems of the Palestinians. Sure, corruption compounds problem. But this is blaming the victim, and shifiting blame. Again, if anyone's looked at the terms of these peace settlements, they would see why it would be impossible for any Palestinian person or leader to accept the terms.
It's a matter of shifting blame. Pointing the finger. Blaming the victim. It's the oppressor coopting the language of the oppressed. Edward Said talks about this discourse that Israel uses to always defend itself. It's so old. And then when it's pointed out that Israel commits human rights abuses that would be unacceptable for any other country to commit, you're called an anti-Semite. Please. Europeans in the media say things how they are. They aren't coopted by the Israeli lobby that controls the media. Call me a conspiracy theorist, call me an anti-Semite.
There's a big, fat elephant in the room and you have to pretend it's not there. = Israel commits major human rights abuses. Oh wait, so does the U.S. We have 1% of our population in prison, performing slave labor. But is that at the same scale as the destruction and daily humiliation that the Palestinians have to live with. Well, that's a whole other bag of worms.
The Blockade
My friend was going to work this semester as a Research Assistant in the Chemistry Department at the American University of Beirut, while she applies to Ph.D. programs in the U.S.
She went down there last week and was told that the position is no longer available. The supplies for the lab can't come in because Israel is still operating a naval and air blockade.
She went down there last week and was told that the position is no longer available. The supplies for the lab can't come in because Israel is still operating a naval and air blockade.
Are there Israeli cyber-soldiers prowling my blog?
So apparently there are many Israeli supporters who prowl the Internet looking to defend Israel wherever it is criticized? Could this be what has happened here on my blog? Why are there certain people, who I don't know, who always have articles and certain information at their disposal, to counter everything I might say that could put Israel in a negative light?
One of these consistent blog readers told me once that I should join Hizbollah and be on its payroll. I thought that was a very strange comment. But now I'm wondering if that isn't because he might be on the IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) payroll.
Here's an excerpt from “Israel backed by army of cyber-soldiers,” by Yonit Farago in Jerusalem, in The Times, 28 July 2006.
Doron Barkat, 29, in Jerusalem, spends long nights trawling the web to try to swing the debate Israel’s way. “When I see internet polls for or against Israel I send out a mailing list to vote for Israel,” he said. “It can be that after 15 minutes there will be 400 votes for Israel.
“It’s very satisfying. There are also forums where Lebanese and Israelis talk.”
Israel’s Foreign Ministry must avoid direct involvement with the campaign but is in contact with international Jewish and evangelical Christian groups, distributing internet information packs.
One of these consistent blog readers told me once that I should join Hizbollah and be on its payroll. I thought that was a very strange comment. But now I'm wondering if that isn't because he might be on the IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) payroll.
Here's an excerpt from “Israel backed by army of cyber-soldiers,” by Yonit Farago in Jerusalem, in The Times, 28 July 2006.
Doron Barkat, 29, in Jerusalem, spends long nights trawling the web to try to swing the debate Israel’s way. “When I see internet polls for or against Israel I send out a mailing list to vote for Israel,” he said. “It can be that after 15 minutes there will be 400 votes for Israel.
“It’s very satisfying. There are also forums where Lebanese and Israelis talk.”
Israel’s Foreign Ministry must avoid direct involvement with the campaign but is in contact with international Jewish and evangelical Christian groups, distributing internet information packs.
September 4, 2006
"Waiting to Die"--a letter from Olfat Mahmoud
I was going to volunteer with Olfat after this summer. She runs an NGO called the Women's Humanitarian Organization in the Bourj al Bourajne Palestinian refugee camp. There are 16 Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon, 4 of them are in Beirut. The conditions are always bad, but the War made things dismal. This is a letter she sent out last week. She entitled it "Waiting to Die."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Black Death, that’s how the future seems to everyone afflicted by war, an unpredictable future and the only wish they have is to die today before tomorrow for the horrific terrorism practiced upon the innocent civilians.
The health situation is not cheerful. Everyday the situation worsens and people have become obsessed with the idea that they are going to die if not from bombardment then from diseases. Here comes our role as an NGO, we are exhorting all our efforts to provide the needed with the medicine and healthy treatment. As a director of Women’s Humanitarian Organization (WHO) I would like to highlight on the health programs held in our NGO and focus on the current critical health situation.
Our health program consists of major topics dealt with among the women by raising health awareness and guiding them with the right hygiene.
Such issues dealt with are: health education for women, breast feeding, breast cancer, child diarrhea, age care. In addition to, elderly care mainly for chronic diseases.
The effect of war on health has been prominently observed since the beginning of war in July 12.Borj El Barajneh camp is a significant example, it is home to about 20,000 Palestinians the camp is located near the airport and in the southern suburb of Beirut precisely in Hezbollah area where the air strikes targeted aimlessly everywhere. The camp has mainly four entrances that are subjected to air strikes. Life is almost paralyzed; people are panic stricken and are striving to stay alive with the help of the NGOs who are making use of every simple means for the sake of the residence of the camp and the surrounding. This all has affected the health cycle of the residence and the displaced who sought shelter in the camp.
Here is a close insight to the life in the camp and how people deal with war after a long term of peace penetrated recently with the dramatic sounds of the shelling and bombing.
In the camp, houses are shabby and worn out buildings with weak infra structure. The buildings have been destroyed several times and rebuilt on the same ruins with no strong architectural design.
People live in small houses maximum of three small rooms, one shared toilet with a shower. In normal days the rooms are overcrowded. After al Nakba 1948 Palestine refugees lived in tents then by time they were able to build shabby and unorganized houses they never thought that they will stay in the camps all that time for 58 years. By the growing number of people in the camp, the only way to expand was to go up so the camp consists of 3 stores buildings in very unorganized way. In this latest war, people who lived in the upper floors moved to the down floors for safety. So, the number of people has grown to 20 persons per room (3 m²).
In such circumstances, and speaking health wise the usage of toilet by more than one family causes unhygienic environment. people are aware of this problem but have no other choice so they have reduced the amount of food and intake of water to lessens the usage of toilets which creates health problem such as mal nutrition, dehydration ect….
Other problems aroused in such cases are shortage of water because it is usually pumped and due to the continuous cut off electricity pumping water has become impossible. Also, a small chance is given to every member to clean up or take a daily shower in this hot sweaty summer which causes lice as well as skin problems which is another aspect of the negative impact of war on people, rush, friction and scabies are shown.
On the top of all of that most of the women are covered but since they live in shared houses they have no privacy and are unable to expose their hair to the sun and dry wind especially after shower that will result of humidity on the head and cause headaches, cold and bad hair smell.
On the other hand, it’s very important to mention the kinds of lethal weapons Israeli is using. Israel is using internationally banned weapons, illegal bombs that cause allergy and asthma even for ordinary persons which by time will affect the respiratory system and reports show that these kinds of bombs cause cancer. Lebanon is a field of trial for Israeli weapons.
Now days, there is a shortage of food, so people with chronic disease especially the elderly it seems impossible for them to follow special diet which affect their health and increase the risk of having serious complications regarding their illnesses. The lack of fresh vegetables and fruits deteriorates and worsens the situation.
On the other side, some negative psychological problems have been critically observed ever since war has started among the children and other standards of the society.
So far, children have suffered of wet beds, nightmares, eating nails, frozen in the corner and sucking thumbs. They also spend most of their times stuck to their mothers, they also get uptight quickly and nervous along with hysteric cries. Those kids expected to have a joyful summer for they have just finished school and its only time to have fun in the camp that is now been disrupted by war. They are now imprisoned inside their own world or fear and terror.
They keep on asking questions on what would happen? Where to go? Many questions with no definite answers. The only word that describes the whole situation which is reflected on their pale face is WHEN IS DEATH GOING TO PASS BY?
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Black Death, that’s how the future seems to everyone afflicted by war, an unpredictable future and the only wish they have is to die today before tomorrow for the horrific terrorism practiced upon the innocent civilians.
The health situation is not cheerful. Everyday the situation worsens and people have become obsessed with the idea that they are going to die if not from bombardment then from diseases. Here comes our role as an NGO, we are exhorting all our efforts to provide the needed with the medicine and healthy treatment. As a director of Women’s Humanitarian Organization (WHO) I would like to highlight on the health programs held in our NGO and focus on the current critical health situation.
Our health program consists of major topics dealt with among the women by raising health awareness and guiding them with the right hygiene.
Such issues dealt with are: health education for women, breast feeding, breast cancer, child diarrhea, age care. In addition to, elderly care mainly for chronic diseases.
The effect of war on health has been prominently observed since the beginning of war in July 12.Borj El Barajneh camp is a significant example, it is home to about 20,000 Palestinians the camp is located near the airport and in the southern suburb of Beirut precisely in Hezbollah area where the air strikes targeted aimlessly everywhere. The camp has mainly four entrances that are subjected to air strikes. Life is almost paralyzed; people are panic stricken and are striving to stay alive with the help of the NGOs who are making use of every simple means for the sake of the residence of the camp and the surrounding. This all has affected the health cycle of the residence and the displaced who sought shelter in the camp.
