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AUB opts for external hire Heather Jaber News Executive This year, AUB welcomed new additions to the institution, specifically in the hiring of Andrew Cartwright, Director of Internal Audit.

Cartwright officially replaced the now retired Maurice Carlier on February 20.

Cartwright, who is a chartered accountant, specialist in information technology, and certified information systems auditor (CISA), became a chartered accountant in 1988. He spent six years as an external auditor, approximately 18 years as an internal auditor, and has experience working as a consultant. In April 2001, he became Director of Internal Audit at the University of Victoria in British Columbia, Canada.

In November of last year, Al-Akhbar published an article featuring allegations by a former Board of Trustees member pertaining to corruption and mismanagement in AUB. Members . . .

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‫اوﺗﻠﻮك‬ photo by Heather Jaber

Continued on page 4

#StopLIRA: Lebanon’s internet freedom under attack Weam El-Awar Staff Writer For how much longer will Lebanon’s freedom of speech remain intact? The latter is one of the questions raised by the Stop LIRA campaign that surfaced this week. The current Minister of Information, Walid Daouq, has drafted a law that aims at regulating websites and protecting their owners. The proposed Lebanese Internet Regulation Act (LIRA), which consists of eight articles and appears in a post published electronically on March 7 on Annahar’s website, has attracted a lot of criticism and questioning from the Lebanese online community.

Perhaps one of the foremost counterarguments presented by the Stop LIRA movement is the

fact that electronic media is not outside the jurisdiction of the law. For instance, the online community uses Creative Commons licensing in order to protect online content and personal work and simultaneously share that content with the public. In fact, LIRA seems to be more of set of limitations rather than a law, according to bloggers and prominent users of electronic media platforms.

Farah Wael, from the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA), quotes Ayman Mhanna, Executive Director at the Samir Kassir Foundation, “The act subjects the electronic media to the . . .

photo from facebook.com

Continued on page 4

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Campus News

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Page 2

Launching of Campus Yearbook 2010-2011 Nour Jane Kachicho Associate Editor Sadly our memory is not timeless. It will wither away as we grow older and as we pass through the different stages of our lives. What better way to eternalize the good times spent at university than in a yearbook?

The launching event of the Yearbook 2010-11 was held by the AUB Campus Yearbook team of this academic year to distribute and encourage students to pick-up their free copy of the yearbook on Monday, March 12, at Main Gate, AUB. More than 650 copies of the yearbook were spread across Main Gate forming the letters ‘AUB’ heaped into two layers. Within four hours, Main Gate was wiped clean of yearbooks as students and staff picked up copies on their way in and out of AUB. Uncertain of the weather conditions at first, and expecting rain, the team set up on short notice and delivered beyond their expectations.

“We were very hesitant at first, but then the sun decided to shine and we were back on!” said Mohammed Jichi, Public Relations Manager of Campus Yearbook 2011-12. “We have a great team! We all worked together on making this event work, and work it did!” he added.

The yearbook gained recognition among students who did not know that such a publication existed.

Some were unaware that the publication is free of charge, and hesitated before picking up a copy.

“The funniest part is that many students thought that they had to pay for it...[the launching] was great publicity, what we are aiming for this year is for students to know that the yearbook is not just for graduates and that they should always stay on the look out for the newest copy,” said Sarah Sabbagh, Editor in Chief of Campus Yearbook 2011-12.

Mascots parading around AUB wearing graduation gowns and eccentric masks made sure the message was heard loud and clear, chanting “Free yearbooks and free donuts at Main Gate!”

“Being sponsored by Dunkin’ Donuts was the highlight of the event. It really helped us a lot with giving out the yearbooks,” said Jichi.

The mascots led people to the stands at Main Gate where free Dunkin’ Donuts were distributed, Polaroid photos were taken, and Camille Salem, third year Civil Engineer and former Editor in Chief of the Campus Yearbook, watched as his hard work finally paid off. “When the publication finally came out, I felt like I accomplished my mission and my responsibility towards AUB was lifted off my shoulders,” said Salem, “But then after a week I realized that my responsibility did not end there, very few students were actually taking the yearbook.”

An AUB alumni passing by stopped at main gate to take photos with the yearbook in a cap and gown. She told the Campus Yearbook team

that she regretted not having attended her own graduation. “It was kind of ‘bitter sweet’ watching her take those photos. I guess she really regretted ‘passing unseen’,” said Sabbagh.

“The fact that almost everybody has the chance to look at what we made is really rewarding,” said Salem. He gives thanks to everyone who participated in the launching event.

Copies of the Yearbook 2010-11 are available at West Hall.

photos by yearbook photographers

Does securities trading have a place in our curriculum?

Raghid Naimi Staff Writer Let’s face it: OSB students don’t normally show up to seminars, lectures, and the like without a nudge from their professors, reinforced with a reminder that attendance will be taken. The picture was different on Wednesday March 14. Not one professor had asked their business students to attend the presentation delivered at the Maamari Auditorium in the Olayan School of Business, yet the event was packed. After a long day of classes for many business and nonbusiness students, all in attendance wanted to learn what stock trading was all about.

This “Trading Workshop” that OSB’s Dr. George Namur delivered, in coordination with the Business Students Society, was the first of its kind at AUB. The business school does not currently have in its curriculum a course that actually addresses the world of securities trading with the in’s and out’s of techniques and analyses that go along with that discipline. Feeling something important was missing, society members approached Dr. Namur about holding a workshop.

The initial purpose of this workshop was to give some of the students who will be participating in the BSS’s Annual Virtual Stock Exchange Competition a briefing on the stock market and ways to manage their portfolios. But, the workshop that was intended for up to 30 students on a first-come-first-served basis, transformed into a presentation that brought more than 100 students rushing into Maamari Auditorium in an attempt to learn the basics of stock trading.

Even though the organizers promised no more than a brief overview of how to tackle such a diverse and complex field, the attendees were completely focused, staying attentive for a full an hour and a half to hear what Dr. Namur had to say about a topic that is completely missing from AUB’s formal business education.

Dr. Namur is an AUB alumnus; he is a Civil Engineering graduate that has had a rich career.

Namur started within his field of study then got into the field of business as a finance practitioner.

Namur’s twenty years in the financial arena gave him a broad experience in all aspects of

financial markets across asset classes and roles; from trading to portfolio management, from structuring to advising and risk management.

Dr. Namur’s involvement at OSB, which started last year when he taught finance classes related to derivative securities, was based on a firm belief in mixing academic rigor with a practitioner’s approach to teaching; the way business in general and finance in particular should be taught.

The success of this event demonstrates that student-driven initiatives, even in the absence of any support from the administration, can be very effective.

The Business Students Society sponsored event has tapped into a hidden student passion that should both be embraced and nurtured.

Dr. Namur was delighted at the turnout and the engagement of the attendees in the topic. He added that the energy level he sensed in the event was very encouraging and that he was hoping to not only bring about a focus on financial securities but to foster a passion, a buzz, that should reverberate across the OSB building.

Campus News

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Page 3

AUB-IAC wins two awards at Vancouver MUN Wael Bazzi Staff Writer A resounding applause accompanied by uncontrolled jubilance resonated from every inch of the enormous room that evening. There is simply no other way to describe it; this was the moment every delegate of 200+ universities had been anticipating for weeks and months.

Included was the delegation from AUB, who emerged from the room triumphant and tearyeyed.

