The Beauty and the Tragedy of Lebanon: Cedars Aflame
what makes Lebanon so unique among middle eastern nations is its (heretofore) ability to have muslims and christians living side-by-side, sharing power, and being peaceful.
they had an ugly civil war, but the world has been amazed that they could make their government work. it's also an incredibly sophisticated culture, and beirut was known for decades as the "paris of the middle east"--incredibly cosmopolitan and sophisticated. i've only heard amazing things about beirut from those who have been. i have always wanted to go to beirut, ever since i made friends with some lebanese kids in junior high. i just love their culture; i soak it up like a sponge.
i've thought about going to the american university there, and even called the state department for a travel advisory (in 1998). a really nice guy actually called back, and discouraged me, on the conservative side.
beirut was settled by the ancient phoenicians, who, i am advised, were also a very sophisticated and advanced people.
i've heard all about the civil war that ended in the '80's, and it absolutely breaks my heart to see the country torn to shreds. it just hurts. people have had such love and admiration and respect as lebanon rose from the rubble of the war to come back to life and become a true worldwide destination again.
that is all gone. i'm worried about my college roommate, sandy, who lives there with her family. last i heard, she was getting her phd in psychology, and planning to return to beirut to set up/work at a clinic for the war traumatized. i think she lives just outside beirut, so hopefully she's ok, and her family is incredibly wealthy, so i'm sure they can "flee" wherever they want to, for safety, as they've done several times before.
they just don't deserve this.
they had an ugly civil war, but the world has been amazed that they could make their government work. it's also an incredibly sophisticated culture, and beirut was known for decades as the "paris of the middle east"--incredibly cosmopolitan and sophisticated. i've only heard amazing things about beirut from those who have been. i have always wanted to go to beirut, ever since i made friends with some lebanese kids in junior high. i just love their culture; i soak it up like a sponge.
i've thought about going to the american university there, and even called the state department for a travel advisory (in 1998). a really nice guy actually called back, and discouraged me, on the conservative side.
beirut was settled by the ancient phoenicians, who, i am advised, were also a very sophisticated and advanced people.
i've heard all about the civil war that ended in the '80's, and it absolutely breaks my heart to see the country torn to shreds. it just hurts. people have had such love and admiration and respect as lebanon rose from the rubble of the war to come back to life and become a true worldwide destination again.
that is all gone. i'm worried about my college roommate, sandy, who lives there with her family. last i heard, she was getting her phd in psychology, and planning to return to beirut to set up/work at a clinic for the war traumatized. i think she lives just outside beirut, so hopefully she's ok, and her family is incredibly wealthy, so i'm sure they can "flee" wherever they want to, for safety, as they've done several times before.
they just don't deserve this.
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