Here is a close insight to the life in the camp and how people deal with war after a long term of peace penetrated recently with the dramatic sounds of the shelling and bombing.
In the camp, houses are shabby and worn out buildings with weak infra structure. The buildings have been destroyed several times and rebuilt on the same ruins with no strong architectural design.
People live in small houses maximum of three small rooms, one shared toilet with a shower. In normal days the rooms are overcrowded. After al Nakba 1948 Palestine refugees lived in tents then by time they were able to build shabby and unorganized houses they never thought that they will stay in the camps all that time for 58 years. By the growing number of people in the camp, the only way to expand was to go up so the camp consists of 3 stores buildings in very unorganized way. In this latest war, people who lived in the upper floors moved to the down floors for safety. So, the number of people has grown to 20 persons per room (3 m²).
In such circumstances, and speaking health wise the usage of toilet by more than one family causes unhygienic environment. people are aware of this problem but have no other choice so they have reduced the amount of food and intake of water to lessens the usage of toilets which creates health problem such as mal nutrition, dehydration ect….
Other problems aroused in such cases are shortage of water because it is usually pumped and due to the continuous cut off electricity pumping water has become impossible. Also, a small chance is given to every member to clean up or take a daily shower in this hot sweaty summer which causes lice as well as skin problems which is another aspect of the negative impact of war on people, rush, friction and scabies are shown.
On the top of all of that most of the women are covered but since they live in shared houses they have no privacy and are unable to expose their hair to the sun and dry wind especially after shower that will result of humidity on the head and cause headaches, cold and bad hair smell.
On the other hand, it’s very important to mention the kinds of lethal weapons Israeli is using. Israel is using internationally banned weapons, illegal bombs that cause allergy and asthma even for ordinary persons which by time will affect the respiratory system and reports show that these kinds of bombs cause cancer. Lebanon is a field of trial for Israeli weapons.
Now days, there is a shortage of food, so people with chronic disease especially the elderly it seems impossible for them to follow special diet which affect their health and increase the risk of having serious complications regarding their illnesses. The lack of fresh vegetables and fruits deteriorates and worsens the situation.
On the other side, some negative psychological problems have been critically observed ever since war has started among the children and other standards of the society.
So far, children have suffered of wet beds, nightmares, eating nails, frozen in the corner and sucking thumbs. They also spend most of their times stuck to their mothers, they also get uptight quickly and nervous along with hysteric cries. Those kids expected to have a joyful summer for they have just finished school and its only time to have fun in the camp that is now been disrupted by war. They are now imprisoned inside their own world or fear and terror.
They keep on asking questions on what would happen? Where to go? Many questions with no definite answers. The only word that describes the whole situation which is reflected on their pale face is WHEN IS DEATH GOING TO PASS BY?
September 1, 2006
E-mail from a girl in Gaza
In June, I asked one of my friends why people weren't talking about the situation in Gaza. Knowing that it's always bad in Gaza, it had gotten ludicrous in Gaza in June. To the point where I had decided I wasn't going to move into the Palestinian refugee camp in the Dahiye, at the end of the summer, to volunteer with Olfat's organization, just because I was an American. And all people talked about in Lebanon was the Mundial, the World Cup.
I found this at
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
This email was sent by a young girl in Gaza to a friend in Europe. I’m reposting the original without cleaning up the English. If you think you know what’s happening in Gaza, think again.
LENA
THEY WILL NEVER STOPP DPOIN THIS WITH US AND BRITIAN SUPPORT, THEY CUT THE ELECTRICITY AND SOON THERE WILL BE NO WATER TO DRINK AT LEAST, SONIC BOBS IS SOME THIN MAKES U FEEL LIKE GOIN CRAZY, PLZ DO SOME THING
HELD DEMONESTRATIONS OR WHAT EVER,I DONO WHAT TO SAY LINA, THEY WILL DESTROY HOUSES AND DO MANY MANY NASTY THINGS AS USUAL
U CAN COME HERE AND WORK WITH US ITS SOME PPLS JOB LINA, U MUST COME HERE TO EVALUATE THE TRUTH AND THE FACTS, BELIEVE ME, THEY R NOT DOIN THIS 4 THE SAKE OF THE KIDNAPPED SOLDIER, CUZ B4 THAT THEY KILLED FAMILIES TRYIN TO HAVE FN ON THE BEACH, I KNOW THAT UR HAPPY WATCHING THE MONDIAL, BUT THERE R SOME PPL HOPE THAT U WOULD SUPPORT US, CHILDREN R EVEN MORE AFRAID TO LOSE THEIR PARENTS,MOST CHILDREN THINK THAT WHAT HAPPENED TO THE GRL ON THE BEACH WILL HAPPEN TO THEM ANY TIME AND IN ANY PLACE, I EVEN CANT REACH GAZA THEY DESTROYED THE BRIDGES BETWEEN THE NORTH AND SOUTH OF THE GAZA STRIP
PLZ AT LEAST PRAY FOR US, I REALLY KNOW THAT U WANT TO DO SOMETHIN BUT U CANT, BUT I ALSO WANT TO TELL ABOUT WHAT IS GOIN ON HERE, THEY MAN ENVEY MA VILLAGE TODAY NIGHT AND IM TRYIN NOT TO IMAGINE WHAT CAN HAPPEN
IM WRITIN THIS E MAIL VERY FAST CUZ I DON WANT THE ELECTRICITY TO BE CUT B4 I FINISH IT
BYE
There is only one power plant in Gaza and the Israeli military blew it up. Workers say it will take 6 months to repair, however no repair work is starting while this invasion and bombardment continues, so who knows when it will be restored? That power plant fed electricity to wells throughout Gaza that provide the bulk of the drinking water.
Palestinians in Gaza are going without water in July.
Jan Egeland, the UN’s Emergency Relief Coordinator, recognizes the coming humanitarian catastrophe:
“They are heading for the abyss unless they get electricity and fuel restored,” said Emergency Relief Coordinator Jan Egeland, who also urged the Palestinians to free the soldier and clamp down on militants firing rockets into Israel.
Without clean water in the hot summer weather, “we would in days see a major humanitarian crisis,” he said. Military action targeting innocent civilians violates international humanitarian law, he added.
“I am confident that neither of the two [Israelis/Palestinians] want to see a massive increase in mortality in the Gaza [Strip],” where children make up about half of the area’s 1.4 million people, Egeland told a small group of reporters. (Haaretz)
Children. Gaza is covered in children who couldn’t have possibly been involved in armed attacks or capturing Israeli soldiers. Israel is punishing the children of Gaza for the acts of a small handful of adults.
Virginia Tilley writes of the staggering reality eclipsing Gazans right now:
No lights, no refrigerators, no fans through the suffocating Gaza summer heat. No going outside for air, due to ongoing bombing and Israel’s impending military assault. In the hot darkness, massive explosions shake the cities, close and far, while repeated sonic booms are doubtless wreaking the havoc they have wrought before: smashing windows, sending children screaming into the arms of terrified adults, old people collapsing with heart failure, pregnant women collapsing with spontaneous abortions. Mass terror, despair, desperate hoarding of food and water. And no radios, television, cell phones, or laptops (for the few who have them), and so no way to get news of how long this nightmare might go on.
But this time, the situation is worse than that. As food in the refrigerators spoils, the only remaining food is grains. Most people cook with gas, but with the borders sealed, soon there will be no gas. When family-kitchen propane tanks run out, there will be no cooking. No cooked lentils or beans, no humus, no bread the staples Palestinian foods, the only food for the poor. (And there is no firewood or coal in dry, overcrowded Gaza.)
[…]
The Gaza aquifer is already contaminated with sea water and sewage, due to over-pumping (partly by those now-abandoned Israeli settlements) and the grossly inadequate sewage system. To be drinkable, well water is purified through machinery run by electricity. Otherwise, the brackish water must at least be boiled before it can be consumed, but this requires electricity or gas. And people will soon have neither.
Drinking unpurified water means sickness, even cholera. If cholera breaks out, it will spread like wildfire in a population so densely packed and lacking fuel or water for sanitation. And the hospitals and clinics aren’t functioning, either, because there is no electricity. (Counterpunch)
Write your representatives and demand that they take action to stop this Israeli invasion, pull out of the Gaza Strip again, and focus on diplomacy instead of violence to solve this situation!
I found this at
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
This email was sent by a young girl in Gaza to a friend in Europe. I’m reposting the original without cleaning up the English. If you think you know what’s happening in Gaza, think again.