“The 7th and final diplomacy award goes to...” With breaths held and blood heavy, they were attentive. “Pakistan from the American University of Beirut!” and with that our delegation erupted with joy, jumping right out of their seats. It was an overwhelming victory for the IAC Club and AUB. In a spirit of fraternity, the representative students clasped one another’s hands and shoulders in anticipation. And then another award was announced to AUB. The diplomacy award is given to student delegates who have shown outstanding mediation and communication skills throughout the four-day Harvard Model United Nations conference. The annual event is the largest of its kind anywhere, and thus is not taken lightly by any participant who attends. Set in the glorious city of Vancouver, Canada and comprising 2,500 students from countless universities throughout the world, the AUB-IAC club took part in the

conference under the guidance of club president Tarek Bilani.

The first award was handed to the double delegation team made up of Hadi Inja and Malek Teffaha, who both represented Pakistan in the Special Political and Decolonization Committee (SPECPOL). The second went to May Jabado, representing Pakistan in the UN World Health Organization (WHO). A total of seven awards were given per committee, with each committee comprising some 220 competing delegates. Also hailing from Lebanon was the LAU delegation, who were thrilled to leave with an award of their own.

The group’s eight-day trip began with an 11 hour flight from Heathrow to Vancouver on March 9. Some jet lag and six time zones later, the delegation arrived in the city of Vancouver and quickly acquainted themselves with the sights, sounds, and tastes of Canada. As the host of the 2010 Winter Olympics, Vancouver is a city unlike any other and proved more than suitable as a venue for the conference to come.

Between late night mingling and dancing at social events, day trips to icy mountain villages and, of-course, the tense moderations during conferences, the IAC shone through Vancouver and taught the world the concept of global citizenship as seen by Lebanon.

All in all, the pride felt by the students of AUB’s delegation was excelled only by the pleasure of meeting so many other delegates from around the world, who, in essence, truly represented the leadership of the future. Bright young minds framed invigorating ideas into resolutions and solutions and the AUB delegation was certainly no exception. *Other delegates included: Mamoun Mahayni, Jawad Rizk Allah (SSW), Ibrahim Halawi (WHO), Mohamad Yaghi, Gregoire Dugueyt, Mark Saroufim (Legal), Jim Ramsey Khoury (UNDP), Amir Richani (Environmental), Dima Hajj, and Wael Bazzi (ECOFIN).

photo from facebook.com

Dr. Saleh Al-Mashnooq visits AUB Mohamad Sibai Contributing Writer Politics is possibly the most dangerous subject in Lebanon. Our native society has beheld politicians shouting words of blasphemy at one another as well as physically assaulting each other on live television. Unlike these politicians, AUB students showed understanding, respect and open-mindedness at Dr. Saleh Al-Mashnooq’s seminar.

The lecture took place in AUB’s Issam Fares Hall, which was heavily guarded with personal security. The event started with the Lebanese national anthem, followed by a minute of silence for the martyrs of the Arab cause. Mario Abou Zeid, Political Studies student at AUB, introduced the seminar with a few words of inspiration.

He stated that, “democracy is inscribed in our bodies,” and that, “we Arabs were the first to fight off tyranny.”

Adnan Sardouk, the president of the Youth

Club at AUB, thanked the university for making the event possible. He introduced Dr. AlMashnooq by warming the students up with words of sympathy and empowerment. He also said that it is an honor for the Syrian community to consider Rafik Al-Hariri the first martyr of the Syrian revolution.

Dr. Al-Mashnooq started off by greeting the students of AUB, exclusively the ones that belonged to the same political party as him. He believes that, “AUB is probably the only place where there is law, and where not only a person from Hezbollah can carry weapons and defend his country.” Many considered the tone of his lecture to be aggressive and inappropriate, including those who belonged to his political party. He constantly referred to AUB students as, “soldiers for Rafik Al-Hariri’s project.”

Throughout the lecture, the atmosphere became

even more tense. The seminar was slowly turning into sedition. Accusations were made that could have caused controversy and arguments across the student body. Dr. Al-Mashnooq said that, “today is the day Rafik Al-Hariri died - oh no wait - this is the day Hezbollah killed Rafik Al-Hariri.” Students slowly started leaving the seminar as Dr. Al-Mashnooq became even more animated.

“I am here to make sure that you all stay and play a part in this big project because it should start with you and end with you,” said Dr. AlMashnooq. Many of those in attendance had cause to feel insulted, as he said, “these history books will probably never be taught anywhere other than in the schools in the suburbs of Beirut.” Another controversial accusation occurred when he accused Hezbollah of stealing their name from Iran.

Campus News

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

AUB opts for external hire

Page 4

continued

Heather Jaber News Executive of administration report that there was no correlation between these accusations and the hiring of Cartwright. Carlier, age 65, was ready to retire.

Vice President for Human Resources, Jim Radulski, stated that the hiring committee was looking for a candidate who had auditing experience in a not-for-profit institution such as AUB. He also spoke of the determining factors pertaining to the choice of either an internal or external auditor. “The internal candidates we have are wonderful, but I guess the question comes up, ‘Do you want to hire a star, or do you want to hire someone who may or may not be a star?’” According to Radulski, the external candidates had more experience with managing such a department.

“The position description did require ten years of aggressive managerial experience,” said Radulski. Some of the external candidates’ profiles outshone those of the internal applicants, who were not quite on the same level in terms of experience, “Where you could safely say I feel comfortable with this person in terms of whattheir background and knowledge is.”

Of the rigorous hiring process, Cartwright said that it provided him with a sense of assurance.

“It actually gave me confidence about the kinds of things that I’d find at AUB; everyone seemed to take it seriously and wanted to find the best possible outcome.”

When asked about the ad hoc reports and his current observations of AUB and Lebanon thus...

far, Cartwright stressed the ability of efficient auditing to “facilitate that level of comfort” that should be present. “A fundamental thing that underlies many of the things that I’ve seen already is around trust, and making sure that people are comfortable that they can trust, and that they do trust, and that they should trust.”

One developing issue that Cartwright will have to monitor as Director of Internal Audit is the 2020 Plan, which involves the growth of AUBMC; changes include significant increases in research, the amount of hospital beds available, services in the existing buildings and specialized centers in the areas of oncology, heart and vascular disease and others. As all of this is to be done parallel to the actual running of AUBMC, it presents its own challenges. “It’s going to be a really, really difficult task,” said Radulski, “because its kind of like building the bridge while you’re still crossing the bridge.” The project cost is estimated to be in the 500 million dollar range. “You have to be really cautious that it goes to where it’s supposed to go.”

Some students expressed concern over the decision to hire an internal auditor from abroad, as opposed to internal promotion or hiring a candidate from Lebanon. Mysaa Dimachk, Food Science junior, said, “He needs to have some background about Lebanese culture, in my opinion…at the same time it shouldn’t be someone completely Lebanese who hasn’t had any outside exposure.”

Tamara Bazerbachi, Business junior, believes

that the candidate’s home country does not matter as much as their qualifications. “It doesn’t matter whether he’s Canadian or Lebanese. Nationality is just a name what does matter is whether he has background knowledge of the situation.”

From his own experience, Radulski cited that there is a large chance that candidates who have never lived or worked overseas will not succeed, “because they’re not able to adapt from a cultural perspective.” Those involved in hiring the new director, including Radulski, have considered this “cultural fit” aspect; it is in fact expressed on the candidate evaluation forms as a weighted factor. Cartwright’s wife was also flown in during the evaluation process to become accustomed to the new environment and to meet other foreign wives in the same position.

