Lebanese idol

first-floor Mary grotto lit by electric bulb

Over the past month of boisterous football frenzy, as Lebanese political flags were, for once, pushed into the background by the colours of other nations, a common refrain has been circling: if only the Lebanese could differ in politics as good-naturedly as they do in sport. Convoys of cars full of flag-waving, face-painted fans choke the streets after every victory, however minor, leaving passers-by deafened but indulgent, telling one other, So long as its not politics.

And yet, such comments are only heard because of similarities in the behaviour of football supporters and party advocates. For a start, the sheer number and the variety of flags in both domains are remarkable, and Lebanon’s fractured political scene could be described as a never-ending round of 16, save for the ever-changing alliances.

Both worlds involve the idea of claiming territory – not only by emblazoning their homes throughout the rivalry but also by overrunning the streets to mark a victory. A win on the pitch is celebrated with fireworks and sometimes celebratory gunfire; a political triumph gets the same reaction with the proportions reversed.

In reality, these two domains not only look alike but actually share a common basis: a deep-seated desire to  Read the rest of this entry »

Emotional risk management

on edge

Yesterday, organising a last minute dinner party, our efforts were somewhat hampered by a sudden inability to contact people by phone. After checking our credit, trying two mobiles and the land line and still failing to get a ringing tone, we looked at each other and said simultaneously: check the news. It’s at times like this I remember that I very irresponsibly still haven’t gotten round to registering my presence here with the British Embassy.

These moments also remind me of my first visit to Lebanon, when gun battles broke out and Hizbollah militia occupied the western part of central Beirut and closed the airport. We were just getting accustomed to the dry patter of AK47s in the distance when, during dinner at friends, we were startled by a significantly closer string of explosions. Rushing to the window we were confronted, ironically, with fireworks.

The Lebanese don’t let much spoil their party mood. And locals can tell fireworks from gun battles and gun battles from mere celebratory gunfire (ie, the only casualties will be from stray bullets) in less time than it takes to jump up and check Naharnet or Google news. But we weren’t the only ones who stirred from the sofa. Every lit window in sight framed a silhouetted figure who emerged from the warm light to scour the dark neighbourhood for few moments before drifting away.

Risk is something the Lebanese have become as accustomed to as   Read the rest of this entry »

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