LENA
THEY WILL NEVER STOPP DPOIN THIS WITH US AND BRITIAN SUPPORT, THEY CUT THE ELECTRICITY AND SOON THERE WILL BE NO WATER TO DRINK AT LEAST, SONIC BOBS IS SOME THIN MAKES U FEEL LIKE GOIN CRAZY, PLZ DO SOME THING
HELD DEMONESTRATIONS OR WHAT EVER,I DONO WHAT TO SAY LINA, THEY WILL DESTROY HOUSES AND DO MANY MANY NASTY THINGS AS USUAL
U CAN COME HERE AND WORK WITH US ITS SOME PPLS JOB LINA, U MUST COME HERE TO EVALUATE THE TRUTH AND THE FACTS, BELIEVE ME, THEY R NOT DOIN THIS 4 THE SAKE OF THE KIDNAPPED SOLDIER, CUZ B4 THAT THEY KILLED FAMILIES TRYIN TO HAVE FN ON THE BEACH, I KNOW THAT UR HAPPY WATCHING THE MONDIAL, BUT THERE R SOME PPL HOPE THAT U WOULD SUPPORT US, CHILDREN R EVEN MORE AFRAID TO LOSE THEIR PARENTS,MOST CHILDREN THINK THAT WHAT HAPPENED TO THE GRL ON THE BEACH WILL HAPPEN TO THEM ANY TIME AND IN ANY PLACE, I EVEN CANT REACH GAZA THEY DESTROYED THE BRIDGES BETWEEN THE NORTH AND SOUTH OF THE GAZA STRIP
PLZ AT LEAST PRAY FOR US, I REALLY KNOW THAT U WANT TO DO SOMETHIN BUT U CANT, BUT I ALSO WANT TO TELL ABOUT WHAT IS GOIN ON HERE, THEY MAN ENVEY MA VILLAGE TODAY NIGHT AND IM TRYIN NOT TO IMAGINE WHAT CAN HAPPEN
IM WRITIN THIS E MAIL VERY FAST CUZ I DON WANT THE ELECTRICITY TO BE CUT B4 I FINISH IT
BYE
There is only one power plant in Gaza and the Israeli military blew it up. Workers say it will take 6 months to repair, however no repair work is starting while this invasion and bombardment continues, so who knows when it will be restored? That power plant fed electricity to wells throughout Gaza that provide the bulk of the drinking water.
Palestinians in Gaza are going without water in July.
Jan Egeland, the UN’s Emergency Relief Coordinator, recognizes the coming humanitarian catastrophe:
“They are heading for the abyss unless they get electricity and fuel restored,” said Emergency Relief Coordinator Jan Egeland, who also urged the Palestinians to free the soldier and clamp down on militants firing rockets into Israel.
Without clean water in the hot summer weather, “we would in days see a major humanitarian crisis,” he said. Military action targeting innocent civilians violates international humanitarian law, he added.
“I am confident that neither of the two [Israelis/Palestinians] want to see a massive increase in mortality in the Gaza [Strip],” where children make up about half of the area’s 1.4 million people, Egeland told a small group of reporters. (Haaretz)
Children. Gaza is covered in children who couldn’t have possibly been involved in armed attacks or capturing Israeli soldiers. Israel is punishing the children of Gaza for the acts of a small handful of adults.
Virginia Tilley writes of the staggering reality eclipsing Gazans right now:
No lights, no refrigerators, no fans through the suffocating Gaza summer heat. No going outside for air, due to ongoing bombing and Israel’s impending military assault. In the hot darkness, massive explosions shake the cities, close and far, while repeated sonic booms are doubtless wreaking the havoc they have wrought before: smashing windows, sending children screaming into the arms of terrified adults, old people collapsing with heart failure, pregnant women collapsing with spontaneous abortions. Mass terror, despair, desperate hoarding of food and water. And no radios, television, cell phones, or laptops (for the few who have them), and so no way to get news of how long this nightmare might go on.
But this time, the situation is worse than that. As food in the refrigerators spoils, the only remaining food is grains. Most people cook with gas, but with the borders sealed, soon there will be no gas. When family-kitchen propane tanks run out, there will be no cooking. No cooked lentils or beans, no humus, no bread the staples Palestinian foods, the only food for the poor. (And there is no firewood or coal in dry, overcrowded Gaza.)
[…]
The Gaza aquifer is already contaminated with sea water and sewage, due to over-pumping (partly by those now-abandoned Israeli settlements) and the grossly inadequate sewage system. To be drinkable, well water is purified through machinery run by electricity. Otherwise, the brackish water must at least be boiled before it can be consumed, but this requires electricity or gas. And people will soon have neither.
Drinking unpurified water means sickness, even cholera. If cholera breaks out, it will spread like wildfire in a population so densely packed and lacking fuel or water for sanitation. And the hospitals and clinics aren’t functioning, either, because there is no electricity. (Counterpunch)
Write your representatives and demand that they take action to stop this Israeli invasion, pull out of the Gaza Strip again, and focus on diplomacy instead of violence to solve this situation!
August 27, 2006
White Church, Black Church & my 15th Birthday
Being back in Katy, Texas is so weird. The neighborhood has changed. There are more people of diverse, ethnic backgrounds. But it's still the same. The white, rich, Republicans dominate.
I went to Kingsland Baptist Church this morning, where I've been going for the past three weeks. This is the church I started going to back when I was 15 years. Having grown up, unchurched, I started believing in and following Jesus after a summer camp experience where I concluded that there is no such thing as coincidence. A couple days later, while getting the mail, my neighbor, a woman I had known my whole life, asked me if I was saved.
"What is that?"
I knew it was something religious. And usually I would have said "No, not interested." But I was interested. So I went into her house and she told me how she was saved. And after a long talk, she gave me a small book that was a study of the gospel of John.
I knew there was a Bible in that room in my house where my dad kept his stuff. (My parents had divorced long before.) I found it and started reading John, and I got to . . .
"And to all who believed him, to all who called on his name, he gave the right to become children of God, children not born of natural descent, nor of a husband's will, nor of human decision, but born of God." (This is how I remember it. I didn't even look it up. . . I promise.)
And I felt and I saw a light. And I just knew. This was it. This is what I had been looking for my entire life. I knew this was God. And God's been talking to me and taking care of me ever since.
So I told that crazy girl who I had become friends with the year before, "Yes, I'll go with you to your youth group at church."
Then on September 11, 1991, I stayed after youth group with the youth minister and said the prayer confessing my sins and professing belief that Jesus is God and has paved the way for my sins and that I would commit to following Jesus.
I'm coming up on my 15th birthday. You know what happened on my 10th birthday.
So this morning, I went to Kingsland. And the pastor talked about "getting on the dance floor" with your partner who is your spouse and how God created us to have these stable families where the moms stay home and greet their children when they come home everyday.
And at some point, the all-male deacons collect the offering.
And the worship is very ordered. Stand up, sit down. Maybe a couple people lift their arms during a particularly upbeat song.
And then I went to the Singles class. Yes, I've come to accept that certain level of humiliation that comes with being a single 30-year old in suburbia. (I just have 2 high school friends who are still single. The other ones have all bitten the dust. . . . Is that a dumb joke? I don't even know what the phrase is supposed to mean.)
So then church got out, and I went across the street to Faith Manger Church, next to the Seven Days Food Store, across from my high school. And a black woman hugs me when I come in. And the drums are beating loud. It's a small place-- two rooms of a strip mall. There were about 25 people there. And guess what?? I wasn't the only white person. There were two other white women, and white kids. And the man at the front was white.
But this was black church.
Loud drums, praying out loud, screaming out loud, praying in tongues, people walking around, women embracing/smothering other women as they pray for each other, and one was the full-on show, having been taken over by the Holy Spirit.
I'm used to black church. I started going when I moved to Boston when I was 18. But the first time I saw a woman with her head down and spinning around and wailing, it kind of freaked me out.
And I felt so comfortable. I haven't been able to worship my style, since I was in Boston a month ago. And in black church, it's free. You talk aloud, you lift up your hands, you can walk around, you can dance around, you can run around the church, you can talk to your neighbor, and you can start crying, or you can sit in your chair and just meditate (if you can handle all the noise.)
It's free. That's how I worship. Not that every black church is like this. It's not this loud or as dramatic at my church home in Cambridge. When I say "white church" and "black church" I'm describing different styles. But of course every congregation is different. My church in Lebanon was much more like black church than white church.
Kingsland just sent a team to Mongolia for a week-long short-term missions trip.
I wonder if any of those people have been next door.
And then came my favorite part--the sermon. This is always a crap shoot. Sometimes the pastor is good, and sometimes the pastor really isn't so good. This guy was talking about stuff that had nothing to do with the passage from Scripture. It was like he'd just go off and say stuff and then say let's look back at the passage. But what was he looking at?
I tend to get bored and lose focus in situations like this. Generally, I can't stay awake through sermons or movies. So I just started reading the passage myself, and how weird is this . . . . it said . . .
"The violence you have done to Lebanon will overwhelm you,
and your destruction of animals will terrify you.
For you have shed man's blood;
you have destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them."
--Habakkuk 2: 17
You think I just looked that up in a concordance or something. I didn't. And I never look at Habakkuk. God is so weird like that. I haven't been reading much of my Bible at all, not in these last two years, at least. Since I've been in Katy, I've tried resurrecting my quiet time.
But this passage is just uncanny.
You know Habakkuk is chiding Israel. (Actually it's Judah--the southern kingdom that included Jerusalem when Israel divided after Solomon's reign.) That's what all those Old Testament prophets do.