“I think there are some really interesting differences, and that the differences need to be taken in the context,” said Cartwright, who agreed that while Lebanon has its own unique legal structure, history, set of customs and societal perceptions, the principles of standards to measure against are more universal. “There are many differences in the specific procedures, [but] the principles and the intent are basically the same.”

Cartwright maintains a glass half-full outlook to the work that lies ahead, remarking: “In a positive way, I’d say there are many positive opportunities for improvement.”

#StopLIRA: Lebanon’s internet freedom under attack

continued

Hashem Osseiran Staff Writer Weam El-Awar Staff Writer . . . 1963 Publications Code, and to the 1994 Audiovisual Code. How can you apply on the internet laws that were enacted before the very invention of the internet?”

Another criticism pertaining to the general nature of the proposed law is the fact that it was presented at a surprising time, given that parliamentary committees are already studying another law of a similar nature. What was even more surprising was the fact that the minister did not show the law to the parliament and immediately presented it to the government instead. Also, online figures affected by this law expressed their disapproval of not being consulted by the Minister before drafting LIRA, claiming that they are the primary stakeholders in this issue.

In addition, this legislative rush by Minister Daouq has caused furious disagreement from bloggers. “[…] there is a fine line between ignorance and malice,” voices Khodor Salameh in his article in Al-Akhbar. Several bloggers, such as Mustapha Hamoui from BeirutSpring, see this move as a “frontal assault” on online freedom rather than an ignorant move.

Mustapha, along with a set of other Lebanese bloggers, agree that free and open internet in Lebanon faces many enemies including the old media (TV, Newspapers, etc…) that are losing revenue due to online marketing and political forces whose financial and political messages have little influence on the online free space.

On the technical level, critiques of the articles included in LIRA accuse the law of being very

vague in terms of pinpointing what kind of activity is considered safe for publishing. It also fails to specify on what basis a blog or website can be considered to be Lebanese and under Lebanese law. In addition, LIRA refers the cases of its infringement to the media court, whose integrity and knowledge are continuously criticized by the online community. And, last but not least, LIRA establishes mandatory qualifications that grant an individual clearance to blog, a process that is fiercely resisted by the online community. #StopLIRA has been launched by the online community, yet its effectiveness depends on the extent to which the Lebanese community as a whole is aware of the consequences of LIRA, and whether it agrees to its passing.

Campus News

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Page 5

Overview of Mexican music in the 20th century from Javier Alvarez Rana Al-Jarrah Staff Writer The Al Bustan Festival presents music from Latin America with several composers, musicians, and dancers invited to participate yearly. In addition to the musical performances, this year the festival organizers provided the AUB community with the chance to attend a lecture about the overview of Mexican music in the 20th century presented

by Mexican composer and musician Javier Alvarez.

The lecture was divided into six sections: Composers of turn of the century, Nationalism, Postwar years, My generation, Diaspora, and Postmodern time.

Alvarez began with saying that Mexico achieved independence from Spain in 1810, yet it was 70 years later that Mexican music began to flourish.

There was no classical music phase in Mexican music history. By the end of the 19th century composers went directly into modern music.

For example, Mexican composers heard about Chopin 80 years after he was known in Europe.

Two important composers at the end of the 19th century that Alvarez mentioned are Manuel Ponce and Julian Carrillo.

In 1910 there was a revolution (the first in the century) that changed Mexico and its music.

Composers were now supported by the state and tried to portray everyday life. Important composers from that time include Carios Chaves and Silvestre Revueltas. Carios Chaves in particular was the first conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra while Silvestre Revueltas reinvented popular music with a style dubbed as “angular.”

In less than 30 years Mexican music moved into modernism, with the 1940s bringing with it postwar modernity. The composers then had to break away from the traditional nationalism and embrace modernism. An important composer of that time, Mario Lavista composed a significant piece for the Mexican repertoire, titled “Reflections of the Night.” Twenty years later Alvarez said that his generation went back to the traditions and classical styles. By then many composers were able to compose pieces of different styles, making it very difficult to classify composers by their music style.

Alvarez continued with an explanation of

the Diaspora section, talking about the young composers known for their different approaches that move between different styles. Two wellknown young composers among them are Gabriel Ortiz who has written remarkable symphonic pieces, and Ariel Guzik who creates instruments that resonate with sound and light.

Finally the postmodern years contains composers that are knowledgeable of the advancements in computer music. One of the youngest composers is Felipe Perez Santiago.

He has a famous piece Plegaria; it is played with eight chellos and a choir.

Alvarez concluded his lecture by saying that modern composers are following the experimental path. They are combining modern music with conventional music. As a result composers cannot be labeled by their styles; a good thing because it allows for diversity. Much can be done now that music is supported. Young composers are at the pinnacle of their creativity and they will move the art forward; indeed, that is what music is all about.

The valley’s comeback Tony Ayoub Staff Writer Formerly known as the Bekaa Cultural Club and, decades before that, the Heliopolis Club, the AUB Bekaai Club had its opening ceremony in West Hall last Wednesday. The club was formed

by Ghassan Nassar, a Graphic Design student at AUB, who has lived in the Bekaa valley for most of his life.

The AUB Bekaai Club, or ABC as it is going to eventually be known, was formed based on the need for a club at AUB to allow the retention of Bekaai culture, among other goals. First, though, one must remember the mistakes of the past clubs. The Heliopolis Club was established over fifty years ago, and was exclusive to the Baalbeck perspective and culture, even to the city Baalback’s natives. The club closed after a few years and was replaced by the Bekaa Cultural Club. This too closed down due to the tension between the natives of different regions in the Bekaa, and more importantly, their respective religions and political allegiances. The latter

occurred during the era of Lebanon’s Civil War. The cabinet of ABC has committed is efforts to resolve such issues, if they surface this time around. Although, one has to admit that this generation of students at AUB has shown major improvements in terms of such tensions and sensitivities when compared to our elders.

Furthermore, ABC constitutes the spirit of change that students embody, and therefore intends on expanding its inherited goals to include all of the AUB community and even Lebanon at large. In the first meeting, many ideas of future projects were suggested and agreed upon by the attending members of the club, including a breakfast stand at West Hall, possibly a stand in AUB Outdoors, and a touristic trip to the Bekaa.

Bekaa native and activist Mada Dibs and ABC President Ghassan Nassar, both students at AUB, debated about the nature and future of the club.

In summary, both agreed that the club has much potential to expand in terms of goals, influence,

and members. Goals such as preventing the Arabic language from being overthrown by the now prevailing English and correcting the redneck, vulgar sounding stereotype about Bekaais that many people believe to be true can be pursued.

Each of the infant clubs at AUB has to prove itself to become a permanent element of the university. The Bekaai club’s future, in particular, remains unpredictable. On one side, the ideology of the club is achievable in its primitive forms, meaning the role of protecting the Bekaai individuality and culture and spreading it into the community. But to reach a societywide consensus on the more frequent use of the Arabic language in our daily conversation and interaction with others seems somewhat impossible challenge. Finally, the sprouting of new clubs always constitutes a breeze of change, but whether the community is about to witness gales anytime soon, only time will tell.

