This week in Beirut

Tom started Arabic class, once a week, led by a teacher at ACS. Now he practices at home, which is good for K because much of what she learned in her classes last Fall is slipping away…
____________
On the UN shuttle bus to work, marginally awake at 6:45 am, I see a guy walking down the street and think, “he’s Jewish.” Huh--where did that come from?? Of course, lots of folks here look like lots of folks across the border in Occupied Palestine. This naïve outsider, speaking from a place of incredible privilege, and from a baby of a country, finds it quite fantastic that people, neighbors, who even look like each other can cause each other so much pain, so very much pain, basically over religion or beliefs. Can’t you just love your God, try to be a good person and get on with life? Clearly, I do not grasp the mission concept, or fully appreciate what it is to be far down the stream of generations of people hating each other. I know I've said this all before, sorry. Don't get me started on the oppressed turning into the oppressors.

----------------------
Last week in Beirut there were a couple of flare ups—at one party’s HQ and in one of the south Beirut refugee camps—that were quickly extinguished by the army and followed by words of peace and reconciliation from various sides. The Arab League is meeting soon in Syria and there is some shred of hope that they can affect the political deadlock. No violence has taken place anywhere near us, though we admit to jumping when a fire cracker goes off, as they did on St. Maroun’s Day and the Hariri rally day recently. The 5.0 earthquake was an added thrill, but fortunately it caused little injury or damage.

Tonight Tom said there is another tantalizing bit of hope. The various powers that be seem to be rallying around a 10-10-10 proposal, wherein the majority, the opposition, and the president each have equal power. We shall see. Things have been quiet this week.

__________________________

Assorted tidbits:

In the Things Taken for Granted in the US Dept.: storm water drains
Billboard: Gold Egoiste
Sign: Abu Joade Foaming Co.,
Shop: Plexy & Linen
Restaurant: The Brunch Concept
On TV: a football (soccer, to you) team with jerseys emblazoned FAG, right across the chest