I went to Kingsland Baptist Church this morning, where I've been going for the past three weeks. This is the church I started going to back when I was 15 years. Having grown up, unchurched, I started believing in and following Jesus after a summer camp experience where I concluded that there is no such thing as coincidence. A couple days later, while getting the mail, my neighbor, a woman I had known my whole life, asked me if I was saved.
"What is that?"
I knew it was something religious. And usually I would have said "No, not interested." But I was interested. So I went into her house and she told me how she was saved. And after a long talk, she gave me a small book that was a study of the gospel of John.
I knew there was a Bible in that room in my house where my dad kept his stuff. (My parents had divorced long before.) I found it and started reading John, and I got to . . .
"And to all who believed him, to all who called on his name, he gave the right to become children of God, children not born of natural descent, nor of a husband's will, nor of human decision, but born of God." (This is how I remember it. I didn't even look it up. . . I promise.)
And I felt and I saw a light. And I just knew. This was it. This is what I had been looking for my entire life. I knew this was God. And God's been talking to me and taking care of me ever since.
So I told that crazy girl who I had become friends with the year before, "Yes, I'll go with you to your youth group at church."
Then on September 11, 1991, I stayed after youth group with the youth minister and said the prayer confessing my sins and professing belief that Jesus is God and has paved the way for my sins and that I would commit to following Jesus.
I'm coming up on my 15th birthday. You know what happened on my 10th birthday.
So this morning, I went to Kingsland. And the pastor talked about "getting on the dance floor" with your partner who is your spouse and how God created us to have these stable families where the moms stay home and greet their children when they come home everyday.
And at some point, the all-male deacons collect the offering.
And the worship is very ordered. Stand up, sit down. Maybe a couple people lift their arms during a particularly upbeat song.
And then I went to the Singles class. Yes, I've come to accept that certain level of humiliation that comes with being a single 30-year old in suburbia. (I just have 2 high school friends who are still single. The other ones have all bitten the dust. . . . Is that a dumb joke? I don't even know what the phrase is supposed to mean.)
So then church got out, and I went across the street to Faith Manger Church, next to the Seven Days Food Store, across from my high school. And a black woman hugs me when I come in. And the drums are beating loud. It's a small place-- two rooms of a strip mall. There were about 25 people there. And guess what?? I wasn't the only white person. There were two other white women, and white kids. And the man at the front was white.
But this was black church.
Loud drums, praying out loud, screaming out loud, praying in tongues, people walking around, women embracing/smothering other women as they pray for each other, and one was the full-on show, having been taken over by the Holy Spirit.
I'm used to black church. I started going when I moved to Boston when I was 18. But the first time I saw a woman with her head down and spinning around and wailing, it kind of freaked me out.
And I felt so comfortable. I haven't been able to worship my style, since I was in Boston a month ago. And in black church, it's free. You talk aloud, you lift up your hands, you can walk around, you can dance around, you can run around the church, you can talk to your neighbor, and you can start crying, or you can sit in your chair and just meditate (if you can handle all the noise.)
It's free. That's how I worship. Not that every black church is like this. It's not this loud or as dramatic at my church home in Cambridge. When I say "white church" and "black church" I'm describing different styles. But of course every congregation is different. My church in Lebanon was much more like black church than white church.
Kingsland just sent a team to Mongolia for a week-long short-term missions trip.
I wonder if any of those people have been next door.
And then came my favorite part--the sermon. This is always a crap shoot. Sometimes the pastor is good, and sometimes the pastor really isn't so good. This guy was talking about stuff that had nothing to do with the passage from Scripture. It was like he'd just go off and say stuff and then say let's look back at the passage. But what was he looking at?
I tend to get bored and lose focus in situations like this. Generally, I can't stay awake through sermons or movies. So I just started reading the passage myself, and how weird is this . . . . it said . . .
"The violence you have done to Lebanon will overwhelm you,
and your destruction of animals will terrify you.
For you have shed man's blood;
you have destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them."
--Habakkuk 2: 17
You think I just looked that up in a concordance or something. I didn't. And I never look at Habakkuk. God is so weird like that. I haven't been reading much of my Bible at all, not in these last two years, at least. Since I've been in Katy, I've tried resurrecting my quiet time.
But this passage is just uncanny.
You know Habakkuk is chiding Israel. (Actually it's Judah--the southern kingdom that included Jerusalem when Israel divided after Solomon's reign.) That's what all those Old Testament prophets do.
August 26, 2006
Katrina
Having had to suddenly leave Lebanon, war-torn, and ruined. Which is now beginning to rebuild itself.
To come to Houston, Texas, that's received 150,000 Katrina refugeess, some of whom I've met, these past couple weeks that I've been here.
At the one year anniversary.
------------------------------------------------------------
Now, all of a sudden, Katrina seems to matter.
Do you think Spike Lee would go to southern Lebanon and make a documentary?
Well, maybe he isn't the one to do it. Four hours is too long for anything. Nothing should be that long.
But the people here in Houston, the Red Cross and the churches, have experience dealing with this situation. Maybe some of that expertise could be applied to Lebanon.
To come to Houston, Texas, that's received 150,000 Katrina refugeess, some of whom I've met, these past couple weeks that I've been here.
At the one year anniversary.
------------------------------------------------------------
Now, all of a sudden, Katrina seems to matter.
Do you think Spike Lee would go to southern Lebanon and make a documentary?
Well, maybe he isn't the one to do it. Four hours is too long for anything. Nothing should be that long.
But the people here in Houston, the Red Cross and the churches, have experience dealing with this situation. Maybe some of that expertise could be applied to Lebanon.
August 23, 2006
Excerpts from "Hizballah: A Primer" by Laura Deeb, in Middle East Report Online, 31 July 2006
-------------------------------------------------------
Prior to May 2000, almost all of Hizballah’s military activity was focused on freeing Lebanese territory of Israeli occupation. The cross-border attacks from May 2000 to July 2006 were small operations with tactical aims (Israel did not even respond militarily to all of them).
Hizballah’s founding document also says: “We recognize no treaty with [Israel], no ceasefire and no peace agreements, whether separate or consolidated.” This language was drafted at the time when the Israeli invasion of Lebanon had just given rise to the Hizballah militia. Augustus R. Norton, author of several books and articles on Hizballah, notes that, “While Hizballah’s enmity for Israel is not to be dismissed, the simple fact is that it has been tacitly negotiating with Israel for years.” Hizballah’s indirect talks with Israel in 1996 and 2004 and their stated willingness to arrange a prisoner exchange today all indicate realism on the part of party leadership.
---------------------------------------------------------
When the first post-war elections were held in Lebanon in 1992, many of the various militia groups (which had often grown out of political parties) reverted to their political party status and participated. Hizballah also chose to participate, declaring its intention to work within the existing Lebanese political system, while keeping its weapons to continue its guerrilla campaign against the Israeli occupation in the south, as allowed by the Ta’if accord. In that first election, the party won eight seats, giving them the largest single bloc in the 128-member parliament, and its allies won an additional four seats. From that point on, Hizballah developed a reputation -- even among those who disagree vehemently with their ideologies -- for being a “clean” and capable political party on both the national and local levels. This reputation is especially important in Lebanon, where government corruption is assumed, clientelism is the norm and political positions are often inherited. As a group, Lebanese parliamentarians are the wealthiest legislature in the world.
While the party’s parliamentary politics were generally respected, levels of national support for the activities of the Islamic Resistance in the south fluctuated over the years. Israeli attacks on Lebanese civilians and infrastructure -- including the destruction of power plants in Beirut in 1996, 1999 and 2000 -- generally contributed to increases in national support for the Resistance. This was especially true after Israel bombed a UN bunker where civilians had taken refuge in Qana on April 18, 1996, killing 106 people.
--------------------------------------------------------
Since 2000, Lebanon has also been awaiting the delivery from Israel of the map for the locations of over 300,000 landmines the Israeli army planted in south Lebanon. Unstated “rules of the game,” building on an agreement not to target civilians written after the Qana attack in 1996, have governed the Israeli-Lebanese border dispute since 2000. Hizballah attacks on Israeli army posts in the occupied Shebaa Farms, for example, would be answered by limited Israeli shelling of Hizballah outposts and sonic booms over Lebanon.
Both sides, on occasion, have broken the “rules of the game,” though UN observer reports of the numbers of border violations find that Israel has violated the Blue Line between the countries ten times more frequently than Hizballah has. Israeli forces have kidnapped Lebanese shepherds and fishermen. Hizballah abducted an Israeli businessman in Lebanon in October 2000, claiming that he was a spy. In January 2004, through German mediators, Hizballah and Israel concluded a deal whereby Israel released hundreds of Lebanese and Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the businessman and the bodies of three Israeli soldiers. At the last minute, Israeli officials defied the Supreme Court’s ruling and refused to hand over the last three Lebanese prisoners, including the longest-held detainee, Samir al-Qantar, who has been in jail for 27 years for killing three Israelis after infiltrating the border. At that time, Hizballah vowed to open new negotiations at some point in the future.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
It should also be noted that many of Hizballah’s constituents do not want to live in an Islamic state; rather, they want the party to represent their interests within a pluralist Lebanon.