Campus News

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Page 6

Carlos Latuff: Supporting the weaker side with political art Camelia Harb Member at Large Art is an abstract concept. Whether from medium, content, or purpose, it is the combination of effort of the artist and reception of the viewer that determines the effect a piece can have. The realm of art has long expanded to include a wide variety of domains, among them that of the political sphere. The use of simple caricatures to carry words of significance has become something common in the present day with even child targeted comic strips holding secondary meanings for the adult audience that happens across them. Of these political cartoons, names famous for their cause creep into the social sphere, amongst them Brazilian cartoonist Carlos Latuff. Known for his avid support for human rights causes, Latuff presented at AUB on Tuesday, March 13, in honor of Israeli Apartheid Week.

Creating cartoons since 1990, Latuff has gathered a significant group of followers and critics for both his work and his ideologies.

Stating that he had always had a passion for making cartoons geared at specific political and social situations, Latuff admitted that his interest in the Israel-Palestine conflict was fully awakened when he traveled to the West Bank in 1999. Of that experience, Latuff called out to those both aware and ignorant of the situation: “If you have

a heart and are a human being, there is no way you can’t support the Palestinians. Whether it’s for 15 days, 15 minutes, one minute, oppression of a people is clear.”

Latuff ’s work has drawn much controversy from various sources, much of which resulted from his heavy focus on the Palestinian cause and more recently, the events of the Arab Spring. Calling on his Arab ancestry, Latuff joked that he felt almost like a Palestinian as a result of his being denied entry to countries like Egypt, Bahrain, and obviously Israel and Palestine for the cartoons he created for their causes. He recalled that while he had been called a “Jew-Hater, antiSemite, and Holocaust denier” by Israel, he had also dealt with the labels of “Islamophobe and a Zionist” by Islamists.

Regardless of this fact, Latuff relies on the power of the people and the Internet: “I realized at one point that the cartoons I made in my room could be shared in other countries…Cartoons are reaching the audience contrary to attempts made against that.” Creating cartoons free of charge and often catering to the requests of his followers is a principle Latuff lives by. For compensation, he only asks that his creations be spread and used to help change the world: “I don’t profit financially and my conscience is clear for that

reason. You carry my message and deliver it; that’s what I want.”

Much to the surprise of the audience, Latuff drew multiple sketches throughout his discussion, one of which depicted an elderly Palestinian woman holding a gun shaped as a key. As a finishing touch, the words, “No return. No justice. No peace,” were emblazoned across the top of the page. Though working in his field for more than 20 years, Latuff believes that the function of a politically motivated caricature is not for wit and humor, but rather for thought and feeling about a subject. When asked about his message for others aspiring to be like him, Latuff had one thing to say: “You can either lie to yourself and ignore the suffering around you or you can put art at the service of people to relieve pain, support struggle, and reduce ignorance.”

Calm and composed, Latuff concluded the conference by admitting that he was fully prepared to be killed for his opinions. Living to 43 in his profession with his record was a feat and leaving behind all of his work was enough for him. All he would ask is that it be used for the right cause: the support for the weaker side of the rope.

AUB’s PCC spearheads Israeli Apartheid Week Robert Isaf Staff Writer

This past week marked Beirut’s third year participating in the international ‘Israeli Apartheid Week’, with lectures and events taking place across the city aiming to raise awareness of and support resistance to apartheid practices in historic Palestine.

Begun in 2005 by students at the University of Toronto, Israeli Apartheid Week has grown into a world-wide movement with a central coordinating organization, committed, in its own words, to “educate people about the nature of Israel as an apartheid system and to build Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) campaigns as part of a growing global BDS movement”. According the official website, 111 cities are taking part this year, recognizing ‘Weeks’ at various times between February 20 and March 29, depending on the region.

Beirut’s first ‘Week’, in 2010, was organized by the AUB Palestinian Cultural Club and took place largely on campus, but this year events were coordinated by PCCs from around the city, and largely engaged an off-campus audience.

Organizers secured two exciting and high-profile guest speakers in the persons of Carlos Latuff and

Joseph Massad. Latuff, a Brazilian of Lebanese origin, has made a name for himself with cutting and unapologetic political cartoons attacking the world-wide status quo, engaging issues like American hegemony and the Arab Revolutions.

The Palestinian Massad is a distinguished and respected figure in the world of Middle Eastern studies. Graduate student Hazem Jamjoum, an officer at the PCC and one of the week’s organizers, was overall pleased. “I think it was very successful,” he said citing good turnout and involvement at most events. “People really engaged in the issues that were raised.”

In fact, many, if not most, students seem not to have noticed the week was even taking place.

Rayan Younes, a second year student in PSPA, said that he’d heard a Palestinian writer was coming to speak, but wasn’t sure if that had already happened or not. Moreover, when asked about the week, Younes said he’d not only never heard of it, but wasn’t certain what apartheid was, or how it applied. “I’ve heard about the South African issue,” he explained, “that it was abandoned in 1991. But I had no idea that this still existed in Israel.” He was enthusiastic about

the prospect of expanding the week’s on-campus character. “A lot of people don’t know, like myself,” he said. “We have to raise awareness” “There’s always more that can be done to get the word out and to do outreach,” Jamjoum admitted. “We need to come up with more creative ways of engaging the student body.” That prescription might not be exclusive to the PCC. Younes, surprised at not having seen any trace of the event on campus, lamented the overall state of AUB activism. ”I know that our campus was highly politically active once,” he said. “Nowadays there’s far less of that – there’s still some but it’s very minor, not like before. It’s a big shame.”

photo by Carlos Latuff

Alumni News

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Page 7

Alumni in the News: What some recent AUB grads are up to Sarah N. Aboulhosn

(BBA ’07) is a program coordinator in the Office of Student and Community Relations at Texas A & M University, Qatar. Her job entails a great deal of logistical coordination and communication with the community, job and internship placement for current and former students, and organization of recruitment and outreach events for prospective students. Aboulhosn and her spouse, Mohamad Noueihed, live in Doha, Qatar. [sarah.aboulhosn(at)qatar.tamu.edu]

Mershed Al Samara

(MPH ’05) earned his medical degree from Aleppo University, Syria. He is doing his internal medicine residency in Detroit, Michigan. From 2007 to 2009, he worked as a research associate at Oregon Health and Science University. In summer 2010, Al Samara married Dima Khoury.

Mona Shaban

(BBA ’06) was selected as one of the top finalists in the Miss Arab USA 2011 pageant, which took place on September 10, 2011 at the Talking Stick Resort in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Shaban writes that she is very proud to be an AUB alumna and to celebrate Arab-American culture by participating in this event. [http:// www.facebook.com/pages/Mona-Shaban-forMiss-Arab-USA-2011]

Abdullah Al Mikati

(BBA ’01) is managing partner at M-Squared Research Company, a competitive intelligence firm, and senior engagement manager at the Hardwick Partnership, an executive search firm.

He resides in Dubai, UAE. [abdullah.almikati(at) msquaredresearch.com]

Jad Kawtharani

(BS ’02, MS ’07) is the director of admissions and registration at the Arab Open University in Lebanon. He is also a project manager at the Lebanese National Contact Point for the European Commission’s Funding Program for Research and Technological Development.

