Whether things have calmed down a bit, she asks.
Well yes, they have. For the moment. But the simmering continues, and it is under the surface now, so much more dangerous. The pressure builds up, and soon enough we’ll have another explosion.
Slowly news from the neighborhood trickles in. The baker and his son (16) got shot last Friday morning. Son died, baker in the hospital. So-and-so died, this one is in the hospital, that one got kidnapped.
There is an enormous amount of anger in this part of town (West-Beirut that is). Downright hate. People feel sold-out. Violated.
Slowly news from the neighborhood trickles in. The baker and his son (16) got shot last Friday morning. Son died, baker in the hospital. So-and-so died, this one is in the hospital, that one got kidnapped.
There is an enormous amount of anger in this part of town (West-Beirut that is). Downright hate. People feel sold-out. Violated.
So the resistance has turned into Syria’s henchmen, they say. Well, they always knew that, but not to this extent.
It is clear by now that not all the gunmen have evacuated the premises. They are still around. Not on the street corners, but on the first floor apartments.
I tell you, this is definitely not healthy for the inter-confessional relations in this place. It is going to have a backlash for shia living in this part of town, and it shouldn’t, because they are us, and we are them. But people are so upset, they’re not thinking straight (they were never very good at that anyway).
The hate is incredible. Coming from educated people. People that recycle their cans and glass bottles. People that believe in live and let live. People that walk the 3 blocks to their friends’ house because they say it is bad for the environment to use the car. Pure hate. Unbelievable, no? No.
I tell you how my anger welled up this afternoon when I found out that I have a bullet hole in my balcony railing (okay, I’ll forgive ‘m that one), but also one in the window sill of my daughter’s bedroom.
It is clear by now that not all the gunmen have evacuated the premises. They are still around. Not on the street corners, but on the first floor apartments.
I tell you, this is definitely not healthy for the inter-confessional relations in this place. It is going to have a backlash for shia living in this part of town, and it shouldn’t, because they are us, and we are them. But people are so upset, they’re not thinking straight (they were never very good at that anyway).
The hate is incredible. Coming from educated people. People that recycle their cans and glass bottles. People that believe in live and let live. People that walk the 3 blocks to their friends’ house because they say it is bad for the environment to use the car. Pure hate. Unbelievable, no? No.
I tell you how my anger welled up this afternoon when I found out that I have a bullet hole in my balcony railing (okay, I’ll forgive ‘m that one), but also one in the window sill of my daughter’s bedroom. It ricocheted off, because the window is intact. One inch higher, and it would have been at her face height. Son of a bitch!
I’m going to have to be careful not to lose my objectivity, I am thinking.
I don’t know about the mood in the mountains, haven’t gotten that far yet, but I did get to the east.
“You’re turn is next,” I tell a friend.
‘You think we’re going to let them come in the way they came into West-Beirut and the mountains?” he replies. “No way.”
I don’t know. These guys are pretty well prepared.
The Jordanians have already started getting their people out. So have the Emirates. Now if other Arab nations are starting to evacuate, shouldn’t that tell you something?
Staff meeting today at work. Very somber mood. They’re not saying to get up and leave, they’re just saying to get ready and be prepared to get up and leave. Just in case.
Shit. Just when things were getting nice.
I’m going to have to be careful not to lose my objectivity, I am thinking.I don’t know about the mood in the mountains, haven’t gotten that far yet, but I did get to the east.
“You’re turn is next,” I tell a friend.
‘You think we’re going to let them come in the way they came into West-Beirut and the mountains?” he replies. “No way.”
I don’t know. These guys are pretty well prepared.
The Jordanians have already started getting their people out. So have the Emirates. Now if other Arab nations are starting to evacuate, shouldn’t that tell you something?
Staff meeting today at work. Very somber mood. They’re not saying to get up and leave, they’re just saying to get ready and be prepared to get up and leave. Just in case.
Shit. Just when things were getting nice.
You write: "It is going to have a backlash for shia living in this part of town, and it shouldn’t, because they are us, and we are them".
ReplyDeleteBut just take a look at the youtube-movies with all the shooting, and you can easily see the mistake: they are NOT us, and we are NOT them. Do you really think Nasrallah worries about a backlash for Shia living? Backlash? They are preparing to take over!
Unless Siniora finds strong international support, I am afraid he might as well pack his bags. Y.
"I’m going to have to be careful not to lose my objectivity, I am thinking."
ReplyDeleteSiets, 2 posts terug: daar was je 't al (even?) kwijt...
You have lost your wonderful neutral perspective; understandably so, but it's gone...Nobody is 'taking over' Lebanon, only the Lebanese are taking over.
ReplyDeleteKeeping one's objectivity in such a situation is a constant struggle. It is easier to just let go and slip. But if you get accused by opposite sides of being biased, it is usually a good sign that you are morally in the clear.
ReplyDeleteAnd just when it was getting nice... that's Lebanon for you! A heart breaker.