------------------------------------------------------------------
“Hizballah supporter” is itself a vague phrase. There are official members of the party and/or the Islamic Resistance; there are volunteers in party-affiliated social welfare organizations; there are those who voted for the party in the last election; there are those who support the Resistance in the current conflict, whether or not they agree with its ideology. To claim ridding south Lebanon of Hizballah as a goal risks aiming for the complete depopulation of the south, tantamount to ethnic cleansing of the area.
Excerpts from "The 'hiding among civilians' myth" by Mitch Prothero, in salon.com, 28 July 2006
The Israelis are consistent: They bomb everyone and everything remotely associated with Hezbollah, including noncombatants. In effect, that means punishing Lebanon. The nation is 40 percent Shiite, and of that 40 percent, tens of thousands are employed by Hezbollah's social services, political operations, schools, and other nonmilitary functions. The "terrorist" organization Hezbollah is Lebanon's second-biggest employer.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Although Israel targets apartments and offices because they are considered "Hezbollah" installations, the group has a clear policy of keeping its fighters away from civilians as much as possible. This is not for humanitarian reasons -- they did, after all, take over an apartment building against the protests of the landlord, knowing full well it would be bombed -- but for military ones.
"You can be a member of Hezbollah your entire life and never see a military wing fighter with a weapon," a Lebanese military intelligence official, now retired, once told me. "They do not come out with their masks off and never operate around people if they can avoid it. They're completely afraid of collaborators. They know this is what breaks the Palestinians -- no discipline and too much showing off."
----------------------------------------------------------------------
So the analysts talking on cable news about Hezbollah "hiding within the civilian population" clearly have spent little time if any in the south Lebanon war zone and don't know what they're talking about. Hezbollah doesn't trust the civilian population and has worked very hard to evacuate as much of it as possible from the battlefield. And this is why they fight so well -- with no one to spy on them, they have lots of chances to take the Israel Defense Forces by surprise, as they have by continuing to fire rockets and punish every Israeli ground incursion.
Qana
Excerpt from “How can we stand by and allow this to go on?” by Robert Fisk, in The Independent, 31 July 2006
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And in Qana, of all places. For only 10 years ago, this was the scene of another Israeli massacre, the slaughter of 106 Lebanese refugees by an Israeli artillery battery as they sheltered in a UN base in the town. More than half of those 106 were children. Israel later said it had no live-time pilotless photo-reconnaissance aircraft over the scene of that killing a statement that turned out to be untrue when The Independent discovered videotape showing just such an aircraft over the burning camp. It is as if Qana whose inhabitants claim that this was the village in which Jesus turned water into wine has been damned by the world, doomed forever to receive tragedy.
And there was no doubt of the missile which killed all those children yesterday. It came from the United States, and upon a fragment of it was written: "For use on MK-84 Guided Bomb BSU-37-B". No doubt the manufacturers can call it "combat-proven" because it destroyed the entire three-storey house in which the Shalhoub and Hashim families lived. They had taken refuge in the basement from an enormous Israeli bombardment, and that is where most of them died.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And in Qana, of all places. For only 10 years ago, this was the scene of another Israeli massacre, the slaughter of 106 Lebanese refugees by an Israeli artillery battery as they sheltered in a UN base in the town. More than half of those 106 were children. Israel later said it had no live-time pilotless photo-reconnaissance aircraft over the scene of that killing a statement that turned out to be untrue when The Independent discovered videotape showing just such an aircraft over the burning camp. It is as if Qana whose inhabitants claim that this was the village in which Jesus turned water into wine has been damned by the world, doomed forever to receive tragedy.
And there was no doubt of the missile which killed all those children yesterday. It came from the United States, and upon a fragment of it was written: "For use on MK-84 Guided Bomb BSU-37-B". No doubt the manufacturers can call it "combat-proven" because it destroyed the entire three-storey house in which the Shalhoub and Hashim families lived. They had taken refuge in the basement from an enormous Israeli bombardment, and that is where most of them died.
August 22, 2006
Lens on Lebanon--check out this great site
"As filmmakers, journalists, and activists from Lebanon, Europe, and North America, we have pooled our resources to deliver film and video equipment into communities in south Lebanon and other areas transformed by the conflict, and to bring out documentary evidence as well as photo narratives, and video diaries of daily life."
Figuring out how to help Lebanon from here--Working with Hizbolla???
I'm now responding to Wally's last post.
But first, let me admit, he sent a really, long good post about the history of Israel a while back, and I stuck it in a "To read" folder along with a million other things and just didn't respond to it. But I do have to get to that, and hopefully that will happen in the next couple days.
But as for what he just proposed--going back to Lebanon and working for Hizbollah? I didn't really get what he was saying, or how much of it was sarcasm. (Sarcasm is really hard over e-mail--no tone, no voice, no body language).
So Wally, I don't understand what you mean. Do you mean coordinating whatever humanitarian efforts I will get involved in, with Hizbollah?
Right now, I'm thinking the best way to help these independent, small guys doing good work in Lebanon is for them to build websites, where they can post pictures, blog, and get PR. So that they can get partnership and support. It would be easier for me to find these partners--as I do speaking engagements--if there was some kind of website to direct them towards. They could also put out their budget, and be really clear about what they're spending money on.
I'm thinking of how to set this up from here. And thinking about getting donations of computers and digital cameras. This might mean my going back and visiting with different people and training someone at these organizations on setting up the website. (Yes, of course, I'm looking for an excuse to go back.) I was thinking of getting Apple Computers to donate, but then I realized that Apples aren't really good in developing countries, where all the pirated software people use wouldn't really be useful.
What do y'all think of the idea?
But first, let me admit, he sent a really, long good post about the history of Israel a while back, and I stuck it in a "To read" folder along with a million other things and just didn't respond to it. But I do have to get to that, and hopefully that will happen in the next couple days.
But as for what he just proposed--going back to Lebanon and working for Hizbollah? I didn't really get what he was saying, or how much of it was sarcasm. (Sarcasm is really hard over e-mail--no tone, no voice, no body language).
So Wally, I don't understand what you mean. Do you mean coordinating whatever humanitarian efforts I will get involved in, with Hizbollah?
Right now, I'm thinking the best way to help these independent, small guys doing good work in Lebanon is for them to build websites, where they can post pictures, blog, and get PR. So that they can get partnership and support. It would be easier for me to find these partners--as I do speaking engagements--if there was some kind of website to direct them towards. They could also put out their budget, and be really clear about what they're spending money on.
I'm thinking of how to set this up from here. And thinking about getting donations of computers and digital cameras. This might mean my going back and visiting with different people and training someone at these organizations on setting up the website. (Yes, of course, I'm looking for an excuse to go back.) I was thinking of getting Apple Computers to donate, but then I realized that Apples aren't really good in developing countries, where all the pirated software people use wouldn't really be useful.
What do y'all think of the idea?
Hugo Chavez, War Economy, Corporate Enrichment & Impeachment
CNN ran a story about Venezuelan President, Hugo Chavez, yesterday. When it was done, the woman made some comments--"disturbing" and "unbelievable" or something like that.
Didn't I tell you Chavez is going to use this war as his opportunity to jump onto the world stage? Especially now that Castro's about to drop dead, and he can take his place.
And he's sticking up his middle finger at the U.S., threatening to cut off the oil. Which hopefully he won't do, because that will just hurt his own economy and make Venezuela descend into more crappiness. And what else would that do? Make the price of oil higher so those American oil companies can rake in even more money.
Because as we all know, it's those American companies--the oil ones, the construction ones, many of which happened to be based out of Houston and are close personal friends with Cheney and Bush, that are benefitting from this war. Shouldn't they be investigating how money Dick and Cheney are making off this war?
Besides the fact that war always revs up the economy, and when the economy is good, people tend to get re-elected. And it is an election year.
How many people think that if the Democrats take over the House, Pelosi (the Representative from San Francisco) will start impeachment hearings against Bush and Cheney, which she'll win and then become the first female President?
Didn't I tell you Chavez is going to use this war as his opportunity to jump onto the world stage? Especially now that Castro's about to drop dead, and he can take his place.
And he's sticking up his middle finger at the U.S., threatening to cut off the oil. Which hopefully he won't do, because that will just hurt his own economy and make Venezuela descend into more crappiness. And what else would that do? Make the price of oil higher so those American oil companies can rake in even more money.
Because as we all know, it's those American companies--the oil ones, the construction ones, many of which happened to be based out of Houston and are close personal friends with Cheney and Bush, that are benefitting from this war. Shouldn't they be investigating how money Dick and Cheney are making off this war?
Besides the fact that war always revs up the economy, and when the economy is good, people tend to get re-elected. And it is an election year.
How many people think that if the Democrats take over the House, Pelosi (the Representative from San Francisco) will start impeachment hearings against Bush and Cheney, which she'll win and then become the first female President?
So what is Hezbulla?
Again, I will refer you to some of the Articles on my website HowToHelpLebanon.net.
So what did we discuss at the Katy Democrats meeting?
1) Hizbollah is a resistance organization that started in 1982, when Israel occupied South Lebanon. For 18 years, Israel ran an illegal prison on Lebanese soil, where they threw anyone in there who they suspected of being a "terrorist" without trial, and used medieval torture devices on them. I went there last year. It's a museum today that is run by Hizbollah.