Currently, Kawtharani is pursuing his doctorate in business administration at Grenoble Ecole de Management. [Kawtharani(at)gmail.com]

Ali Abdul Sater

(MS ‘05) is a postdoctoral research scientist in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at Columbia University. He earned his PhD from the University of California in 2010. His wife, Samar Moussa (MS ’04), is a postdoctoral research scientist in the Chemical Engineering Department of Columbia University. They live in New York City. [aa3068(at)columbia.edu]

Happy Nowruz Mohammad Yaser Emamizadeh Special-to-Outlook Nowruz is right around the corner and for some of us that means the special time of year, the new year! How can it not be? Spring has arrived and the clouds of winter have gone away and opened the way for sunshine. The birds are chirping and nature looks greener than ever. While the earth is celebrating its rebirth, many of us also celebrate along. Nowruz is a tradition celebrated in Iran and many regions that share common cultural values such as Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Kurds in Iraq, Syria and Turkey.

It is the first day of the year according to the Iranian calendar. In this day families visit one another while wearing their new clothes, children receive gifts from their elders, and friends wish one another a happy and fruitful year. One of the famous traditions of Nowruz is setting the “Haft seen” (sevens “S”s) table. The table consists of seven items that start with the letter “Seen” (the letter S). Each item symbolizes a certain meaning. Sabzeh (sprouts) resembles rebirth,

Samanu (sweet pudding) resembles wealth, Senjed (the dried fruit of oleaster tree) resembles love, Sir (garlic) resembles medicine, Sib (apple) resembles health, Somaq (sumac berries) resembles sunrise and Serkeh (vinegar) resembles patience. Other than the seven “S”s the table also includes a holy book, a book of poems, a bowl of water with a goldfish resembling life within life, a mirror which resembles cleanness and honesty, decorated eggs symbolizing fertility, candles resembling enlightenment and happiness, and my personal favorite: traditional Iranian nuts that just taste great! Nowruz is a beautiful, meaningful and happy day, it is the time of year families and friends have the opportunity to get closer, so Happy Nowruz to all, especially the AUB society!

photos from WAAAUB

Viewpoint

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Page 8

For my mother

The story of the church of Aya Sofia in Constantinople

Lojine Kamel Editor-in-chief

Emile Wehbe Former Chief Chemist at the Chemistry Department Laboratories

A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie. ~Tenneva Jordan Everyday of the year would not be enough to celebrate mothers. Every card, gift, flower bouquet and perfume bottle in the world is never enough to return the unconditional love and support of a mother.

I am so grateful to have been blessed with the most wonderful mother in the world, and I only hope that I can spend the rest of my life trying to give her a similar blessing. My mother, who crazy dances with me in the kitchen on every and any occasion, is one of my truest friends.

I respect her like no other, and admire her strength and sacrifice in every aspect. For it is a mother that sacrifices the most for her children, bearing their fears and tears for eternity.

I hope you, reader, make this mother day special for your own mother. I hope you realize the importance of never going a day without saying you love her, and that you are grateful for every moment you have together. Time flies and people grow, and one day we all wish we had just one more minute with our parents. Reader, I hope you go tell your parents and siblings you love them.

To my own mother dearest, my silly madre, my beautiful, wonderful mama, I wish you the most wonderful life a human being could possibly ever have. Thank you a million times over for everything. I love you!

Few people know the origin of this monumental structure and the reason given for its name, Aya Sofia. This name in Greek means “The Sacred Wisdom.” The story of this calling is very agreeable and carries a human implication so I like to share it with my dear readers to gain the benefit of being acquainted with it.

The Byzantine emperor, Constantine (280-337 Year of Our Lord), the son of Queen Helena who lived to the beginning of the fourth Christian era, wanted to pay tribute to his famous mother Helena and perpetuate her name through the ages. Queen Helena had embraced the Christian religion and built many beautiful churches.

Some of these churches are still standing, the most famous of these, the Church of Nativity in Palestine.

For this reason, Constantine thought of building a cathedral carrying her name. This cathedral was to be the most glorious and most beautiful church in the city of Constantinople; a city which carries his name and is present day Istanbul.

The resources of the state of that time were very limited because of the consecutive wars which depleted them. The project of building this majestic church needed plenty of money, effort, and time to achieve.

Emperor Constantine asked the people to share what they could according to their ability to give money or according to their profession; if he was a mason or carpenter, he could give his time in the process of the construction of this church. The work of construction started and a big notice board was raised, on its face was written: “Here the church of Saint Helena is in the process of being constructed.”

While the Emperor Constantine was sitting on his chair supervising construction and encouraging the workers and engineers an old woman drew his attention. She was carrying a bag full of drinking water and her right hand, a cup full of water. This old woman was going to and fro among the workers and engineers,

giving them water.

Something drew the attention of the Emperor Constantine when he watched the old woman with her back curved down under the effect of old age and the heavy load of drinking water.

He called her and asked her who had charged her do this work and what her name was. She answered him with a trembling voice, “Sir didn’t you hear the calling of the Emperor Constantine to his people to give money or participate in the construction of the church which carries the name of our Queen Helena?

“I my dear sir have nothing of the riches of this world except some little energy in my body and I like to give it in the service of the Emperor Constantine in participating in the work of doing service to others so that the lord will compensate me when I leave this world.”

Constantine was impressed by the answer of this old lady. The Emperor Constantine questioned her another time about her name and she answered him, “My name is Aya Sofia.”

So immediately Constantine called the man in charge of construction and told him now take down the notice board and instead of “Here is the construction of St. Helena” put “here is the site of construction of the church of Aya Sofia.”

What impressed me in this historical document is that Aya Sofia didn’t say, “I’m a poor woman and I have no money to give to construction of the church.” She gave the best she had.

Dear reader, never say to people who conduct welfare projects, “I have no money; I am a poor person.” You are very rich. God gave you a mind that can create constructive ideas and solve difficult problems. God also gave you hands and fingers that can produce masterpieces of art, painting, and sculptures. God gave you legs that can cross deserts and save lost people.

More blessed are those who give than those who receive.

Dear reader, be a giver like Aya Sofia and may the Lord bless you.

photo from unforgettablenebraskastore.com

Spotlight

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Page 9

A panorama of Mexican music Karen Sertin Photographer

Campus events SME proudly presents

ANNUAL RC BOAT COMPETITION

IMPORANT NOTICE to all OSB Students:

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Outloud

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Page 10

As it is Israeli Apartheid Week, do you think that the situation in Israel is at all similar to the apartheid that occurred in South Africa in the ‘90s? What is your opinion on the issue overall?

Camelia Harb Member at Large , Nady Nassar Photographer 1. Rami Al Outa, Landscape Design: “A Lebanese writer named Mehdi Amal once said, ‘You’re not defeated as long as you’re resisting.’ The only solution is resistance. The Palestinians are doing really well in setting a standard for the resistance needed. I don’t believe there is another solution with Israel; they have to be defeated.”

6. Sarah Meouche, Landscape Design: “Everyone wants peace but it’s not a typical matter of peace. For peace to be there, one side has to overthrown the other. Palestinians have to be the winners because peace is what they really want.”

2. Nader Al Ahmadieh, AUB Graduate: “What’s happening is totally different from the situation in South Africa. There are daily deaths.

The fighting is totally one sided as Israel has more than Palestine. We can’t sit around and wait for the day that Palestine is free; the solution needs to come soon.”

7. Lea Chader, CCE: “I can’t compare it to the South African apartheid because Palestinians were kicked out completely whereas in South Africa they lived together even though separated.”

