tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-129176222024-03-13T21:18:52.868-06:00Amal's World View... Our Motto "Not on your life or it will cost you your life!"Amalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17649761979455596938noreply@blogger.comBlogger84125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12917622.post-40424300558575457142008-01-27T19:41:00.000-07:002008-01-27T19:48:14.834-07:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkvIHrXRY7fDLXq3e8DUlnZSeNpAUoG78FQveZM-y-iNGszMEfPjV6YScj4_SAMp9QgvZYogTYLIvLe7EcWFtLA_hgk0SYq2PjdOOw9ZT48yRqHbnqb6p-wQRfpWvmCxD-AvW3/s1600-h/nasrallah.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5160353675135027538" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkvIHrXRY7fDLXq3e8DUlnZSeNpAUoG78FQveZM-y-iNGszMEfPjV6YScj4_SAMp9QgvZYogTYLIvLe7EcWFtLA_hgk0SYq2PjdOOw9ZT48yRqHbnqb6p-wQRfpWvmCxD-AvW3/s320/nasrallah.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div><div align="center"></div><div></div><div></div><div>Lebanon is burning again but did it ever stop? On January 27, 2008, street protests ensued in the suburbs of Beirut supposedly because they (not unlike the rest of the country) are on rationed electricity. It started when a group of youths took to the streets of the Chiyah to block off the roads with burning tires. The army responded and the youths started throwing rocks. The army fired into the air and things got worse. The neighbourhood leader for the Amal movement Ali Hamze was killed though the army maintains that they did not fire at the crowd but into the air. Coincidentally, the youths involved have been identified as members of Hizbullah and the Amal movement. From there, things went from bad to worse, as news of Hamze’s death spread, more youths came out to the streets, this time carrying the banners of Hizbullah and Amal. The fighting spread to Ain El Remaneh where a youth on a scooter threw a live hand grenade into the crowd injuring several youths. The fact that Ain El Remaneh is a predominantly Christian area and the grenade was thrown by someone who came into the area on a scooter can be thought to be sectarian provocation of the worst kind. At writing, LBCi had not confirmed the dead or wounded in this latest provocation however, they had confirmed that both Hizbullah and Amal have told their followers to return to their homes. Speeches are pretty words, no actions are following them. The reality is that both of these parties could have prevented these actions by their followers but chose not to. In fact, not too long ago, Hassan Nasrallah in a speech during Ashura threatened the government and told them they would have the followers of both parties take to the streets to get what they want. </div><br /><div></div><div></div><br /><div>It is evident that the so-called opposition is willing to let the entire country burn to return Syrian occupation be it obvious or in the shadows. It is more than obvious that the opposition care nothing for the people they supposedly represent because if they did, they would be cooperating with the members of the Arab league who are trying to broker an agreement. The original argument they had regarding a brokered deal was that it was “American and Israeli” intervention; that argument broke down when the Arab league attempted to broker a deal. Clearly the opposition wants a Syrian-Iranian brokered deal and will accept nothing less<br />Lebanon is burning again and in reality, we have never stopped. From it’s jnception, Lebanon has always had politicians beholden to outside sources and working to further their own interests. We have yet to see politicians who are fully dedicated to Lebanon or to it’s people. Until we do, Lebanon will continue to burn. </div><br /><div></div>Amalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17649761979455596938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12917622.post-13895951060469754262007-08-01T14:20:00.000-06:002007-08-01T14:28:43.789-06:00Scandals and IncompetenceThe Premiership of Steady Eddie is not yet a year old but it has already seen scandal and gross incompetence. <br /><br />First up – the scandals plaguing a Premier who promised to govern with “integrity and transparency”. Our first scandal is now old news. The dinner that never was where tickets were beyond costly and those costly tickets gave you a direct line to the ear of the Premier. The hue and cry raised by this little scandal caused the Premier to back-pedal rapidly but the damage was done.<br /><br />Our next scandal is not directly out of the Premier’s office however it is out of the current sitting government. The placement of a “spy” between the constituents opposing the Alberta Energy and Utilities board. This is absolutely reprehensible and smacks of a big brother style of government. In fact, the average Albertan must wonder if we are living in Orwell’s 1984 or in modern day Alberta. Oh for the days of King Ralph were what you saw was what you got and the skull drudgery was there but on a smaller level. <br /><br />On to gross incompetence: This is so widespread it is hard to know where to start. Perhaps we could start with the rape of our environment by the companies working to extract oil and natural gas and the complicity of the government. This government is not being the environmental watchdog it needs to be. In fact, it allows the companies working up north to do the absolute minimum amount towards restoring or protecting the environment. <br /><br />Next up and in the same vein: Royalties paid by the oil companies for the extraction and use of our natural resources. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Stelmach</span>’s government likes to quote a survey that says the people of Alberta believe those same companies are paying enough in royalties. One should question where exactly they did they survey; the Petroleum Club perhaps? Or did they ask executives at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Syncrude</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Suncor</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">CNRL</span>? Not only are the oil companies raping our environment and gouging consumers at the pumps, they are paying ridiculously low royalties to do so and the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">gutlessly</span> complicit <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Stelmach</span> government is <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">ok</span> with it. This is a government who is supposed to be protecting its citizens’ rights and ensuring that as a province we are receiving what is due to us from the sale of our natural resources. Instead, we have big oil controlling what they pay (and they think they pay too much)!! <br /> On to the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Vegreville</span> Hospital nightmare where the entire East Central Health Authority board has been dismissed and the report that was released yesterday regarding conditions at the hospital was scathing. This board is an appointed board. They are appointed by the government. Once upon a time they were elected and if they did a terrible job (which in this instance they clearly did) then you could simply vote them out next time around. Now they are appointed and depending on the level of cronyism available to them and the level of public outrage, they may be able to keep their jobs and not pay the price of incompetence. One has to wonder why a Premier that promised to govern with integrity and transparency is allowing these sorts of things to go on under his very nose. <br /><br />Perhaps the biggest failure, the biggest incompetence without match is the one to make sure that ordinary and low income Albertans have affordable housing. It is one thing to completely mismanage the boom but a whole other story to leave thousands of Albertans on the verge of being homeless because you simply don’t want to regulate the market. It is times like this that define good governance. The basic functions of government include making sure that housing stays affordable in your province. This government has without a doubt failed miserably at this task. The housing crisis has been long in the making and the current and previous governments have just let it simmer to a boil. They have allowed a whole underclass called the working poor to be created. <strong><em>This government needs to be told that housing is a right not a privilege.<br /></em></strong><br />One of the biggest myths is that all the homeless are also jobless. This is not true. They work, they go to school, in most cases, they hold down multiple jobs yet they still can’t afford decent safe housing. We have tent cities sprouting up because people are banding together to stay safe on the street. This is not happening in some third world dictatorship, it is happening in the richest province in the country. This is happening here. <br /><br />When confronted with the issue what did Steady Eddie and his trusty sidekick Ray <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Danyluk</span> do? They refused to introduce rent controls sparking a firestorm of criticism and controversy. Instead, they chose to leave it to the “free market” because that has been working so well up until now. While they sleep in warm beds and get three square meals a day, ordinary and low income Albertans are making the decision between food and housing, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">meds</span> and housing, anything and housing. <strong><em>THIS IS HAPPENING IN THE RICHEST PROVINCE IN THE COUNTRY.