Beirut Lebanon: Beautiful Then, And Again
[October 30th] -- Many friends and acquaintances who know that I come from the Middle East always assume that I came to the United States because of the "backward nature" of the region. Oh, if they only knew.
This is a photo of my mother, my brother Nabil and me [I'm the cute little tyke] enjoying ourselves on "Long Beach" in Beirut, Lebanon. My father took the picture in 1959. The beach was every bit as modern and "up to date" as any of the American beaches of the era. Notice that there isn't a single person wearing traditional Arab clothing. This was a time before Islamic fundamentalism took hold throughout the region. In addition, Beirut was a melting pot of cultures; there was no "right" or "wrong" religion, color or background. This "communal community" concept was long forgotten by the 1970's when Beirut was ravaged by a destructive and debilitating civil war. Slowly, Lebanon is beginning to revert back to its roots of openness and inclusiveness.
But, it's going to take some time yet.
Peace to you.
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