3. Nadim Gebrael, Freshman: “Israel needs to get out.”

8. Nour Arkadan, Psychology: “I think local politics lacks coverage about Palestine. The media has control over the concern of individuals so I think that there should be more coverage as it’s such a huge issue.”

4. Mohammad Saleh, Psychology: “The thing about the situation is that it’s more religious than political.

Lebanon and Syria are keeping Israel from the land, Palestine, that they believe is promised to them. They really just want to own it all.”

9. Michel Nayfeh, Mechanical Engineering: “I’m not very informed about the situation and I don’t stay up to date with the news.”

5. Francis Abou Elias, Biology: “I think what’s happening is really unjust, but then again, if Palestinians get their country back, where do the Israeli’s go?”

10. Alex Ghali, Psychology: “There are a lot of parallels between South Africa and Israel except that in Israel, the Palestinians are being pinched off into a smaller and smaller space. It’s worse than in South Africa because they are systematically trying to wipe out Palestinians whereas in South Africa it was controlled.”

Outloud

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Page 11

11. Alena Widder, Political Science: “It’s so complicated and hard to give just one comment about the situation.”

16. Julia Newhide & Tamara Fakhoury, Philosophy: “It takes more than watching news to know what’s really going on. We haven’t looked in depth enough to give an opinion on the matter but of course the situation is unjust and unfair and there is symmetry between Israel and South Africa.”

12. Theresa Fiani, Psychology: “I don’t know enough about the situation to say anything.”

17. Malak El Smaili, Agriculture: “To treat the original population of a land as subhumans and deprive them of their basic human rights is plain evil. I wouldn’t even call it Israel because I don’t want to acknowledge it as a country. It is best described as ‘occupied Palestine’ and it is for the Palestinians.”

13. Jana Helou, Nursing: “Anything that deals with killing people is bad thing, regardless of religion or race.”

18. Lamia Estatie, Political Studies: “Of course it’s apartheid. It’s a Jewish state so it’s obviously going to discriminate.”

14. Rayan Sibai, Biology: “I don’t know very much but I think that it isn’t very similar to apartheid.

Zionism isn’t being used as a segregation technique but instead as a method of annihilation. Segregation just makes it sound better than it actually is.”

19. Abdo Daoud, Computer Science: “They’ve been fighting since 1948 for a piece of land. You’re not going to get anywhere with fighting so just share it.”

15. Omar Mikati, Business: “There’s nothing I can say that hasn’t already been said.”

20. Ali Al Lakkis, Biology: “I think that it’s worse than apartheid. Israel is committing its own Holocaust against the Palestinians.”

Random Facts A little from everywhere

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Page 12

Zeina Mhaidly Staff Writer

McNugget resembles George Washington

£8000 plastic surgery voucher A French man sues Google from mother to daughter for capturing him urinating

A three year old chicken nugget from McDonalds was sold on eBay for $8,100 simply because it bared a resemblance to US president George Washington. Rebekah Speight, the US seller, stated that she found the nugget when she took her children out to McDonalds three years ago. The woman took the nugget home and kept it in the freezer.

She auctioned the item on eBay which drove the site to remove it at first for the reason that it violated the site’s expired food rule. But later on, an exception was made for the item. The McNugget was seen 44,795 times and 1610 people actually watched the auction.

A French middle aged man sued Google for publishing a “Street View” picture for him while peeing in his yard. The man, who thought to be safe from Google’s cameras for the reason that he had his gate closed, was ridiculed by his neighbors in his village in France despite the fact that his face was blurred. Google’s lawyer stated that the company is hoping the case would be considered null.

Sarah Burge, a 51 year old mother, plans on handing her eight year old daughter, Poppy, an £8,000 voucher to spend on plastic surgery. The mother who herself spent £250,000 on plastic surgeries over the last 20 years states that it’s absolutely reasonable to introduce her daughter to the world of “Botox, face-lifts, nose jobs and boob jobs.”

“I’m giving Poppy the freedom to choose what she wants” she says, adding “I think she is beautiful and I don’t think anything needs to change. But the reality of life is people don’t think they look fine as they are”.

Ref: http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/weird/GeorgeWashington-McNugget-Sells-for-8100-on-EBay-141576893. html

Ref: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/mum-sarahburge-is-buying-daughter-743670

A 2-year old heavy smoker

Smallest man on earth

Ref: http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/weird/ManSues-After-Google-Street-View-Captures-Him-Peeing-inFront-Yard-141165453.html

Can Twitter save a wedding?

Chandra Bahadur Dangi has been recently confirmed to be the shortest man on earth. Living in a valley in southwestern Nepal, the 72 year old man stands “21.5 inches tall” and weighs 26.5 lbs only. Mr. Dangi considers his height to be a curse and states that his relatives used to put him on freak shows in order to get money.

In the UK, a woman and her fiancé found themselves facing a disaster. Six weeks before their marriage, the events company organizing their wedding closed down and their deposit of over $7000 was gone. Frustrated, the couple turned to twitter asking for help. Their tweet, which was retweeted by many of their friends and by strangers including celebrities, found a great response among users. In fact, the users were able to contribute with jewelry, clothes and a three –level chocolate cake. In addition, “a magician, make-up artist, wedding planner and photographer all offered free or cut priced services”.

The couple received $16,000 in total split between gifts and services and had to contribute only $8,000 to fully fund the wedding.

Ardi Rizal, a two-year old Indonesian boy is one kid who loves to smoke. Sitting on his truck all day long, the 56 pound child smokes 2 packs of cigarettes a day. In fact, there’s no time in the day where you might not see him smoking and this is the main reason why he can barely move or play with other children. His mother tried desperately to make him quit but failed saying that every time she does it Ardi gets angry and starts bumping his head against the wall claiming that quitting makes him dizzy and sick. His father, however, doesn’t consider his son smoking to be a problem stating that Ardi looks pretty healthy to him. Although parents were offered a brand new car by authorities if they succeeded in driving their child to quit, they don’t even dare to ask anymore.

Ref: http://interesting-amazing-facts.blogspot.com/2010/10/ strange-happenings-child-smoker.html

Ref: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-news/hes-alittle-wonder-21-inch-man-744185

R e f : h t t p : / / d i g i t a l l i f e . t o d a y. m s n b c . m s n . c o m / _ news/2012/03/01/10549259-how-twitter-users-saved-awedding

Arts & Culture

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Page 13

Nutrition myths and facts Baraa El Sabbagh Vice President of the Nutrition Society Don’t eat chocolate. Take supplements for better health. Eat less carbs. We hear lots of tips about what we should and should not do, but what’s right and what’s not? It can get frustrating with all the different sources out there, so here are some myths and facts to help guide you through your dieting.

1. Potatoes and bread are fattening.

Now that’s a myth. In fact, a medium-sized potato is 88 calories while an average-sized slice of bread is 70 calories. What matters is what you place as the toppings. However, this does not mean we should overdo the bread and potatoes.

Too many calories from any nutrient are stored as body fat. Keep in mind your carbohydrate intake should constitute about 45-60% of your diet.

2. We should never eat at night.

Does it matter what time we eat that chocolate sundae or plate of pasta? Nope. Timing has no direct effect; it is whether you have had your share of calories for the day yet or not. As I have said, excess calories will always add up to extra body fat.