<br /></em></strong><br />How can a man who promised to govern with integrity sleep at night knowing that thousands of Albertans are homeless with many more on the verge of becoming that way. No one is telling them to regulate house-purchase prices, what they are asking for is some sort of rent control so that people can afford to live like humans in rented accommodations. No one is asking them to interfere with their precious free market in a way that could be construed as detrimental to the economy, what people are asking for is affordable housing. Instead of providing that, he is trying to buy us off with money for ring roads and art galleries. <br /><br />This government is a failure. The Premier is clearly out of his depth as are the ministers surrounding him. One can only hope that when election time comes around, Albertans remember the incompetence and the scandals.Amalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17649761979455596938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12917622.post-62329958943970282612007-04-13T15:34:00.000-06:002007-04-13T15:39:58.027-06:00Thinking Blogger Award<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit-s45uwZOWOPaYCKYXyGkP0DYZ1fCOlGXSzH82vOe-6j4Sow13D0GItQOzEUhHdxm95IDWcgRNHQUkNNUinnFAygZWkraZhMzQ4ByXm5r_aHhyphenhyphen_mI4fFVNyOSAr3nOB296V2q/s1600-h/thinkingbloggerpf8[1].jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5053030248331475506" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" height="72" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit-s45uwZOWOPaYCKYXyGkP0DYZ1fCOlGXSzH82vOe-6j4Sow13D0GItQOzEUhHdxm95IDWcgRNHQUkNNUinnFAygZWkraZhMzQ4ByXm5r_aHhyphenhyphen_mI4fFVNyOSAr3nOB296V2q/s320/thinkingbloggerpf8%5B1%5D.jpg" width="139" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div>I have had the great honour of being bestowed the Thinking Blogger Award by my good friend <a href="http://www.themadpigeon.com/">The Mad Pigeon</a>. Now for those of you who have never checked out <a href="http://www.themadpigeon.com/">Diary of the Mad Pigeon </a>, you should. It is an interesting and sane take on the world. In a world where people are screaming right or screaming left, Pidge takes the time to be reasonable. </div><div> </div><div>http://www.typepad.com/t/trackback/403275/17555816</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Check him out.... </div>Amalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17649761979455596938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12917622.post-18589273832158179752007-04-02T19:54:00.000-06:002007-04-02T20:05:15.665-06:00Wastes of Space<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguSLZcQZ1QqH_owSPchGYv-dAfKdymMR5LA-MEQAkpAGMNo6Y4hW7O7L1ZNYgqCmv_xQU8T9QXcb3Ib9dsiUNJzhCODqNvpKOMyfHzHh_ggMQLqMO5nUz2QAov0LFL3iazVmPU/s1600-h/assad_lahoud.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5049016969616325890" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguSLZcQZ1QqH_owSPchGYv-dAfKdymMR5LA-MEQAkpAGMNo6Y4hW7O7L1ZNYgqCmv_xQU8T9QXcb3Ib9dsiUNJzhCODqNvpKOMyfHzHh_ggMQLqMO5nUz2QAov0LFL3iazVmPU/s320/assad_lahoud.gif" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div>You know you have a problem when the people of the country you live in are making fun of you in songs with lyrics like:<br /><br /><strong><em>“Lebanon’s leaders have left, our joy is great. We can live in peace, our country is paradise once more,….We’re tired of listening to their speeches, we’ve put them all on a boat and sent them on a cruise far away from here….”.<br /></em></strong><br />Interestingly enough, the leaders referred to in the lyrics are the government and the opposition. One would think that this song pertains to one side or the other but it seems that no, they are sick and tired of both. The lyrics are from composer Ghassan Rahbani, someone long known for being irreverent and cutting when it comes to politicians.<br /><br />The Arab Summit in Riyadh has Lebanon on the agenda. One would think that the opposing factions could have at least managed to go together but no, each one took a separate plane. One could say that instead of going there to solve the problems, it will be a battle of whose got the bigger ego. My money is on Lahoud.<br /><br />Emile Lahoud should not be attending this meeting. He is not representative of the will of the people. Before the opposition decided to walk out, certain members were calling for his resignation just as loudly as the present government. He is a national embarrassment only hanging on to his Presidential seat so he cannot be sought in the murder of Rafik Al Hariri and 20 others more than two years ago. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Speaking of national embarrassments, let’s talk about both the sitting government and the opposition. Their combined egos and stubbornness have brought the country to a standstill. Foreign investment has all but stopped and people are leaving as soon as they can get their hands on a visa. When asked by the BBC if the opposition has accomplished anything, Ali Hamdan replied this:<br /><strong><em>“Up to now, politically speaking, nothing has been achieved. But you need two to tango – we are responsible for the crisis but the one who is holding the power has more responsibility….”<br /></em></strong>Let me just say that this is garbage. The only things he got right are that they are responsible for the crisis and they have achieved nothing. In fact, unless you count bringing the country to a standstill, all they have managed to do is cause strife and raise sectarian tensions to pre-civil war levels. Great achievements if chaos is what you are going for.<br /><br />The government is not blameless. Reports received by me out of Lebanon paint a picture of a government so polarized they cannot even manage the basic functions of governance. Papers can’t even get signed. That too is garbage. You don’t need the six missing ministers to get some papers signed, you just need to sign them so life can have some sense of normalcy.<br /><br />What we need is to throw out ALL of the old and bring in the new. Hopefully, someone will run in the next election that isn’t bound by ego or by an old family name. We need new blood and people willing to work for the good of the country, not just themselves. </div><br /><div></div>Amalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17649761979455596938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12917622.post-64944496203415092002007-03-26T21:55:00.000-06:002007-03-26T21:59:26.046-06:00Sectarian Disease<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq3WDIwENHSVp6yBCRiS0myaAncDWq7WVrlVg7mqWIywVrCnM1F3lNBHxF_5xeEQ4ql-uJbireuk5-imKLSaQwUBrydAobTp-QqGVeWngPIDJpYNCpiW62hJOajqqfRD_SWM6L/s1600-h/Lebanon_Anthem.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5046448838739192530" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" height="236" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq3WDIwENHSVp6yBCRiS0myaAncDWq7WVrlVg7mqWIywVrCnM1F3lNBHxF_5xeEQ4ql-uJbireuk5-imKLSaQwUBrydAobTp-QqGVeWngPIDJpYNCpiW62hJOajqqfRD_SWM6L/s320/Lebanon_Anthem.jpg" width="141" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div>If someone were to ask to you “what are you”, what would you answer? Would you answer Canadian? Lebanese-Canadian or Canadian – Lebanese; or would you answer like so many and use a religious identifier? Would you make the mistake of identifying yourself by your sect? Let’s face it, only the truly stubbornly secular don’t answer by religious affiliation in our community [disclosure: I am one of the secular who refuses to id by anything but origin].<br /><br />Everyone should be proud of who or what they are. Without exception, you should honour your heritage and your ancestry. What no single person should be doing is identifying themselves by religious sect. This has gotten the Lebanese no where in the past and yet we seemed doomed to repeat the mistakes enshrined in our history.<br /><br />It was the disease of sectarianism that led us to a devastating civil war that destroyed the country, left hundreds of thousands dead or permanently missing and displaced millions who now live around the globe. It was the disease of sectarianism that caused neighbours to slaughter each other, families to break apart and murder on the basis of your government I.D. to become common place. </div><br /><div>Why then are we repeating the past? Why are we not facing up to the fact that identifying yourself by sect is wrong? Why are our young choosing to ID themselves by sect as opposed to country?<br /><br />This sectarian form of identification is causing bigger rifts in our community than can ever exist over political affiliation. Everyone with a modicum of intelligence knows that politics and religion don’t mix. Why then are we allowing political affiliations to become religious? You can agree or disagree with someone’s political stance without making it about religion. You can argue a political motive without ever bringing God into it.