Reading most of your posts I can see that most of you are quite sensible rational people without any particular Grudge against the Lebanese. I was very pleased when I read this post and seeing that it hasnt been hijacked and used as a chance to take nasty swipes at my nationality.
I have to add my name to the list though (sadly) of people who have been the target of discrimination, sometimes in the strangest of means, and sometimes even from other Lebanese.
I think many of them have learned a lesson through the many posts who have preceeded this one. Many Nasty things were said even on this site, and I am glad they were corrected.
"FMinkara". It does seem to draw attention when somebody knows our origin. Usually you find those who use that as a chance to bite at you are acting out of some deficiency in their own life / identity.
You will find some people hell bent on giving you a hard time based on who you are. I deal with this as I see fit, nicely if possible.
"KellyHero"- In response to some of your awfully negative and uneccesary comments:
Comment- "Truth hurts"
Response- Based on the discussion on this thread, there seems to be no lack of truth, nor any need for anybody to be hurting anyone.
Comment- "Critisizing self before critisizing others does not mean one is not patriotic."
Response- Self reflection is important for the progress and rationality of any intellectual person / people. Posting negative aspects about one's country on a public forum is on the otherhand, very unpatriotic.
Comment- "Some guys here talk about "Lebanese engineers do not live 6 in a room" somewhere else. In our country some people are searching the trash to eat. Nothing to hide." -
Response- Well done! Where is the grace and charm that we are famous for? In what country are people not searching through the trash for food? Nonetheless there are good reasons why people do not air their dirty laundry in public.
Comment - "If you read Lebanese newpapers or watch tv you will see ads by banks financing plastic surgery."
Response- Another unusually negative and very unnecessary remark. If you watch a show called "Judge Judy"(USA), or "Ripley's Believe it or not" you will get and equally strange picture about americans, not to mention what "The Toyko Shock Boys" will make you assume of Japan... etc.
Comment- You toddlers are a shame to my country but I have to admit that you hold the same nationality that I hold.
Response- If your identity is such a burden that you must "admit" to it, then I invite you to surrender your ID/Passport to the Interior Ministry or at the nearest Lebanese embassy, and find a country where you feel more at home. I hear alot of Western countries will be glad to take you in and give you a Citizenship. They need people like you to do the work that their citizens don't want to do. Sounds like a fair deal to me.
Comment- You guys when you meet a new Lebanese fellow, your first question is "from which part of Lebanon you are" if you did not get a clue about his religion, you start asking more specific questions to know his/her religion and sect. then the next step is start asking to which political group you belong."
Response- This has come up many times before in previous posts and is absolute Rubbish. This is an old relic that has long passed. If I want to know more about someone its because:
1) To see if we are related;
2) To ensure that this person really is Lebanese. After all we have over half a million foreigners in our country, many of whom have received citizenships as a result of foreign influence, which is in any case completely in violation of our laws.
3) This is a practice common in the middle east (less so in modern Lebanon) and is not to perpetrate discimination.
Please lets avoid making these assumptions anymore.
Comment- Guys. Please ask yourself what's wrong with you before asking and blaming others about your tragedy and crisis. Grow up.
Response- I am hoping this doesn't mean what I think it means.. In any case the Lebanese have a very legitimate claim when it comes to foreign interference with tragic consequences. No Lebanese from any political alignment would deny this.
Reading most of your posts I can see that most of you are quite sensible rational people without any particular Grudge against the Lebanese. I was very pleased when I read this post and seeing that it hasnt been hijacked and used as a chance to take nasty swipes at my nationality.
I have to add my name to the list though (sadly) of people who have been the target of discrimination, sometimes in the strangest of means, and sometimes even from other Lebanese.
I think many of them have learned a lesson through the many posts who have preceeded this one. Many Nasty things were said even on this site, and I am glad they were corrected.
"FMinkara". It does seem to draw attention when somebody knows our origin. Usually you find those who use that as a chance to bite at you are acting out of some deficiency in their own life / identity.
You will find some people hell bent on giving you a hard time based on who you are. I deal with this as I see fit, nicely if possible.
"KellyHero"- In response to some of your awfully negative and uneccesary comments:
Comment- "Truth hurts"
Response- Based on the discussion on this thread, there seems to be no lack of truth, nor any need for anybody to be hurting anyone.
Comment- "Critisizing self before critisizing others does not mean one is not patriotic."
Response- Self reflection is important for the progress and rationality of any intellectual person / people. Posting negative aspects about one's country on a public forum is on the otherhand, very unpatriotic.
Comment- "Some guys here talk about "Lebanese engineers do not live 6 in a room" somewhere else. In our country some people are searching the trash to eat. Nothing to hide." -
Response- Well done! Where is the grace and charm that we are famous for? In what country are people not searching through the trash for food? Nonetheless there are good reasons why people do not air their dirty laundry in public.
Comment - "If you read Lebanese newpapers or watch tv you will see ads by banks financing plastic surgery."
Response- Another unusually negative and very unnecessary remark. If you watch a show called "Judge Judy"(USA), or "Ripley's Believe it or not" you will get and equally strange picture about americans, not to mention what "The Toyko Shock Boys" will make you assume of Japan... etc.
Comment- You toddlers are a shame to my country but I have to admit that you hold the same nationality that I hold.
Response- If your identity is such a burden that you must "admit" to it, then I invite you to surrender your ID/Passport to the Interior Ministry or at the nearest Lebanese embassy, and find a country where you feel more at home. I hear alot of Western countries will be glad to take you in and give you a Citizenship. They need people like you to do the work that their citizens don't want to do. Sounds like a fair deal to me.
Comment- You guys when you meet a new Lebanese fellow, your first question is "from which part of Lebanon you are" if you did not get a clue about his religion, you start asking more specific questions to know his/her religion and sect. then the next step is start asking to which political group you belong."
Response- This has come up many times before in previous posts and is absolute Rubbish. This is an old relic that has long passed. If I want to know more about someone its because:
1) To see if we are related;
2) To ensure that this person really is Lebanese. After all we have over half a million foreigners in our country, many of whom have received citizenships as a result of foreign influence, which is in any case completely in violation of our laws.
3) This is a practice common in the middle east (less so in modern Lebanon) and is not to perpetrate discimination.
Please lets avoid making these assumptions anymore.
Comment- Guys. Please ask yourself what's wrong with you before asking and blaming others about your tragedy and crisis. Grow up.
Response- I am hoping this doesn't mean what I think it means.. In any case the Lebanese have a very legitimate claim when it comes to foreign interference with tragic consequences. No Lebanese from any political alignment would deny this.
Peace...