In the year 2000, Hizbollah's tactics finally got the Israelis to leave. They were considered then and now, the only successful group to beat Israel. Yesterday, the emir of Qatar extolled Hizbollah as a source of pride for all Arab peoples, in that it is the only group to have beat Israel. I've heard Israel say they voluntarily "withdrew" from southern Lebanon, like they did in Gaza last summer. That's not true. Hizbollah forced them to leave. Liberation Day is a national holiday in Lebanon, when the whole country was glued to their televsions and watched, with teary eyes, those prisoners being released.
If you've been following this blog, you've heard me say this for the millionth time now.
2) Hizbollah has changed over the years. It's big time, with major funding from Iran. They have those secret, scary weapons, which I said from the beginning. Israel talking like they're going to get rid of them was stupid. And they did change that line pretty earlly in the war.
Syria does support them, but not as much. Syria claims that Israel occupies its land--the Golan Heights. Part of that is the Shebaa Farms, which Lebanon claims, but the UN says is Syrian. As long as Israel is occupying land that Syria claims, Syria will support Lebanese actions against it. But not so blatantly because it doesn't really want to get into a direct confrontation with Israel.
3) Hassan Nasrallah has a big, serious personal vendetta against the state of Israel. They killed his son. And according to Newsweek, "it took him almost a year to win his son's corpse back from the Israelis." So all this crazy language about wanting to get rid of Israel and calling them the vermin of the earth does come from him and is a major part of the Hizbollah philosophy.
But if other Arabs don't say it, they think it.
As the Syrian ambassador made very clear in his interview with Charlie Rose, until Israel accepts the land for peace plans, and goes back to pre-1967 borders, there will be no peace for it.
Does this mean it's okay to want to annihilate another group of people? No way. They are terrorists. But I consider Israel a terorist state. And I consider the U.S. and Iran terrorist states for supporting terrorists.
This whole terrorist/Islamo-fascist mindset is the Cold War of today. And makes for stupid, self-defeating foreign policy. Don't Americans think Vietnam was bad? That supporting Osama Bin Laden, and Saddam Hussein, and Tito and all these bad dictators everywhere was just bad? Is there no learning from history?
So what do you think? Will the cease fire hold?
I doubt it.
Reading about the 17-year Lebanese civil war, 1975-1992, reveals how much what is going on now looks like what happened back then. There would be lulls in the fighting, and then it would just start up. My friends aren't hopeful. There's pretty much no way that Hizbolla is going to disarm. Especially now, that they are the heroes of the Arab world.
But at least with the cease fire, they now have gas for their cars, and they can start cleaning up the oil spill.
Is it going to degenerate into sectarian violence . . . civil war? We're seeing it in Iraq. We've seen it in Lebanon.
I just keep praying against it.
Even my friends who didn't leave and had the option, who stayed out of some kind of stubbornness, are saying they want to leave. There's no future for them in Lebanon.
So what did we discuss at the Katy Democrats meeting?
1) Hizbollah is a resistance organization that started in 1982, when Israel occupied South Lebanon. For 18 years, Israel ran an illegal prison on Lebanese soil, where they threw anyone in there who they suspected of being a "terrorist" without trial, and used medieval torture devices on them. I went there last year. It's a museum today that is run by Hizbollah.
In the year 2000, Hizbollah's tactics finally got the Israelis to leave. They were considered then and now, the only successful group to beat Israel. Yesterday, the emir of Qatar extolled Hizbollah as a source of pride for all Arab peoples, in that it is the only group to have beat Israel. I've heard Israel say they voluntarily "withdrew" from southern Lebanon, like they did in Gaza last summer. That's not true. Hizbollah forced them to leave. Liberation Day is a national holiday in Lebanon, when the whole country was glued to their televsions and watched, with teary eyes, those prisoners being released.
If you've been following this blog, you've heard me say this for the millionth time now.
2) Hizbollah has changed over the years. It's big time, with major funding from Iran. They have those secret, scary weapons, which I said from the beginning. Israel talking like they're going to get rid of them was stupid. And they did change that line pretty earlly in the war.
Syria does support them, but not as much. Syria claims that Israel occupies its land--the Golan Heights. Part of that is the Shebaa Farms, which Lebanon claims, but the UN says is Syrian. As long as Israel is occupying land that Syria claims, Syria will support Lebanese actions against it. But not so blatantly because it doesn't really want to get into a direct confrontation with Israel.
3) Hassan Nasrallah has a big, serious personal vendetta against the state of Israel. They killed his son. And according to Newsweek, "it took him almost a year to win his son's corpse back from the Israelis." So all this crazy language about wanting to get rid of Israel and calling them the vermin of the earth does come from him and is a major part of the Hizbollah philosophy.
But if other Arabs don't say it, they think it.
As the Syrian ambassador made very clear in his interview with Charlie Rose, until Israel accepts the land for peace plans, and goes back to pre-1967 borders, there will be no peace for it.
Does this mean it's okay to want to annihilate another group of people? No way. They are terrorists. But I consider Israel a terorist state. And I consider the U.S. and Iran terrorist states for supporting terrorists.
This whole terrorist/Islamo-fascist mindset is the Cold War of today. And makes for stupid, self-defeating foreign policy. Don't Americans think Vietnam was bad? That supporting Osama Bin Laden, and Saddam Hussein, and Tito and all these bad dictators everywhere was just bad? Is there no learning from history?
So what do you think? Will the cease fire hold?
I doubt it.
Reading about the 17-year Lebanese civil war, 1975-1992, reveals how much what is going on now looks like what happened back then. There would be lulls in the fighting, and then it would just start up. My friends aren't hopeful. There's pretty much no way that Hizbolla is going to disarm. Especially now, that they are the heroes of the Arab world.
But at least with the cease fire, they now have gas for their cars, and they can start cleaning up the oil spill.
Is it going to degenerate into sectarian violence . . . civil war? We're seeing it in Iraq. We've seen it in Lebanon.
I just keep praying against it.
Even my friends who didn't leave and had the option, who stayed out of some kind of stubbornness, are saying they want to leave. There's no future for them in Lebanon.
Some local coverage
http://www.katytimes.com/articles/2006/08/21/news/03news.txt
In the print version, they put my picture. I liked what the reporter picked up on. That I said that Hizbollah is Lebanese Shiites, and they are supported by Iran. Duh.
We discussed a little more than just that.
In the print version, they put my picture. I liked what the reporter picked up on. That I said that Hizbollah is Lebanese Shiites, and they are supported by Iran. Duh.
We discussed a little more than just that.
August 18, 2006
Mo will be on NPR tonight!!!!
A reporter from NPR e-mailed me for contacts in Lebanon for stories of people who are returning home. She's been following the blog.
So she interviewed my friend, and it's going on the air today!
Let's hope it's okay. I've always liked NPR, so I have very high hopes.
She says the story will then get posted on their website this weekend. So I can post that link later.
So she interviewed my friend, and it's going on the air today!
Let's hope it's okay. I've always liked NPR, so I have very high hopes.
She says the story will then get posted on their website this weekend. So I can post that link later.
Terrorist Sypathizer: Why I went to the Middle East & Why the CIA fails
Now that I'm back in Katy, that place in Texas where I grew up, I see more and more why it is I think like and act like I do. I was always friends with those non-white kids. They were a minority in Katy. But in 4th grade my best friends were Vietnamese and Iraqi. Last summer, I visited my best friend who I met in 2nd grade who's Taiwanese. I was always eating Indian food at my friends' houses. And of course me and my neighbors were Latino. When I graduated from high school, an old friend told me, I was the kid who went up to her on the playground her first day in school and asked if she wanted to play.
Yesterday, at the DPS, I started talking in Arabic to a woman who was covered. She was speaking something close to Lebanese with her kids. When I asked her son where he was from, he said, proudly, "Philisteen. Al-Quds (Palestine, Jerusalem)." But it turns out, she and her children were born in Kuwait; her siblings were born in Lebanon. None of them have ever been to Palestine. So I easily made friends with her. She's going to take me to the local mosque, so I can continue my Arabic and Quran study. And we'll study poetry when I go to her house. I can already hear the cries from my detractors--"terrorist sympathizer"!!!
When I get a car, I plan to go the Jewish Community Center and continue my introductory studies of the Talmud, which I started in Boston a couple years ago. So call me a Jewish-sympathizer, as well. I would study Hebrew, but I've decided against it, because it will just confuse my Arabic, and I'll end up speaking kind of whacky and having to think too hard, like when I speak portunol.
So here's the problem. For somebody like me, who's naturally curious about other cultures and languages and has spent my whole life traveling and studying and teaching Social Studies, it's obvious that I'm going to make friends with all kinds of people. Many of these people make those majority-culture, affluent (Katy types) uncomfortable. Not that everyone from Katy is a closed-minded bigot, though I did grow up here, and do know how Many, but not All, of these people think.
