In my neighborhood, they say they have won. They have dealt a very nasty blow to their opponents. Nasty indeed.
But as a journalist, it’s not very ethical to stay in one neighborhood only, you’ve got to hear both sides of the story. So I hang around in other neighborhoods as well.
And I was interested to hear how the people in the other neighborhood were dealing with their defeat. After all, they were dealt such a nasty blow.
But to my big surprise, the people in the other neighborhood were also of the opinion that they had won. And they were asking me how the people in my neighborhood were dealing with their defeat. Are you still with me?
It is fascinating. Five days of fighting, one-hundred-and-something dead, and no losers. Only winners.
I’m quite puzzled by this phenomenon. It reminds me of this story that keeps popping up on another one of Lebanon’s mysteries; its economy. The country’s economy – according to all indicators – should be in shambles. Yet 1 million dollar apartments are being built faster than the speed of light. Who’d still want to invest a million dollars in an apartment when only last week you had a guy with an RPG at your front door?
And so when I read that 'Hizbullah Deputy Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem said Thursday the group favors a settlement in Lebanon on the basis of no victor, no vanquished and announced that the party wants to "return things" to normal after the government revoked key measures that triggered six days of bloodshed.’ I am absolutely fascinated.
Nobody lost, everybody won, we’re going back to the way things were, and we’ll agree that nobody won and nobody lost. Oh, and sorry about the dead, the damage and the delusion.
Well, how about some diversion that does make sense? I suggest you watch this very nice short movie on the Beirut Luna Park (10 minutes), made by two Dutch film makers; Anoek Steketee and Eefje Blankvoort.
But as a journalist, it’s not very ethical to stay in one neighborhood only, you’ve got to hear both sides of the story. So I hang around in other neighborhoods as well.
And I was interested to hear how the people in the other neighborhood were dealing with their defeat. After all, they were dealt such a nasty blow.
But to my big surprise, the people in the other neighborhood were also of the opinion that they had won. And they were asking me how the people in my neighborhood were dealing with their defeat. Are you still with me?
It is fascinating. Five days of fighting, one-hundred-and-something dead, and no losers. Only winners.
I’m quite puzzled by this phenomenon. It reminds me of this story that keeps popping up on another one of Lebanon’s mysteries; its economy. The country’s economy – according to all indicators – should be in shambles. Yet 1 million dollar apartments are being built faster than the speed of light. Who’d still want to invest a million dollars in an apartment when only last week you had a guy with an RPG at your front door?
And so when I read that 'Hizbullah Deputy Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem said Thursday the group favors a settlement in Lebanon on the basis of no victor, no vanquished and announced that the party wants to "return things" to normal after the government revoked key measures that triggered six days of bloodshed.’ I am absolutely fascinated.
Nobody lost, everybody won, we’re going back to the way things were, and we’ll agree that nobody won and nobody lost. Oh, and sorry about the dead, the damage and the delusion.
Well, how about some diversion that does make sense? I suggest you watch this very nice short movie on the Beirut Luna Park (10 minutes), made by two Dutch film makers; Anoek Steketee and Eefje Blankvoort.
The dialogue is either in Arabic and translated, or English. I stumbed upon it by accident, and I thought it very cute. If you are a genuine (West) Beiruti, I am sure you can relate to it. Good to watch in times like these.
Something that made me laugh: "There should be rules about what militia members can and cannot wear if they want to be taken seriously". (Source)
6 comments:
I am a Ras Beiruti and I appreciate the Luna Park link. It is one of the few places where I have memories of pure, unadulterated happiness from my childhood.
I hate the Ballerina, though, and I don't care if she's Italian. She always made me feel sick.
Ha! Back to the good old 'no victor no vanquished'. Happens to also be the official slogan with which the Lebanese found, ahem, closure for the war of 1975-1990. Can't wait to see where it will take us this time...
Thanks for the source. I bit gruesome next to the memoriam.
What about a rule that militia ought to be at least 30 years old... a KA would have a chance to rust and dust and the owner a chance for real laughter.
How I wish the mothers of thugs would not oblige...
These million dollar apartments, are they really sold? Aren't they just for building (employment! we keep the economy afloat!) and pocketing the "excess" money or laundering it?
In 1958, 2,000 people got killed during the mini civil war then, that is when the famous slogan was invented: "no victor & no vanquished"...So what are 100 souls? Welcome to Lebanon!
yeah I link to that... I am in the neighborhood and seeing that in here and there...
funny how the ones you know ended up with ak-47s ...
sucks... only made in Lebanon
if the za3eem says we won, then we won ...
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