<br /><br />We live in a diverse country and our community is diverse in and of itself. Is it really intelligent to further compartmentalize ourselves by sects? Do we want our children to grow up with the same blights we did? Do we want them to learn to rehash history without facing the reality that sectarianism was our biggest downfall and the disease that ate away at the fabric of our country? What kind of legacy do you want your children to have? One of tolerance and inclusion or one of hate and sectarian law? Think about that the next time you spew what sect you are. It should be the wish of every single Lebanese that Lebanon be united and free; that we live in peace and in love not war and hate. It should be the wish of each Lebanese to have free and fair government, not a government of corruption and sectarianism... </div><br /><div></div>Amalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17649761979455596938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12917622.post-55124888419040187782007-01-24T10:20:00.000-07:002007-01-24T10:54:28.267-07:00Traitors<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg581OHnYAM2rJl-zYvu7lqezseRFI2ncCgyQ8SEqQrQsEmwi13x8aDVcPpXDMlbCLrF03ug4pS9pFTt6PBfo2vw2o1a16kWN1lEaVmpPAKRP-e358DNHuZtVBr_9P3JWYH_riW/s1600-h/Beirut7.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5023656838060052210" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg581OHnYAM2rJl-zYvu7lqezseRFI2ncCgyQ8SEqQrQsEmwi13x8aDVcPpXDMlbCLrF03ug4pS9pFTt6PBfo2vw2o1a16kWN1lEaVmpPAKRP-e358DNHuZtVBr_9P3JWYH_riW/s320/Beirut7.gif" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Just in case you are wondering what I think of the latest developments in Lebanon: </div><br /><div></div><br /><div align="center"><em><strong><span style="font-size:180%;color:#ff0000;">One word: Traitors.</span></strong></em> </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Hizbullah's supporters, Aoun (the hypocrite) and all his supporters, all of the people who are rallying against a democratically elected government so they can bring back Syrian garbage should all be deported to Syria and Iran where their real allegiances lay. In an ideal world, I would love to see all of them hanged for treason but alas that is not to be... </div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div>Amalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17649761979455596938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12917622.post-1164167950725496752006-11-21T20:57:00.000-07:002006-11-21T20:59:10.750-07:00Another Murder<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7262/1115/1600/Gemaye_soml.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7262/1115/320/Gemaye_soml.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Another life, more blood. What else is there to say?Amalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17649761979455596938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12917622.post-1162692801573689292006-11-04T19:11:00.000-07:002006-11-04T19:13:21.586-07:00A Must Read Link.Hi All,<br /><br />Please follow this <a href="http://www.discuss-it.net/?p=209">link</a> to a must read posting by Darrin Bell the artist behind the Candorville comic.<br /><br />Fabulous and thought provoking post.<br /><br />Thanks,<br /><br />A.Amalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17649761979455596938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12917622.post-1159929037528040472006-10-03T20:29:00.000-06:002006-10-03T20:30:37.543-06:00Me Thinks The Muslims Doth Protest Too Much.......In a move that should not have surprised anyone, Pope Benedict made a speech that offended Muslims. Why this would cause even a ripple in the Muslim world is beyond my understanding. The man is not known as God’s Rottweiler for his sterling manners and tolerance of other faiths.<br /><br />What bothers me are not the Pope’s remarks; one after all need only consider the source and it makes the remarks meaningless. What truly does bother me is the reaction of Muslims around the world. Are these people so weak in their faith that remarks quoted from some long dead Emperor can stir in them such a tizzy? Are the protests done out of faith or out of guilt because perhaps these “true believers” are not such believers after all? <br /> In an age where Muslims are killing Muslims with regularity and impunity, I am quite sure one can find something better to protest than remarks made by a doddering old man who is not even all that popular among his own church. We have Bin Laden et al inciting otherwise normal people and turning them into homicidal maniacs. We have several “wanna-be” Al Qaeda’s springing up around the globe and causing untold mayhem. These people are not exactly asking for passports and religious beliefs before they kill. They just kill whoever happens to have the bad luck to be there when they are. Do you find this acceptable?<br /><br />In Iraq (thanks to the “Coalition of the Willing”), sectarian violence is out of control. Areas that are mainly Sunni are being purged of Shi’ites and vice versa. Those who choose to stay and not leave the neighbourhoods where they have lived and raised families are being slaughtered in sectarian warfare reminiscent of the civil war in Lebanon but on a much larger scale. In Darfur, Muslims are killing other Muslims over watering rights. <br /><br />All over the Arab world, we have Muslims killing each other over the stupidest things. Bin Laden et al advocate the killing of everyone who does not follow the same strain of Islam he does. We somehow find time to work up outrage over the Pope or some stupid cartoons yet we cannot seem to find the outrage over the things that matter. Our Ummah is imploding and destroying itself from within. <br /><br />The next time you start to feel outraged over someone who has made a thoughtless remark about Islam or drawn a pathetically bad cartoon; think about all the atrocities in the Muslim world being perpetrated by Muslims against Muslims. Think about the dictatorships repressing and oppressing us in our own world and try to work up some righteous outrage over that.Amalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17649761979455596938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12917622.post-1157331672844107092006-09-03T18:58:00.000-06:002006-09-03T19:01:12.870-06:00<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7262/1115/1600/_40842047_hez203bdy.0.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7262/1115/320/_40842047_hez203bdy.0.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />U.N. Resolution 1701 has temporarily ended the hostilities between Hizbullah and Israel but after what price has been paid? Billions of dollars in damage, over a thousand civilians dead and countless others injured in Lebanon with deaths and injuries being reported from Israel as well.<br />The question though is now no longer when will it end but when will it start again. Both sides have said they will adhere to the ceasefire but neither side has done so as yet. There have been a few minor skirmishes reported since the beginning of the cease fire but nothing major. Unfortunately, with the U.N. lagging in getting the Peace Keepers in there, the potential for a fresh outbreak is ripe and ready.<br /><br />n a very interesting turn of events, Hassan Nasrallah (leader of Hizbullah) said "Had we known that the kidnapping of the soldiers would have led to this, we would definitely not have done it," in an interview with a Lebanese TV station. Funny that, this man who is well known for understanding his enemies’ weaknesses could not have predicted this response but he knew that Olmert was under heavy pressure over the kidnapping of a soldier in Gaza. He also had to have known that Olmert was not going to be seen as lacking when compared to his predecessor Ariel Sharon. I find Nasrallah’s statement to be too little far too late and I also find it to be lacking in honesty. Hizbullah work for Syria and Iran; Iran needed a diversion from its nuclear program and looked to Hizbullah to provide it. Hizbullah needed a reason to justify their continued possession of weapons and they took the opportunity presented to them by Iran. Only someone completely snowed by Hizbullah’s propaganda would believe that statement since we all know that Hassan Nasrallah is not a stupid man nor is he a poor strategist. He is in fact quite brilliant and known to be a great strategist.<br /><br />For now, there is a tenuous peace in our home country, our precious Lebanon. How long it holds and who breaks it first remains to be seen but one would hope that whoever breaks it will have a greater regard for human life than in the previous outbreak of hostilities.Amalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17649761979455596938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12917622.post-1156725906241803222006-08-27T18:44:00.000-06:002006-08-27T18:45:06.263-06:00Who's Bed have your Boots been Under?The title of this article is in fact the title of a song by Canadian Superstar Shania Twain but it applies to almost every aspect of political life. When one takes in the news and examines the facts, one must wonder about the behind the political manoeuvring going on behind the scenes. What we see in the news is not reality and with the massive consolidation of media to single corporate entities; we certainly do not get an unbiased version of anything. It is always filtered and spun by the master spin doctors to suit whatever side the owner of the media conglomerate sits on (Rupert Murdoch’s media empire is a prime example of this).