3. Eating small, frequent meals throughout the day will gear up your metabolism and help you maintain your weight.

Now that’s a fact. Our metabolism slightly

increases every time we consume a meal. The concept behind eating frequently is to stop ourselves from getting really hungry throughout the day, because getting hungry would probably result in eating a huge meal that will contain excess calories. Having small snacks, such as fruits, between meals will give signals to your brain that you have food in your stomach which will delay your hunger.

4. If I take more protein shakes or pill supplements it will make me more muscular and replenish my nutrients.

Athletes believe that in order to build muscle they need to take these extra supplements to repair for what they have lost in the gym, which is not true. It is very rare to meet an athlete who does not meet his/her adequate protein intake from standard food in their regular diet since they already have a greater appetite. However, since athletes feel the need for more protein than sedentary people, an extra piece of chicken, a peanut butter sandwich, or a glass of milk in addition to a meal will do. People who need protein supplements are usually people who are unable to eat well or have diseases in which they need to replenish themselves with these supplements. Others who do consume the extra

protein will force the body to work overtime to get rid of the excess protein as well as deny the body of other nutrients that are now being replaced with excess protein.

5. Eating eggs will raise your cholesterol.

Not true. Eating eggs in moderation will not raise your cholesterol since eggs do not contain the concentration to pose such a change. Research suggests that one egg a day will cause no harm, and in fact eggs are a good source of many other nutrients.

6. Brown grain products are whole grain products.

Brown dye on food can mislead you into thinking it’s whole grain when it’s not. Watch out for the ingredients in the product to make sure you are consuming whole grain rather than regular wheat in order to get your adequate whole grain requirements. Whole grain will supply you with the right volumes of fiber and help reduce the risk of diabetes, stroke, or heart diseases.

7. “Cholesterol free” means its heart healthy Even though cholesterol is a contributor to heart disease, our concern should be on the amount of saturated and trans fat found in the product which have a greater influence on our blood cholesterol levels.

The eating disorder Anorexia Nervosa Loulwa Kalache Staff Writer Realistically, women should care about their bodies in terms of keeping themselves healthy not starving themselves to fit the “perfect” skinny image created by media which defines this look as beautiful.

Dr. Lama Mattar, PhD in Human Nutrition at University Pierre Marie Curie, was interviewed to clarify the subject from a more scientific point of view. Mattar, who specializes in the studies of eating disorders, listed the main types of eating disorders as anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa, and eating disorders not otherwise specified (EDNOS).

AN has a typical onset at adolescence, but can be diagnosed in adulthood. The prevalence of AN in women aged between 11 and 65 is 0.5 percent to 2.2 percent, and varies according to age, tools used, and the diagnosis criteria. On the other hand, for every ten cases of AN, we observe one case among men.

Mattar simplifies AN diagnosis under five major characteristics: body weight less than 85 percent of ideal weight or a BMI of less than 17.5 in adults, amenorrhea for more than three consecutive months (the absence of menstrual period), the continuous fear of gaining weight,

and a disturbed body image.

Mattar also states that there are two types of AN: the binging/purging type (twice-a-week crises of binge and purge) and the restrictive type (not eating at all).

The reasons behind developing AN are still unclear, claims Mattar. The factors are plenty, including genetics (such as family history of depression), eating disorders, and schizophrenia.

Sexual abuse, parents’ divorce, and other family issues play a great role in causing AN. Mattar says that personality characteristics such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), perfectionism, and anxiety also predispose for AN. Mattar stresses the fact that AN is not the result of society’s images of skinny women; it mainly arises due to several environmental and psychological factors. Social pressure is a valid reason but not the main one. Other reasons can be endocrinological, biological, and hereditary.

“Scientists really don’t know whether AN is a manifestation of depression/anxiety or whether the anorexia nervosa causes depression and anxiety,” said Mattar, adding that people with AN pass through two phases: social pressure and the deeper, more critical phase of psychiatric

disorder. The latter is a manifestation of fear of gaining weight, which leads to this severely restrictive diet.

AN might cause a feeling of self-control and relief upon losing weight, however, the body will be affected adversely. AN affects the brain and nerves due to an absence of energy intake. The hair and nails become thin and brittle and the skin bruises easily and becomes yellowish. Heart palpitations, slow heart rate, and low blood pressure are felt.

Muscles weaken and joints swallow. Constipation and bloating occur constantly, accompanied by hormonal disruptions and severe loss of bone mass.

The therapy for anorexia is multidisciplinary, necessitating first the presence of a psychiatrist and psychologist, followed by medical help from a general practitioner, gynecologist, pediatrician, and a nutritionist.

In the end, however, one’s well being is determined by their ability to live a healthy lifestyle and follow a balanced diet, preventing him or her from developing an eating disorder.

Review & Viewpoint

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Page 14

Movie Review: Young Adult Ian M. Gibson Copy Editor Mortality is a hard pill to swallow because amidst the growing wrinkles and slowly waning virility will be the memories of the past. Of youthful shenanigans. Of first love. Of bad choices. It’s a pain that humanity has come to grovel in, and the art of our species reflects that.

Young Adult is a movie about regret. When a middle-age pulp literature writer (Charlize Theron) finds herself swaddled by depression, she hatches a plan to win back her high school soulmate (Patrick Wilson). But when she returns to her rural hometown and all her old hang-outs, two problems become apparent: one, her former beau is married and has a newborn child; and two, she’s a terrible person. So she flits about town, drinking and flirting and sassing her way through all the memory-addled wishes and wants of the past.

As a film directed by Jason Reitman and written

by Diablo Cody, the same duo behind the uniquely bad Juno, there is an unavoidable comparison between the two. Whereas the former was stuffed to the credits with flamboyant dialogue and visual gaffs, the latter is more subdued and effective. Reitman lends his usual style of quirky realism to the cinematography while Cody provides characters that are fascinating, three-dimensional, and engaging. What the sum provides is a movie that is comedic and dark, but not in a typical dark comedy manner.

Yes, the plot is far from original. Yes, there are

some aspects of the film that are givens in terms of narrative expectation. But amidst this recipe for blandness, for anything but originality, arises a film that is an absolute joy to watch. The actors command the screen both with the depth of their characters and perfect delivery of witty, multilayered dialogue. Watching their interactions, the mannerisms they employ (and hide), and how they change their behavior based on who they are with makes for an intensely rewarding experience.

The immensely hilarious and genuinely talented Patton Oswalt plays a stunning role in the film as a high school dweeb grown older. It is his performance in particular, especially in tandem with the always enjoyable Charlize Theron, that highlights Young Adult as a distinctive movie.

Combining wisps of wit, geekdom, and wellbeaten vulnerability, Oswalt’s character brings an emotional depth to the film that is rarely seen (or at least not effective employed) within the comedic genre.

All praise aside, the film does have its flaws.

The editing between scenes is too quick; instead of letting the viewer stew within a particularly effective moment, a smash cut jumps the film into the next locale. It’s a technique that is annoying especially because of the emotional weight of the film and the oddly interesting shot composition of Reitman’s films. There are also some moments that are simply too expectant in which the action

is obvious, stale, and therefore dull.

But when measured in laughs, in quotable lines, and in unforgettable characters, and then multiplied by the innate skill of the director and cast, Young Adult stands well above the trash heap of usual cinema.

photo from thedropp.com

Viewpoint

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Page 15

Bridge for sale, gently used Heather Jaber News Executive Just the other day, I was driving home with a friend when, seemingly out of nowhere, she started yelling. “Did you see that? What is wrong with the world?!” I looked around, trying to figure out what the issue was, but all I could see were people driving way too fast (the usual) and a guy running across the street (also nothing out of the ordinary). “There’s a bridge right there.