I'm always defending the underdog and trying to bring the outsider in. I've done it since I was born. It's just a matter of personality. So in a way, it just makes sense that when I became an evangelical Christian at the age of 15, and rejected the atheistic ways of my upbringing, I soon after read The Autobiography of Malcolm X and decided I had to understand Islam. If I was going to go to a church that claimed that Jesus was the only way, and if I was going to bank my whole life on a personal encounter I had with Jesus, then I couldn't dismiss other people's personal encounters with God through Islam. I HAD to understand Islam better, considering it's the fastest growing religion in the world. And that's what set me off on this course. That's why I studied Arabic at Harvard when I was 18. That's why I studied Arabic with an Egyptian woman for a couple years in Boston. That's why I went to go live in the Middle East.
I'm reading See No Evil--a book by a former CIA agent, Robert Baer, who worked in Beirut and the Middle East in the 80's. (The movie, Syriana, is based on the book.) It's so enlightening. And it's very clear that I would never want to be or ever could be part of the CIA. He talks about how and why the organization has failed in its mission to collect good intelligence and didn't prevent September 11. Basically, they are in a Catch-22. If anyone is Arab or spent significant time in the Arab world, they will not pass a security clearance. I guess anyone who's spent any amount of time there would end up having friends or acquaintainces who might be, let's say, Shia from Lebanon (considering they are at least 40% of the population) and then they become "terrorist sympathizers", which is what some people call me.
So the CIA has to train people with no connection to the Arab world in Arabic and Middle Eastern culture, and what you get is very few people with a very low-level of competence. They say it takes at least 10 years for a person to get to a usefully competent level in the language. Last week's Newsweek reported that 40% of CIA employees who were supposed to be fluent in Arabic, Chinese, and Japanese failed their language tests.
In Baer's book, he talks about how he was one of two CIA operations officers working in the Middle East in the 80's who had decent Arabic and any experience in the Middle East. And even the kinds of things he does and the mistakes he makes are crazy. After two years of being in Lebanon, I knew the place better than he did. (Because he wasn't based out of there, but he'd have to go in and do stuff.) It's kind of shocking the level of incompetence.
The book and the movie make Lebanon out to be the scariest, epicenter of all terrorist evil and barbarism in the world. The movie and the book paint a picture of Lebanon that thankfully I never saw, and really wander to what extent it really exists. Maybe 2004-2006 Lebanon is not 1980's Lebanon. But what he describes is frighteningly resonant with what's going on in this war. It's the same players. Let's pray that it doesn't degenerate into the sectarian violence that happend in the 80's. Most Lebanese are too aware of this. Let's pray that people will work together to rebuild--and not destroy each other.
Like I said before, Hizbollah did win. Now the question is, will the Lebanese people all join with Hizbollah out of their hatred towards Israel and the United States who they see as having destroyed their country. Hizbollah was the only ones who successfully could defend them against such powerful aggressors. (This is how Lebanon and the Arab world perceives Hizbollah.) Or will some people, like my Druze friends, blame Hizbollah for what has happened.
The blogs are showing fear of potential civil war--Hariri and Jumblatt are calling on Hizbollah to comply with the UN and lay down its arms. This will never happen.
It seems that all the Lebanese people are helping the refugees. If they focus on rebuilding and starting over, then hopefully they can get to know each other, make friends (uh-oh more "terrorist sympathizers"--see how useless this stupid designation is) and live in peace.
"Terrorist sympathizer". . .How is the world supposed to be a better place, how can peace flourish, if we don't try to understand and even attempt to make friends with our supposed enemies?
***Notice I used HTML to underline!!!
Yesterday, at the DPS, I started talking in Arabic to a woman who was covered. She was speaking something close to Lebanese with her kids. When I asked her son where he was from, he said, proudly, "Philisteen. Al-Quds (Palestine, Jerusalem)." But it turns out, she and her children were born in Kuwait; her siblings were born in Lebanon. None of them have ever been to Palestine. So I easily made friends with her. She's going to take me to the local mosque, so I can continue my Arabic and Quran study. And we'll study poetry when I go to her house. I can already hear the cries from my detractors--"terrorist sympathizer"!!!
When I get a car, I plan to go the Jewish Community Center and continue my introductory studies of the Talmud, which I started in Boston a couple years ago. So call me a Jewish-sympathizer, as well. I would study Hebrew, but I've decided against it, because it will just confuse my Arabic, and I'll end up speaking kind of whacky and having to think too hard, like when I speak portunol.
So here's the problem. For somebody like me, who's naturally curious about other cultures and languages and has spent my whole life traveling and studying and teaching Social Studies, it's obvious that I'm going to make friends with all kinds of people. Many of these people make those majority-culture, affluent (Katy types) uncomfortable. Not that everyone from Katy is a closed-minded bigot, though I did grow up here, and do know how Many, but not All, of these people think.
I'm always defending the underdog and trying to bring the outsider in. I've done it since I was born. It's just a matter of personality. So in a way, it just makes sense that when I became an evangelical Christian at the age of 15, and rejected the atheistic ways of my upbringing, I soon after read The Autobiography of Malcolm X and decided I had to understand Islam. If I was going to go to a church that claimed that Jesus was the only way, and if I was going to bank my whole life on a personal encounter I had with Jesus, then I couldn't dismiss other people's personal encounters with God through Islam. I HAD to understand Islam better, considering it's the fastest growing religion in the world. And that's what set me off on this course. That's why I studied Arabic at Harvard when I was 18. That's why I studied Arabic with an Egyptian woman for a couple years in Boston. That's why I went to go live in the Middle East.
I'm reading See No Evil--a book by a former CIA agent, Robert Baer, who worked in Beirut and the Middle East in the 80's. (The movie, Syriana, is based on the book.) It's so enlightening. And it's very clear that I would never want to be or ever could be part of the CIA. He talks about how and why the organization has failed in its mission to collect good intelligence and didn't prevent September 11. Basically, they are in a Catch-22. If anyone is Arab or spent significant time in the Arab world, they will not pass a security clearance. I guess anyone who's spent any amount of time there would end up having friends or acquaintainces who might be, let's say, Shia from Lebanon (considering they are at least 40% of the population) and then they become "terrorist sympathizers", which is what some people call me.
So the CIA has to train people with no connection to the Arab world in Arabic and Middle Eastern culture, and what you get is very few people with a very low-level of competence. They say it takes at least 10 years for a person to get to a usefully competent level in the language. Last week's Newsweek reported that 40% of CIA employees who were supposed to be fluent in Arabic, Chinese, and Japanese failed their language tests.
In Baer's book, he talks about how he was one of two CIA operations officers working in the Middle East in the 80's who had decent Arabic and any experience in the Middle East. And even the kinds of things he does and the mistakes he makes are crazy. After two years of being in Lebanon, I knew the place better than he did. (Because he wasn't based out of there, but he'd have to go in and do stuff.) It's kind of shocking the level of incompetence.
The book and the movie make Lebanon out to be the scariest, epicenter of all terrorist evil and barbarism in the world. The movie and the book paint a picture of Lebanon that thankfully I never saw, and really wander to what extent it really exists. Maybe 2004-2006 Lebanon is not 1980's Lebanon. But what he describes is frighteningly resonant with what's going on in this war. It's the same players. Let's pray that it doesn't degenerate into the sectarian violence that happend in the 80's. Most Lebanese are too aware of this. Let's pray that people will work together to rebuild--and not destroy each other.
Like I said before, Hizbollah did win. Now the question is, will the Lebanese people all join with Hizbollah out of their hatred towards Israel and the United States who they see as having destroyed their country. Hizbollah was the only ones who successfully could defend them against such powerful aggressors. (This is how Lebanon and the Arab world perceives Hizbollah.) Or will some people, like my Druze friends, blame Hizbollah for what has happened.
The blogs are showing fear of potential civil war--Hariri and Jumblatt are calling on Hizbollah to comply with the UN and lay down its arms. This will never happen.
It seems that all the Lebanese people are helping the refugees. If they focus on rebuilding and starting over, then hopefully they can get to know each other, make friends (uh-oh more "terrorist sympathizers"--see how useless this stupid designation is) and live in peace.
"Terrorist sympathizer". . .How is the world supposed to be a better place, how can peace flourish, if we don't try to understand and even attempt to make friends with our supposed enemies?
***Notice I used HTML to underline!!!
Responding to comments
Propoganda--Israelii Soldiers
Originally uploaded by Jane Rubio.
So I want this to be a legitimate forum to talk about issues, and I very much appreciate how the readers of this blog are forcing me to figure out what I think and present it in a clear way. I am going around to different groups speaking, and I'm preparing more formal presentations for schools and churches. So it's important for me to get the input and feedback. And I really do value what you guys are telling me.
As for Norm's last post, it's kind of hard to see how this can be useful, and if I should be responding to him. I want to keep up the dialogue, but when it becomes straight-up personal attacks devoid of content, my better judgment would say to ignore it. But before he made very good points.
For example, he pointed out all the doctoring in the media. Yes, many photos were doctored. But then he said, that the claims of the destruction in Lebanon are not true. All I can say to that is that my friends are there and they tell me that their houses are destroyed.