<br /><br />This is most especially true when examining the happenings in the Middle East. One should always ask the question which politician is in bed with the other over the bodies of thousands dead. We see it everywhere we look. In Iraq, the U.K. and the U.S. are in bed with their puppet government and declaring progress even while the body count gets higher and higher. In Afghanistan, the U.S. was in bed with the Mujahideen of the Taliban (and of course the CIA trained Osama Bin Laden) while the Soviet Union was in the country but when they left, the U.S. withdrew support and left the Taliban to run rampant and create one of the most vicious and repressive regimes in the region. <br /> In Egypt and Jordan, we have Moubarak and King Abdullah in bed with both the U.S. and Israel. As a matter of fact, you can put almost any Arab dictator in bed with the U.S. as long as that dictator tows the line and never disagrees with whoever happens to be in the Oval Office. Look what happened to Saddam. He was the U.S.’s best friend when he was battling Iran. When that was done and he decided to invade tiny little Kuwait, the U.S. went rank and decided he couldn’t play in the sandbox with them anymore.<br /><br />Onto Lebanon, we all know Hizbullah is in bed with Syria and Iran. The question then becomes one of loyalty. It is a widely accepted view that the war between Hizbullah and Israel that played out on Lebanese soil and cost untold lives and millions was in fact a proxy war between the U.S (i.e. Israel) and Iran (i.e. Hizbullah). It is thought that by breaking Hizbullah, the U.S./Israel would be breaking Iran. They thought wrong. Hizbiullah is no where near broken and in fact, have a new lease on life.<br /><br />Thanks to this hideous misstep in policy and pre-emptive wars (and an ego contest), Hizbullah is stronger than ever. They now have more support than they ever did in the Arab world. The fact that Israeli soldiers remain on Lebanese soil gives them in their own minds a good reason not to disarm. Now, every time the topic of disarmament comes up, they can point and say “Israel is still here and we need to defend the south of Lebanon”. Brilliant move by Bush et al don’t you think? I do. They achieved exactly what Iran wanted. Thanks boys and girl. <br /><br />Who’s Bed Have Your Boots Been Under? Next time you talk to your local politician, ask him and watch him stammer.Amalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17649761979455596938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12917622.post-1153421515242348472006-07-20T12:46:00.000-06:002006-07-20T12:51:55.263-06:00No One CaresHi All,<br /><br />I thought that this post would be all fire and brimstone, wrath and righteousness but I am finding that I simply can't do it. I simply can't put aside my utter despair at what is happening in Lebanon, my grief for the dead and my fear for family and friends to call up some righteous anger. I just can't. NO ONE WILL HELP US!<br /><br /><strong><em>The world has forgotten us. Our blood means nothing. We are screaming and dying and being held hostage not only by Israeli bombs but by Hizbullah. No one cares. </em></strong><br /><br />Below is an email that was forwarded to me by a girl in Lebanon. She is orginally from Ottawa. In the interest of privacy, I have not posted the full names she sent too but I can prove it to anyone who requires that. <br /><br /><strong><em><span style="font-size:130%;">> Date: Sun, 16 Jul 2006 09:07:40 -0400 (EDT)> > I'm in east beirut now. I really wish I could send out emails everyday -> because i am contiuously hearing of one atrocity after another and i> definitely can remember all of them now. Unfortunately the electricity> comes and goes and my internet connection hasn't worked for a couple days.> i am in an internet cafe now in east beirut.> > i think the situation here is absolutely unimaginable for those of us> abroad. i remember watching the American bombardment of Baghdad. i was> both "shocked and awed". the feeling now is unexplainable... adrenaline,> anxiety, terror, delirium, sleeplessness. If parts of this email dont make> sense it's because the Israeli "defense" forces haven't let us sleep for> several days. There will be no form or order to this email. Obviously i> dont have the luxury of taking my time and I'm writing things off the top> of my head.> > Having to write this email is an overwhelming responsibility and I'm not> sure I can portray the situation as accurately as I would like, but I'll> try. What's happening now in Beirut constitute crimes against humanity.> Please understand that there are a million thoughts running through my> head at the moment and its hard to get them organized.> > The main transportation infrastructure in southern Lebanon has been almost> completely destroyed. There are mass civilian casualties in the south of> the country and the southern suburbs of the city. A group of families> escaping their village in the south after the Israeli government called> for civilians to "not be where hisbullah lives and operates" (this message> rained down on us in the form of flyers with subtle creases down the> middle horizontally and vertically so that they flutter gently down - on> bright green paper) were speeding down the highway in sour heading for> saida. The pick up truck was hit with a missile killing 23 people mostly> children. Theres many other reports of cars being targeted on the main> coastal highway – those of you who have been here before know this highway> well I;m sure. There is footage on television of mass civilian casualties.> The "idf" bombed the airport several times, the main Beirut port (right> behind my office), and the port in jounieh, a Christian town north of> Beirut. They are also pursuing strikes against an impotent and defenseless> Lebanese army, but the main target and victims of the terrorist offensive> have been civilian infrastructure and people. They are trying to bomb the> population into submission.> > The stated target of the Israeli actions is hisbullah surrender. Hisbullah> is an organization that was born out of the Israeli/Palestine conflict.> When the Israelis invaded lebanon in 82, a loose network of shia groups> fought against the occupation and the presence of multinational forces in> the country. Members of this network carried out the first suicide> bombings in modern history – aimed at the American barracks in Lebanon –> killing 243 service men. They are widely held responsible for liberating> south Lebanon, which was occupied for over two decades. This network> slowly evolved into an organized political party – complete with members> of parliament and ministers. They have an armed wing that, with the help> of an alliance with a popular Christian leader, has balanced the power in> Lebanon and has given a voice to an otherwise marginalized community. they> represent the most historically socio-economically disadvantaged group> (also the biggest minority) – there is no majority. It so happens that the> shia muslims in the south and the Palestinians were the biggest victims of> the long term israeli occupation. It's a lot more complicated than that,> but I want to get to what's actually happening.> > I am 4 or 5 kilometers away from the heaviest bombings taking place in the> densely populated and socio-economically disadvantaged neighborhoods in> the southern suburbs. Mostly in haret hreik, a relatively poor but vibrant> (used to be) neighborhood, where I lived for 2 and a half months. The> continuous air and sea attacks are absolutely deafening and unlike any> other sound. I think we're almost as close as we can be to the heavy> bombing without being in direct danger - a small christian neighbourhood> called ain el remeneh seperates us and the southern suburbs. if you look> up a map of beirut - i am in fern el chebak - the bombings are in the> southern suburbs - right outside of the city - ghobeiri, bir el abed,> MOSTLY haret hreik, msharafiyeh, borj el brajne, bir hassan, rweiss,> spheir, and several other places. The bombing strategy is perverted. They> bombard heavily then wait just enough time for your nerves to calm and> silence to be restored after which the come back for another round. The> "idf" is infamous for bombing their target, waiting just enough time for> the fire trucks, ambulances, and helpful ppl to arrive and then they come> back and bomb the same target – this was happening all night. From the> looks of it, the Israelis are destroying the southern suburbs. The> lighthouse in west Beirut has also been bombed. Unlike the first night,> the fighter jets can no longer be seen. Today is unseasonably cloudy.> Thick clouds blanket the sky completely. I read something about this> tactic months ago - there's some chemical that is released into the sky> created a clouds - i forget the naem of the chemical. Yesterday it rained> a little.> > What sickens me is that our government has been complacently complicit.> The refusal of the international community to step in and exert pressure,> not just on Israeli, but all parties involved, shows how impotent this> world actually is against the geopolitical agendas of the American and> Israeli government.> > The Israelis have destroyed the main roads from the south to Beirut and> all but one or two to Syria. There is virtually no way out of Lebanon at> the moment and a complete blockade has been imposed by israel. The> minister of foreign affairs in Canada apparently announced that there> would be an evacuation of 10 000 cdn citizens – there are 50 000 in this> country and we are all citizens – we're all equal and NO ONE deserves> special treatment. Don't believe what you hear - according to sources at> the embassy, the evac announcement (if there was one) was completely> false. We are staying put for now and last i heard they were "working on> plan".> > I want to repeat this point – THERE ARE 50 000 CANADIANS IN THIS COUNTRY.