One of these days we, the Lebanese, need to realize that we must apologize to one another for all the mistakes and “sins” we committed against one another as various groups and sects in the country. This is the one thing no one has really ever done. Today, we continue to live out our fears [...]
Archive for the ‘Society’ Category
We all need to say sorry!
Posted in History, Politics, Society, tagged Christians, Constitution, Democracy, Druze, Hezbollah, Jumblat, Lebanon, Middle East, Peace, Reform, Sectarianism, Sunnis on May 27, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Why our taxis stop wherever they want!
Posted in Society, tagged Law and Order, Lebanon, Middle East, Taxis, Unions on May 10, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
I have often wondered why our taxis in Lebanon stop wherever they want to. The reason, I often thought, was that this is simply what they got used to doing and that the lack of order in the country has never been able to put a stop to it; or even worse, that the Lebanese [...]
Bahrain cancels outdated work visa system
Posted in Society, tagged Bahrain, Foreign Labor, Human Rights, Maids, Middle East, Reform on May 7, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Bahrain is now the first Gulf state to do away with the outdated work visa system in use across the Gulf, according to BBC Arabic. Instead of non-Bahrainis having to rely on their employer to obtain a work permit and visa in the country, the documents will now be issued on the state’s own responsibility. No longer [...]
Oh my god, they are becoming like our leaders!
Posted in Society, tagged Israel, Middle East, Racism, Swine Flu on April 29, 2009 | 1 Comment »
An Israeli official asked that the swine flu currently raging in Mexico and other countries be renamed the Mexican flu, according to an article in BBC Arabic. His reasoning is that the current name insults Jews and Muslims. Never mind that Israeli officials have never really shown much sensitivity to Muslims in the past, but [...]
The Jewish sect in Lebanon to be renamed
Posted in Society, tagged Israel, Lebanese Jews, Lebanon, Middle East, Sectarianism on April 27, 2009 | 1 Comment »
The Jewish sect in Lebanon has since the 1930s been known officially as the “Israeli” sect. According to the Minister of Interior, this naming was a confused translation of the original French term for “Jewish” and it preceded the creation of the Israeli state. As a result, Jews in Lebanon were referred unintentionally as Israeli, [...]
Construction chaos
Posted in Society, tagged Beirut, Construction, Development, Lebanon, Middle East, Town Planning on March 9, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
If you travel in most parts of Lebanon you notice buildings everywhere with what appears to be very little planning. There appears to be no height limits and buildings rarely respect any esthetic standard. This is clearly visible in Beirut, especially in the southern suburbs, but also in the countryside. People seem to build where it pleases [...]
More on maids in Lebanon
Posted in Society, tagged Foreign Labor, Lebanon, Maids, Middle East on February 20, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Here is a very good article on maids in Lebanon, the new slave trade. We need to do more to make the Lebanese realize that this phenomenon is a shame to our nation and needs urgent attention to curb abuses. I have previously written about why this is a problem.
Angry Arab on Jumblat and the “white man”
Posted in Society, tagged Jumblat, Lebanon, Middle East, Western on February 20, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
I am not a great fan of the Angry Arab, but I do peruse his posts. I find them often to be insightful. Today I came across a great post commenting about Walid Jumblat and his “white man” complex. Spot on, AA. Here is a quote:
He never seems to be able to have his meal in his [...]
Fighting honor killings in Lebanon
Posted in Society, tagged Honor Crimes, Lebanon, Middle East, Women on December 5, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
I am listening to a great interview with Dr. Azza Baydoun. She is a professor who has conducted research on the topic and has investigated murders that have taken place since 1999 under the pretense of defending the honor of the killer’s family.
Many of us do not realize that Lebanon has an honor killings problem. [...]
Country of contradictions!
Posted in Society, tagged Lebanon, Middle East on November 24, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Lebanon has always been a nation of contradictions. Here are two of the most obvious:
1. No victors and no vanquished – Our leaders are always saying that the “civil war” in Lebanon, which ended in 1990, was laid to rest with a vision of “no victors and no vanquished”. The reality is that since 1990, [...]