He went on to say, "Maybe murdering someone in a public square then having a crowd cheer it then deface his dead body and take pictures of it and have a woman stand on the dead man's throat is normal in their culture? Different cultures, mannnnn, can't judge!'" Yes, you can find crazy photos everywhere. Yesterday, I got one in my inbox which I put at the top of this entry. I actually deleted it when I got it, because this kind of propoganda is useless. But I'm giving into Norm (which maybe I should just ignore--but then is that not engaging in dialogue--what do y'all think?). So I put it at the top--Israeli soldiers taking pictures over a dead Lebanese civlian. You can find this kind of junk on both sides.
I don't think that all "Israel-sympathizers" are of the George Bush, Bill O'Reilly, or Newt Gingrinch mind frame. Of course not. I shouldn't have watched that foolishness anyways.
As for defending Israel because it pamphlets people before it blows them up, there a plenty of accounts of people who were leaving and getting bombed on their way out. The Israelis did not provide them a safe passage. And after bombing the roads, many couldn't leave. And of course for those poor people and those stubborn people, they can't or won't leave, and will still get killed. Here are some numbers--159 Israelis, more than 1,000 Lebanese died in this war.
As for me calling Israel a terrorist. Someone pointed out the definition of terrorist--is a group operating independently of the state. Israel is a state and therefore can't be compelled to disarm. But Hizbollah as citizens can and should be. I think you fail to recognize the very state-ish nature of Hizbollah. It's not an official state, but it is a political organization with members in the Lebanese Parliament, and in many ways it has taken on duties that the Lebanese governmetn has failed to provide--social services and military defense. It can't disarm or disband itself unless a legitimate state (Lebanon) could take over the functions it has been taking care of. Maybe the Lebanese government can step, but most people doubt it.
And Wally's comment about "how you 'feel' trumps how you reason." Are you going to tell me Norm's posts are most "reasonable" and thought-out than my "emotional" posts??? That's an easy way and clearly non-substantiated way to dismiss someone. It wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that I'm a woman? Some people of an older school like to dismiss what young women have to say by calling them emotional? But you guys wouldn't fall into such a trap. You'll continue to use your reasoned, well-supported comments to maintain this discussion, and stay away from personal insults barren of all content, evidence, or analysis.
August 17, 2006
Why did I watch Fox last night?
I guess most of you figured out my political leanings by now. So for some weird reason, I let myself watch The O'Reilly Factor with his "consultant" (did he say?) Newt Gingrinch. He called him, "Mr. Speaker." Does one retain that title long after the fact, like Mr. President?
I'm sorry I've been out of the loop. I'm filling out job applications and making a bunch of calls trying to figure out what to do with myself. Thanks, Wally, for being so persistent to want to continue this dialogue. I am behind on e-mails and posts, so it might take a little while to catch up.
Newt talked about how biased the U.S. media is against Israel, which never mentions that 1 million Israelis fled during the war. All we see is the destruction in Lebanon.
Ummm. By the way, about a million Lebanese left their country as well. I'm trying to find real numbers. The media does show northern Israel being attacked, and has emptied, and has most of the people living in bomb shelters. Can someone fill me in on what's happening in Israel that we're not seeing?
Yes, I know that photos were doctored. I saw that, too. So that means the South and the Dahiye weren't destroyed??? Because they were and I'm talking to a friend who no longer has a house, and whose 4 little cousins died in the Bekaa.
I saw an interview with President Emile Lahoud last night also, where he said that Hizbollah is Lebanon. And that the Lebanese government and military will support them. When this broke out, July 12, the Lebanese government distanced themselves from Hizbollah, and said Hizbollah acted independently, and brought all this havoc upon Lebanon. But now with this cease-fire (and I have to say, I still don't know what the exact details of it are), the Arab world, including Lebanon, feels like they won. When I called a friend, Monday, he was like, "We won!!!!" Another friend, a Druze woman, was like, "What did we win? Destruction?" And she called him a Hizbollah-supporting ignorant.
President Lahoud said what I had been saying on this blog. The Lebanese government is Hizbollah. They cannot and will not disarm Hizbollah. So to that extent--it does look like Israel lost. But believe me, Lebanon lost too. But Hizbollah did win. And as you can see on the US media, they are a social organizaiton, giving out money to returning families. They've been running soup kitchens all over Beirut feeding people. World Vision and other international aid organziations talk about how it's difficult to run their operations, because they would have to coordinate with Hizbollah, who is the main provider of services to the displaced. But because of this useless and stupid "terrrorist" designation, they have to watch what they do. They can't work with or assist the most effective provider of social services to the refugees.
I love it when people on this blog call me a "terrorist sympathizer." As I've always said, the word "terrrorist" means nothing. It is part of this ideological battle of Axis of Evil and Islamo-Fascists, which justifies cutting off talks with Syria and Iran. Who are willing to talk and can maybe provide more stability to this whole situation. U.S. foreign policy does everything to hurt its own best interests in the region by using such polemic language and adopting such a chauvenistic attitude.
Newt Gingrich kept saying, "We lost--the U.S. and the democracies." If you buy into all this U.S. media propoganda that claims that Hizbollah is our enemy, then yes "We lost" because it's very true that Hizbollah won and is now much stronger. But this is stupid. Hizbollah is NOT our enemy. They are a social, political, and military group that defends and takes care of the disempowered and disenfranchised Shia of Lebanon. And Israel shouldn't be our friend, because that just attracts more terrorist aggression and threats toward us. The U.S. should be neutral in this conflict, and use its weight as the world hyperpower (or at least that's what it was before Iraq) to broker peace.
I've been watching some videos from the Washington Post. They're really nice. One talked about a Peace Cafe in Washington, D.C. where people were engaging in real dialogue. One Jewish-American woman was concerned about her brother who lives in northern Israel. At the end of the program, they said he got killed by a rocket when he was riding his bike around.
I'm sorry I've been out of the loop. I'm filling out job applications and making a bunch of calls trying to figure out what to do with myself. Thanks, Wally, for being so persistent to want to continue this dialogue. I am behind on e-mails and posts, so it might take a little while to catch up.
Newt talked about how biased the U.S. media is against Israel, which never mentions that 1 million Israelis fled during the war. All we see is the destruction in Lebanon.
Ummm. By the way, about a million Lebanese left their country as well. I'm trying to find real numbers. The media does show northern Israel being attacked, and has emptied, and has most of the people living in bomb shelters. Can someone fill me in on what's happening in Israel that we're not seeing?
Yes, I know that photos were doctored. I saw that, too. So that means the South and the Dahiye weren't destroyed??? Because they were and I'm talking to a friend who no longer has a house, and whose 4 little cousins died in the Bekaa.
I saw an interview with President Emile Lahoud last night also, where he said that Hizbollah is Lebanon. And that the Lebanese government and military will support them. When this broke out, July 12, the Lebanese government distanced themselves from Hizbollah, and said Hizbollah acted independently, and brought all this havoc upon Lebanon. But now with this cease-fire (and I have to say, I still don't know what the exact details of it are), the Arab world, including Lebanon, feels like they won. When I called a friend, Monday, he was like, "We won!!!!" Another friend, a Druze woman, was like, "What did we win? Destruction?" And she called him a Hizbollah-supporting ignorant.
President Lahoud said what I had been saying on this blog. The Lebanese government is Hizbollah. They cannot and will not disarm Hizbollah. So to that extent--it does look like Israel lost. But believe me, Lebanon lost too. But Hizbollah did win. And as you can see on the US media, they are a social organizaiton, giving out money to returning families. They've been running soup kitchens all over Beirut feeding people. World Vision and other international aid organziations talk about how it's difficult to run their operations, because they would have to coordinate with Hizbollah, who is the main provider of services to the displaced. But because of this useless and stupid "terrrorist" designation, they have to watch what they do. They can't work with or assist the most effective provider of social services to the refugees.
I love it when people on this blog call me a "terrorist sympathizer." As I've always said, the word "terrrorist" means nothing. It is part of this ideological battle of Axis of Evil and Islamo-Fascists, which justifies cutting off talks with Syria and Iran. Who are willing to talk and can maybe provide more stability to this whole situation. U.S. foreign policy does everything to hurt its own best interests in the region by using such polemic language and adopting such a chauvenistic attitude.
Newt Gingrich kept saying, "We lost--the U.S. and the democracies." If you buy into all this U.S. media propoganda that claims that Hizbollah is our enemy, then yes "We lost" because it's very true that Hizbollah won and is now much stronger. But this is stupid. Hizbollah is NOT our enemy. They are a social, political, and military group that defends and takes care of the disempowered and disenfranchised Shia of Lebanon. And Israel shouldn't be our friend, because that just attracts more terrorist aggression and threats toward us. The U.S. should be neutral in this conflict, and use its weight as the world hyperpower (or at least that's what it was before Iraq) to broker peace.
I've been watching some videos from the Washington Post. They're really nice. One talked about a Peace Cafe in Washington, D.C. where people were engaging in real dialogue. One Jewish-American woman was concerned about her brother who lives in northern Israel. At the end of the program, they said he got killed by a rocket when he was riding his bike around.
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