> I think we might be a little decensitized when it comes to watching poor> arabs getting blown up. I hope atleast the 50 000 figure will hit home> with some in Canada.> > 50 000 canadian citizens. They are not more important then anyone else in> this country - canadian or not - at the moment. Just remember as all this> is happening - as the israelis unleash there vast arsenal of weapons of> mass destruction on the people of lebanon - as they destroy the> infrastructure of an already war weary country slowly trying to get back> on it's feet - as they change the balance of power to suit there own> self-interested agenda - there are 50 000 people who share YOUR> citizenship being directly affected by the israeli actions.> > There are 300 000 lebanese in Canada.> > 50 000 canadian citizens in this country.> > Where is our government? i'm not demanding an evaucation plan, i'm the> embassy staff is working hard to secure a good plan and the safety of> canadians when it's time. I am demanding that our government condemn and> more importantly work to prevent the offensive action by israel. Is our> government complicit or are the simply impotent?> > It was reported that the Israelis struck a military base in Syria proper.> The Syrians have denied the hit. I wonder if the Israelis were testing> the waters and Syria responded "positively" – surrendering without> surrendering. Israels offensive is bigger then the two Israeli prisoners> – this terrorist action is aimed at reshaping the region and destroying> years of development in Lebanon. It is without precedent and against> international law. I just heard that the prime minister plans to send> lebanese troops to the south apparently to take control (engage hisbullah> in the south)... could this be the beginning of a another civil war? i> havent confirmed the report. also just heard that 9 civilians were killed> in Haifa. Proportionately those casualties are minor but none the less> they are crimes and highly symbolic. I really wish there is some kind of> balanced reporting happening over there. Check out nahar net - google it> - for updates. also i'm sure www.democracynow.org is doing a good job> reporting.> > The history of military prisoner taking by Hezbollah has been positive –> up until now. I don't remember the exact figures, but I believe once they> traded something like 430 Lebanese prisoners for the corpses of 3 israeli> soldiers. Another time there was a bigger trade with over 1000 Lebanese> released. Since the military operation that resulted in the capture of 2> Israeli soldiers, hisbullah has been calling for negotiation for the> release of three Lebanese prisoners held in Israeli jails and the 1000> illegally held Palestinians in Israel (no trial, no charges – think> guantanamo – minors and women also). Preferring open war fare, Israel> chose not to negotiate. Instead they have taken Lebanon "back 20 years" as> they promised to do and according to an official "IDF" document I saw with> my own eyes they will "avoid civilian casualties, but not at the expense> of our own security". Hospitals in the south are overflowing with> casualties and pieces of murdered children. I saw the footage. In the> spirit of unity, the Lebanese people from all over the country are calling> television stations giving their phone numbers in an offer to house> refugees – of which there are MANY. There are 600 people living in a small> park in Beirut – the only public park I know of in this city. There are> many many more refugees.> > Our government refuses to condemn the terrorist offensive and the israeli> use of weapons of mass destruction in Lebanon. They are indirectly> responsible, as well as all those governments that do not act, for the> mass killing, the destruction, the crimes against humanity, the murders,> the terror, inflicting this country as i write this. As citizens, we also> bare responsibility for the actions of our government. Cleary, politics> and money are more important than human life. Especially the lives of poor> people – who have been used as pawns by ALL PARTIES involved and are now> paying the heaviest price.> > I find myself debating whether or not hisbullah should give in to the> Israelis. Should they disarm and give back the prisoners? Unfortunately> doing so will not bring back those who died and will not rebuild the> destroyed homes and infrastructure. Israel will not take responsibility> for the destruction and havoc cause by there weapons of mass destruction> in this country - even if they get their way. The will not compensate the> families of those who were murdered - they will not rebuild and they will> not provide food or shelter for the refugges. Slowly the southern suburbs> are looking more and more like jenin refugee camp after the Israeli> military machine was through with it. Unfortunately, a hisbullah surrender> will justify the terrorist actions of the Israeli government and will be> interpreted internationally as a victory over so-called terror. What to> do?> > Another part of me is avoiding the ideological debate at the moment. This> is no time for philosophical and political debate. The action on the> ground by the terrorist government of Israel - and all of those who> support their actions - is in no way justifiable. The disproportionate> murdering and use of force by the "idf" is dispicable. The impotence of> the international community, Arab governments and the west is disgusting.> The inaction of the UN is morally indefensible.> > I suggest you read chapters 6, 7 and 8 of the charter of the untied> nations. just heard that the israelis gave 45 mins to clear southern> lebanon - is this the beginning of an invasion - and how will people clear> the south WITH NO ROADS OR BRIDGES TO DRIVE ON???> > Those who are terrorized, whether israeli or lebanese, are also easily> radicalized - being here makes it easy to understand why.> > I think my emotions got the better of me several times throughout this> email - but i stand by everything i just wrote. those who know me well> know that i usually try to be politically correct - obviously in times> like this - it's almost impossible. I feel better now that I got some of> these thoughts out of head. We are holding up fine and my family who live> in the southern suburbs escaped in time. Four of them (including my 90+> year old grandfather) are staying with me and my Canadian and German> neighbors. Hopefully they haven't lost their homes. The bombardments have> started again – well they haven't really stopped since midnight last> night. I'm in a safe neighborhood and there's no direct danger here. I> think today there is a demo at the Canadian parliament. Please go. I would> appreciate it if you can forward this letter and circulate it at the demo.> see you soon.> > Peace.> Ali</span></em></strong><br /><strong><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em></strong><br /><strong><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em></strong>Amalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17649761979455596938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12917622.post-1151903756544391372006-07-02T23:10:00.000-06:002006-07-02T23:15:56.560-06:00In mythology, there is a creature called the Hydra, a snake like creature with many heads. In reality, we call this snake Al Qaeda. <br /><br />Since 9/11 (an event that has besmirched the name of Islam) all manner of terror has been wrought in the name of God. Here’s a question: do any of those committing these hideous acts really believe they are doing the work of God? After careful consideration, I would have to say NO. Emphatically, unequivocally no. These people are out for power and money. The same as the very “crusaders” they say they are going after. <br /><br />Were they truly interested in the path of God; they would not be blowing up innocent civilians no matter where those civilians may be. All over the world, civilians are paying the highest of prices for their war-mongering governments. There are very few countries that have not been touched in one way or another by terrorism and we in Canada are no exception. <br /> In Palestine and Israel both, civilians are dying by the dozens. To be sure, the causalities are much higher on the Palestinian side but we cannot in good conscience negate the deaths of civilians on the other side. During the civil war in Lebanon, civilians paid the price while the warmongers got rich off of our blood. In Egypt, terrorists kill civilians and call it political practice. In Afghanistan, the loathsome Taliban have taken to killing schoolgirls for wanting to learn (I guess they missed the part of the Quran that exhorts education for all). In Iraq, more civilians are killed on a daily basis than the servicemen and women in the Army. <br /><br />Now that great thorn in our side Bin Laden has seen fit to impart his infinite stupidity on the Sunni Umma by calling for the deaths of Shi’ites. Just what kind of Muslim is this man supposed to be? Exactly what twisted form of Islam is this embodiment of evil preaching to Muslims? This is not a man we should be looking at as a great statesman or warrior. He is in fact the lowest of the low. When he preaches that Sunnis should kill Shi’ites, he is preaching murder most foul. When he preaches that we should be killing people who live in the West and not by Islam, he is still preaching murder most foul. In fact, every time he opens his nasty mouth and says anything, he is preaching and advocating the taking of lives. This man who hides in a cave, cut off from civilization is preaching the murder of the unarmed and that makes him a coward. What kind of person advocates the murder of civilians and revels in the deaths of thousands?<br /><br />The death toll in Iraq has easily reached into the hundred thousand mark and yet he still advocates more blood? What sane rational person advocates these things? What manner of man can sleep at night after telling Sunnis to murder Shi’ites only because their beliefs differ marginally to ours? <br /><br />To top it all off, he called Abu Musab Al Zarqawi “ a lion of holy war”. What holy war is he speaking of? The one where innocent civilians die? What exactly does he think is so great about Zarqawi? What does he think makes him a “lion”? His cowardice in targeting innocent civilians? His surefire method of inciting sectarian tensions and murders no matter where he went? His method of disguise (hiding under a Chador)? His disgusting beginnings as a thief and rapist in Jordan? Is that what a lion is? No, that is what a coward is. Zarqawi was a thief and rapist to start, and a murderer in the end. If Zarqawi was so interested in stopping the “crusaders” (someone please buy these people a thesaurus, that word is getting old), he would not have been busy planning suicide bombs on Husseiniyahs and crowded marketplaces. If Bin Laden et al were truly so interested in furthering Islam, they would be advocating the education of our young regardless of gender so that we can compete in an increasingly competitive marketplace. He would be advocating equality in Arab countries so that we could work on eradicating child poverty and take back our world from the warlords and dictators. <br /> Instead, he is advocating murder and mayhem which only sets back Islam hundreds of years. Every single person he brainwashes has the potential to be a doctor, lawyer, engineer, politician, anything. By brainwashing these people into committing a murder, not only is he killing innocent civilians, he is killing our future. These young people that he convinces to strap on a bomb and murder others are so full of life and potential until he gets at them. He takes the young, the disenfranchised and capitalizes on their festering anger. Instead of giving them scholarships from his many millions, he sends them to death with the stain of murder on their souls. <br /> <br />Bin Laden is not a warrior. He is the furthest thing from it. He is not our new Salaheddine, he is a coward who hides in some scummy little cave and video tapes messages in an attempt to stay relevant. It is widely known that Bin Laden and Zawahiri both did not approve of the methods Zarqawi used in Iraq for strictly PR reasons. In one of several intercepted messages, they tell him that killing civilians is going to turn public opinion against them and he should avoid it. No care for human life there, just a need to spin the PR so that it works for and not against them. <br /> The next time any of you think that Bin Laden et al may even have the slightest bit of justification in his evil work, remember that when a terrorist blows up a building, car or marketplace, they do not ask for ID first to ascertain the origin of the victims in that place. They don’t ask, they just kill. They don’t do it for God, they do it for the power and the glory. God has nothing to do with it. Ego does.Amalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17649761979455596938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12917622.post-1151379051588870872006-06-26T21:28:00.000-06:002006-06-26T21:30:51.606-06:00Hi All,<br /><br />I would like to point your attention to a new blog. My friend <a href="http://www.mondo-canuckistani.blogspot.com/">Canuckistani</a> has a great new blog. Go check it out. It is an utterly refreshing look at the world. :)Amalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17649761979455596938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12917622.post-1150064957562024582006-06-11T16:29:00.000-06:002006-06-11T16:29:17.590-06:00<a href="http://www.haloscan.com/" title="HaloScan Commenting and Trackback" rel="tag">Haloscan</a> commenting and trackback have been added to this blog.Amalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17649761979455596938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12917622.post-1149349217689167382006-06-03T09:28:00.000-06:002006-06-03T09:43:06.163-06:00The Wolf is at the Door.Canadians had a rude awakening this morning. In a joint statement, the RCMP and CSIS announced the arrest of 12 adults and 5 minors in a terrorism raid. Apparently, the brain trust that made up this group ordered 3 tonnes of ammonium nitrate (commonly used to create explosives).<br /><br />While CSIS and the RCMP took great pains to advise that no one group should be held accountable for the actions of the few, I will tell my fellow Muslim Canadians that the time is here when we will have to choose what side we are on. There is no more time to "wait and see" or sit on the fence because we are in Canada and we are safe. The wolf is quite literally at the door.<br /><br />As Canadians, it is our job to help protect this country in anyway we can. That includes informing the local law enforcement authorities of any and all suspicious activity we spot among our community members. This is not the betrayal that some of you will call it. The key thing to remember about terrorists is that they are not fighting for anything but a consolidation of their own power as evidenced by the infighting that often goes on in terror groups. These people forsake their families, their lives and yes, even their religions for terror. They have a twisted sense of right and wrong and deserve no quarter. Community and family ties DO NOT count in this game. Human lives do. Terrorists don't ask the nationality of every person in the targets they strike. They just strike and kill as many as they can. When one commits a crime involving terrorism, all of us pay dearly. It is bad enough we are loathed the world over as murderers and terrorists, we don't need it here at home too.<br /><br />The wolf is at the door folks, time to choose sides. Me personally, I choose Canada every time.Amalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17649761979455596938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12917622.post-1148844472046008282006-05-28T13:22:00.000-06:002006-05-28T13:27:52.076-06:00<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7262/1115/1600/Stockwellburtday.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7262/1115/320/Stockwellburtday.jpg" border="0" /></a> <strong><em> Stockwell Day – Minister of Public Security</em></strong><a title="Stockwell Burt Day" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Stockwellburtday.jpg"></a><br /><br /><br />After being muzzled during the federal election, Stockwell Day is back in the media spotlight with a roar. In the <a href="http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Alberta/2006/05/28/1601904-sun.html">May 28 edition of the Edmonton Sun</a>, Day is quoted as saying:<br /><br /><strong><em>“I haven't seen the clerics order that the movie studios be destroyed or that the newspaper places be burned down," he said. "Isn't it great that the message of Jesus Christ is one of love and tolerance?”.<br /></em></strong><br />To put the quote into context for you, a little background. Day was speaking at a Prayer Breakfast in Edmonton last week and he was commenting on the controversy surrounding the movie and the book “The Da Vinci Code”. The quote above is making indirect reference to the behaviour of extremist Muslims during the recent cartoon crisis. Day’s obvious lack of knowledge of Islam and its tenets shines through when he makes remarks like this and yet he holds the position of Minister of Public Security. Worried yet? No? You should be. This man is obviously not aware of the fact that the cartoons played directly into the hands of the repressive Syrian and Iranian regimes and the protests in those countries where embassies were sacked and burned could never have happened without the approval of the governments.<br /><br />If a man who is so completely lacking in knowledge and awareness, so utterly disdainful of the many religions and cultures that make up Canada is holding such an important position in government, what does that say about the government we have in power? Day’s bigoted views about women, ethnic minorities and the Native population are not unfamiliar nor are his brushes with the media over those views yet the Prime Minister still appointed him to the most important position in Cabinet. What does that say about the Prime Minister? Does that mean he agrees with his comments? Does he disagree?<br /><br />For a Prime Minister who is controlling every aspect of media spin that comes out of Ottawa, Harper has failed miserably to keep Day on the very tight leash he so desperately needs. That is not a bad thing for Arabs and Muslims; it is good to know what the Minister of Public Security really thinks of us. It is comments like that by elected officials that tell us who to vote for and why. If the Prime Minister wants the Muslim vote, he better think very very hard about the type of comments coming out of the mouth of his Public Security Minister. Do Muslims and Arabs really want a government in power who has people that are so disdainful and rude about religions and beliefs that differ from their own? I think not and in the next election, perhaps we should be teaching the Conservatives a nice lesson they will never forget when we vote in droves for the Liberals, the NDP or the Green Party.Amalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17649761979455596938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12917622.post-1148618874658227132006-05-25T22:46:00.000-06:002006-05-25T22:47:54.663-06:00Freedom Defined<strong><em>Question of the Month: Do we as human beings understand the true concept of Freedom or are we doomed to repeat the rhetoric of our forefathers?</em></strong><br /><br /><br />What is Freedom? Is Freedom that elusive thing that George W. Bush spends countless hours extolling for other countries all the while limiting civil liberties in his own country? Is it that elusive thing that has our Canadian Soldiers in Afghanistan instead of safe at home? Or is it the ability to think past the double speak of the propaganda that is shoved into our consciousness everyday? <br /><br />Freedom is defined as <strong><em>“1 : the quality or state of being free: as a : the absence of necessity, coercion, or constraint in choice or action b : liberation from slavery or restraint or from the power of another”</em></strong> in the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. The concept once defined is not so abstract as it would seem is it? In reality, freedom is a much more complicated thing than the dictionaries, poets, activists, writers and politicians would have us believe. An informal poll done by email received several different definitions of freedom. My good friend (and one of the smartest people I know) who we call <a href="http://emergingontheotherside.blogspot.com/">Minx</a> defined freedom as “…fully knowing and appreciating your capabilities as a person, and having nothing or no-one to impede or prevent you from growing and stretching them to their fullest extent”.<br /><br />In essence, Freedom is being you, owning your actions and your thoughts. The word Freedom is used fast and loose today. It is being used to justify everything from promiscuity to war. People use it when attempting to justify a lifestyle that some may find objectionable and others use it to justify actions that are truly unjustifiable. <br /><br />To look around today, one can see that the essence of what is true freedom has been lost in an avalanche of bastardization and propaganda. People are now following their “leaders” like lost little sheep. Right has become wrong and wrong has become the new right. Free speech is shot down as unpatriotic and free expression shot down as wrong. <br /><br />When did people start allowing themselves to be led around by the nose? When did it become ok to NOT question a decision made by an elected official that affects everyone’s quality of life? When did everyone decide to just “go with the flow” and allow themselves and their needs to be subverted? <br /><br />The question of the month was “Do we as human beings understand the true concept of Freedom or are we doomed to repeat the rhetoric of our forefathers?” It seems that we are in fact doomed to repeat the rhetoric as we have not reached the stage of critical thinking required to experience true freedom. So long as we follow like lambs to the slaughter, we are doomed to repeat the rhetoric of our forefathers.Amalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17649761979455596938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12917622.post-1146845757573367582006-05-05T10:04:00.000-06:002006-05-06T19:10:45.223-06:00Not Gone and Not ForgottenIn a move designed strictly to remind the Lebanese that they still exist, Syria has issued warrants summoning MP's Walid Jumblatt and Marwan Hamade to stand trial before a military tribunal in Syria for "inciting against Syria". A warrant has also been issued for Journalist Fares Khashan. This move is purely a muscle flex by an increasingly isolated Syrian regime. When your best friend is Iran and it's not-so-normal leader Ahmedinjad, you know you are in trouble.<br /><br />It is in fact quite surprising that it took them this long to make a move. Bashar Al Assad while known for being fairly intelligent is not a political strategist of any merit. Had he been even remotely intelligent in political matters, Hariri would not be dead and Syria would still have an "open" presence in Lebanon. As it stands, they only have spies in the Presidential Palace and in the pro-Syrian block as well as in the rank and file of Lebanon's less patriotic citizens. For those of us who believe in a free and secular Lebanon, these people are the worst sorts of traitors. They are looked upon with scorn and derision.<br /><br />For the Syrians to make this type of move in the game of international cat and mouse only signifies the pressure the Assad regime must be feeling. Here's hoping they crack under the pressure and soon.Amalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17649761979455596938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12917622.post-1146714292677620162006-05-03T21:41:00.000-06:002006-05-03T21:44:52.690-06:00Travesty of Justice.<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7262/1115/1600/Moussaoui.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7262/1115/320/Moussaoui.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />The Moussaoui verdict came in today. Life in prison. This cretin who freely admitted that he knew about the attacks, who mocked the victims and their loved ones has been given life in prison.<br /><br />What an absolute travesty. What a complete and utter miscarriage of justice. If anyone in the U.S. deserves the death penalty right now, Moussaoui does.Amalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17649761979455596938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12917622.post-1145820580608516342006-04-23T13:26:00.000-06:002006-04-23T13:29:50.886-06:00Old Friends, New Listings.<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7262/1115/1600/fishbowl.gif"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7262/1115/320/fishbowl.gif" border="0" /></a><br />Hi All,<br /><br />I have just added one of my favourite sites to my blogroll. <a href="http://www.homoinsapiens.blogspot.com/">Homo Insapiens</a> is a satirical look at the world that still manages to be informative.<br /><br />Go. Now. Tell them I sent you...<br /><br />A.Amalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17649761979455596938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12917622.post-1144467487073175752006-04-07T21:34:00.000-06:002006-04-07T21:38:07.093-06:00Living in the Age of Big Brother<p><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7262/1115/1600/Bush.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7262/1115/320/Bush.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />When history looks back at this time, they will call it “Living in the Age of Big Brother”. This would not be an incorrect assessment or presentation of where we are in history. All around us government agencies are eroding our civil liberties and cloaking it in the name of our protection. Both the Canadian and the U.S. Governments are enacting new laws that give them far reaching powers to invade our privacy.<br /><br /><br />The U.S. Patriot Act enacted after 9/11 gives the government the right to arbitrary arrests with secret trials and non-disclosure of evidence in the name of National Security. The FBI, CIA and Homeland Security all have the right to invade your life and you are virtually powerless to stop it if you even find out about it. They have even gone so far as to attempt to get librarians to release a list of books that you take out. </p><p><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7262/1115/1600/Harper.0.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7262/1115/320/Harper.0.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Here in Canada, we are not yet at the Patriot Act stage but we are reaching very close. Under the guise of revamping Bill C-14, the government has extended their power. The RCMP and CSIS are now able to detain at will though they still must prove to the courts why they would detain a person. With a Neo-Conservative government in power (albeit a minority), one would have to assume that though they have a minority government they will still attempt to push through a bill extending governmental powers. While Canadians seem like we are a complacent lot; when our rights and freedoms come under attack, we are not complacent at all. Should the government in Canada try to ride roughshod over our rights and freedoms the way they have in the U.S., Canadians will fight it tooth and nail. Unfortunately, as we voted them into power, we are stuck with them until the minority government falls. Until then, we will have to be diligent and very aware of any changes made to any law enforcement acts.<br /><br />Normally in a case where your very life is being violated, you would turn to the government for protection but who protects you from the government. If those charged with protecting us are the ones violating us, we have no recourse but to fight it through the courts. In order to do this, we need to educate ourselves. Know your civil rights. The information is readily accessible from the Government websites. Keep up with the news; make sure you know what your government representative is doing and what bills are looking to pass through parliament. Make your voice heard to your representative if you don’t like what the government is doing with your rights. Knowing and defending your rights is the best defence against having them abused.<br /></p>Amalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17649761979455596938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12917622.post-1142983986143381362006-03-21T16:29:00.000-07:002006-03-21T16:37:27.283-07:00Massacres In Memory<p><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" height="109" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7262/1115/320/Civil_war4.jpg" width="187" border="0" /><br />Does that picture look familiar? Iraq right? Wrong. That is a building in a neighbourhood in Beirut during the civil war. Judging by the behaviour of our politicians in Lebanon and the thugs that are supporting them, a timely reminder is required.<br /><br />It seems that we need a reminder of the hundreds of thousands dead and missing, the destruction of property, and the destruction of a whole way of life; a reminder that our civil war did nothing but make the warlords rich and the poor even more poorer. Perhaps a timely reminder is needed so that people remember what it was like to drive by a checkpoint never knowing whether you would make it through alive or what it was like to come home and find someone missing having been kidnapped by an opposing militia. Perhaps we all need a reminder of what it is like in a bomb shelter or of <strong><em>Black Saturday</em></strong>. Maybe we need a reminder of <strong><em>Tel Al Zaatar</em></strong> or of the<strong><em> Maslakh</em></strong>? Does the <strong><em>Karantina massacre</em></strong> sound familiar? What about the <strong><em>Damour massacre</em></strong>? Remember <strong><em>Sabra and Shatila</em></strong>? What about the lesser known massacres in the Tripoli area? A village called <em><strong>Rasenhach</strong></em> in North Lebanon was practically decimated during the war. The men and boys were lined up and slaughtered. Two of the village elders were literally buried alive. Anyone who is familiar with the Lebanese civil war should know those names and what they mean by heart. Not a single one of us young or old has not been touched in some way by the war. Regardless of the country you immigrated to, you either have been personally touched by the war or know someone who has. </p><p><br /><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7262/1115/320/Civil_War3.0.jpg" border="0" />Unfortunately, it has become blatantly obvious that we need to be reminded that the Lebanese Civil war was easily one of the bloodiest and cruellest civil wars in the region. The blatant disregard for civilian life, the religious ethnic cleansing of whole areas, the divisions along sectarian lines of whole areas of the country, the rise (and never fall) of warlords who were otherwise nothing and nobody. Obviously we need to be reminded of the horrors since we seem to have learned nothing and we are lining up like sheep to follow the latest warlord. On April 13th, 1975 at 1.15pm, Lebanon exploded. A single action that built on previous actions caused the whole country to go up in flames. Then as now, the people divided themselves along sectarian lines and followed their warlords.<br /><br /><br />Why bring up memories better left alone you ask? Because we obviously learned nothing from the war. Lebanon is at a serious crossroads and instead of helping it along, factions supporting different politicians are attacking each other. Nary has a day gone by without hearing about some new skirmish between one group and another. It is disgusting to anyone with a single functioning brain cell that these people are being allowed to do this. Where is the government? Where is the Darak? Where is Amn Al Aam? Did everyone just decide to take a holiday and leave the country to run itself? Where were the police when the Amal Movement and Hariri supporters went at it two weeks ago? How many arrests were made? What was done about it? Where were the police when Jumblatt’s supporters clashed with Geagea’s supporters? Better yet, where were Jumblatt and Geagea to make sure that things like this don’t happen? Absolutely none of our politicians are interested in preserving the peace and all of these “conferences” that they are holding are designed to do only two things: preserve their power and put up a façade for the people of Lebanon that they really do care about them. The truth is, if they did care, they would be willing to put a stop to all the skirmishes between their supporters and others. They would be willing to face up to what they did in the war and most importantly, they would be willing to set aside their differences and work for the good of Lebanon, not the good of their own positions and pockets.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7262/1115/1600/sabramasacre.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 140px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 128px" height="180" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7262/1115/320/sabramasacre.jpg" width="140" border="0" /></a><br /><br />War isn’t pretty. The image to the left is from the massacre of <em><strong>Sabra and Shatila</strong></em> but it could have been <strong><em>Tel Al Zaatar</em></strong> or <strong><em>Black Saturday</em></strong> or the <strong><em>Karantina</em></strong>. It could have been any of those places or even a place that is not written down in history because it was only a “minor” massacre. It could have been countless numbers of villages or towns. It could have been your village or town. Death does not play favourites, it is very much equal opportunity and this very well could have been any of our family members.<br /><br />As we here in Canada watch our politicians in Lebanon meet and give sound bites to the media, we should be taking action. Call the Embassy in Ottawa (613 – 236 – 5825) and make your voice heard. Make your expectations known. Let the government know that we as Lebanese ex-pats no matter where we are will never return and make the country economically viable if the politicians do not straighten up. If enough of us call and make our voices heard, they will have to listen. It is vital that we here in Canada are heard and even more vital that we don’t fall into the same trap of following like lambs to the slaughter. We immigrated here for a better life away from war and death. We found that life and we should not throw it away by following the warlords back to war. We owe it to Lebanon to be true patriots, let’s do it along nationalist not sectarian lines. Lebanon needs us, let us not fail in it’s time of need. </p>Amalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17649761979455596938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12917622.post-1142029744567789752006-03-10T14:32:00.000-07:002006-03-11T10:26:54.906-07:00TaggedMy Favourite man in uniform <a href="http://curbed-enthusiasm.blogspot.com/">The Corporal</a> over at Curbed Enthusiasm has tagged me for my seven favourite songs. I love music way too much to have only 7 so I am posting my 7 current faves. Here goes:<br /><br />1. Madonna: Sorry<br /> -This new CD of Madonna's is fabulous. Every song is amazing. Love it. Nuf said.<br /><br />2. Red Hot Chili Peppers: Otherside<br /> -I have loved this song since it came out. Nothing's changed. Sounds just as good time #100 as it did time #1<br /><br />3. Greenday: Anything off their American Idiot CD<br /> -Whole CD is brilliant. Wake Me Up When September Ends is phenomenal. Holiday is a great statement.<br /><br />4. Sarah McLachlan: Full of Grace<br /> -Lovely, timeless<br /><br />5. Motley Crue: Home Sweet Home and Dr. Feelgood<br /> -It's Motley Crue, I could go on for hours but I know other Crue lovers know what I mean.<br />6. Nirvana: The Man Who Sold the World<br /> -I could have listed about 10 other Nirvana songs but I like this one the best.<br /><br />7. Fairouz: Behabak Ya Loubnan<br /> -This is an Arabic song about Lebanon. It never fails to take me back to my days there and some of the best times of my life. It also talks about Lebanon's long civil war. This song is an encapsulation of how most Lebanese feel about Lebanon.<br /><br />I can't count so here are 4 more:<br /><br />8. Eminem: Everything and anything.<br /> -I know, I know. Misogyny and all that but he really is a brilliant rapper in a sea of "thugs" and "pimps". He even makes fun of himself as seen on his last album (which was decidedly not brilliant but still really good!)<br /><br />9. Lynyrd Skynyrd: Sweet Home Alabama<br /> -I don't know why, I just love it.<br /><br />10. James Blunt: You're Beautiful and No Bravery<br /> -What a stunning voice.<br /><br />11. Pink: Stupid Girls<br />-Awesome song detailing everything wrong with females today. When did we stop being ambitious and want to go back to being arm charms?<br /><br />Hmmm, tagging Scott over at <a href="http://www.scott-o-rama.com/">Scott-o-Rama</a> and the <a href="http://themadpigeon.blogs.com/">Mad Pigeon</a> on this one.Amalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17649761979455596938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12917622.post-1141991507161698822006-03-10T04:50:00.000-07:002006-03-10T04:53:21.410-07:00Blech<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7262/1115/1600/sickinbed.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7262/1115/320/sickinbed.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Hi All,<br /><br />Sorry there have not been any posts. I am very sick. I promise something as soon as I can keep myself out of bed long enough to type more than 3 sentences.<br /><br />A.Amalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17649761979455596938noreply@blogger.com0