He’s running for his life, probably about to get hit or kill someone else, all because he’s too lazy to climb the stairs and cross the bridge!”

It is kind of sad, if you think about it. Right in front of my house is a newly constructed pedestrian bridge above the highway that our community petitioned to have erected due to safety concerns. The highway was notorious for the amount of pedestrian-involved accidents that occurred when people failed to dodge speeding

traffic. Speed bumps proved to be ineffective, as cars ended up overturning when they hit the bumps without slowing down.

The bridge was constructed recently, a new addition to the various attempts to implement road safety. Still, people insist on sticking with the old; from my porch, at any time of the day, I can enjoy the sight of a real-life “Frogger” game as people do their crazy little dance with death across the street.

Sadly, I will admit that I’ve done the same frog hop.

One step forward, two steps back, an awkward hovering in the middle of two lanes, trying to make eye-contact with drivers and telepathically them to slow down – why do we do it?

Maybe it’s a post-war reaction of Lebanese society laughing in the face of danger – we’ve

survived worse, right? Or maybe it’s to save the two minutes it takes to climb up and down the bridge stairs. Is it our own little rebellion? Or are we just super lazy? I think it’s the last one.

You may have also noticed that AUB’s Green Field has fences closing it off to people who try to walk across the grass to get to the OSB gate. The sign on the fence says it’s to protect the field from heels damaging the grass. After hopping the fence with the same friend that was so appalled at the bridge incident, I realized that we have to re-train ourselves and change our habits.

All hope for the bridge is not lost, though.

Walking across it one day, I couldn’t help but notice that it smelled of urine. As disappointing as it may be, at least we know it’s being used for something.

must not be in the material, although it may be expressed through the material.

Nevertheless, matter fades. What matters is the emotional, the spiritual. Hence, Mother’s Day is not the gift wrapped box that we offer our mother but the load of love, gratitude and appreciation that must be behind it.

Mother’s Day is the day we remember that our mothers have given their lives for ours. Mothers carry us where other would have left us; they help us where others would have abandoned us. Our mothers enjoyed hunger if it meant our satiety; they enjoyed thirst if it meant our fulfillment.

Mothers gave up sleep so that we could sleep and gave up shelter for our protection.

Mothers are not those who have raised us, they are those that are raising us. No matter how old we may consider ourselves and no matter how mature we may be, we are nothing had our

mothers not helped us reach it.

Love follows, gratitude follows. But it must not stop there. From love must stem obedience, from obedience must stem the attempt to satisfy.

Unless our mothers ask that which our creator objects to, we must obey. I do not speak of blind obedience but I do speak of respect, of appreciation and of reverence. A parent’s tear should not be taken lightly; their disapproval should never be ignored.

A mother is one of the greatest graces of God; let’s make sure we do not squander it. For those of us whose mothers have moved on, gratitude can still be expressed. Prayer for their sake is a sublime form of gratitude.

Mothers are those that hold the future of our nation so if we aspire for a successful nation, it is with mothers that we must begin.

Gratitude Ali Kassem News Executive Mothers Day is once a year. Unfortunately, I am almost never prepared. Financial preparation is an issue, so is emotional one.

Mothers are peculiar, a wonder of nature. They say that the pain mothers go through giving birth is almost equal to the simultaneous breakage of 20 bones. We all know they care for us and we all know how much they sacrifice but none of us knows how to appreciate them. Around five or six years ago, I documented my mother’s life in a photo album. Doing so required plenty of work and a lot of time. The result was beautiful and my mother loved it.

Beside the fact that my motives mostly consisted of my inability to buy my mother anything, I am very grateful for that incident. The bottle of perfume and the dress we occasionally buy our parents are humiliating. I do not consider them as a proper expression of gratitude. Gratitude

Erratas: In Volume 44, Issue 12, (pg. 1) in the article entitled “Organ Donation Debate at AUBMC reveals viewpoints of major ideologies,” what Father Abu Kasm referred to was not the heart but the brain transplant. Sayyed Ali Fadallah did not comment on this point.

In Volume 44, Issue 15, (pg. 4) in the article entitled “A charity act: ESS donates $5010 to ACSAUVEL,” it is noted that both the FEA-SRC and ESS donated the lump sum to charity, and not ESS alone.

It has come to the attention of Outlook that significant elements of the articles “May you live in interesting times” (pg. 3) and “Album Review: WZRD” (pg. 10) were plagiarized from Wikipedia and Jonathan Zavaleta of University High School, Los Angeles respectively. The responsible writer has been removed from the newspaper, and the executive board sincerely appologizes for such an appaling breech of journalistic integrity.

Viewpoint

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Page 16

What’s in a letter Dania Machlab Staff Writer “To send a letter is a good way to go somewhere without moving anything but your heart” Phyllis Theroux. When was the last time you sent a handwritten letter? By “letter” I mean going through the trouble of carefully choosing what paper to write on and a meticulous selection of ink. What comes next is accurate thickness of the lines and making sure the letters of our scrupulously thought-out words bend and stretch at the right times. These make all the difference to a reader who could appreciate the art of writing.

Letters are of a simple purpose; a means of communicating with loved ones near and far.

They are even capable of reaching into the inner workings of curious minds and hearts that affectionately long to hear news. Using the internet for the purpose of communication has become much more popular, and obviously much faster. But have our words lost some of their power and purpose in life when they are typed up? Every request, every piece of information,

every inquiry seems to convey some kind of uniform status of authority once typed on a computer.

Some letters have shown their significance historically. Whether we speak of letters exchanged between politicians or talk of literary treasures left behind by remarkable minds, letters have proven priceless. A well written letter can be the portal into the inner self of very curious people we still speak of today. One example is Ludwig van Beethoven. After his death, a letter was found amongst his possessions. It was written to a nameless person he referred to as his immortal beloved. In one of his letters he writes: “While still in bed my thoughts turn towards you my Immortal Beloved, now and then happy, then sad again, waiting whether fate might answer us - I can only live either wholly with you or not at all… ” Never underestimate the power of a well written letter. It could make you home sick, remind you of places you hold dear at heart, or make you

110 Birdhouses Beirut Rayane Zahreddine Staff Writer As a resident of Hamra, I walk its streets on my daily paths to and from AUB. I have become used to its streets and its buildings, its asphalt and its concrete, this grey but still charming neighborhood.

One day, a few weeks ago, I saw some color.

I saw tiny wooden houses hung on trees and electricity poles decorating the area. There were pink ones, orange ones, yellow ones, blue ones, and green ones too. They each had a small roof and three little painted arches, just like the traditional houses around Lebanon. They also had bird silhouettes painted on, and a window.

I was curious to know who came up with the idea of putting up these birdhouses. Was it an NGO who wanted to make Hamra look nicer?

Was it a group of schoolchildren caring for the neighborhood birds? Every time I walked in the city, I saw even more of these beautiful birdhouses and wanted to know who was responsible even more. I googled “birdhouses Beirut” and finally

discovered who was behind them.

His name is Thomas Winther, also known as Dambo, and he is Danish. He visited Beirut last month for one week, after a successful street art project in 2008 in Denmark entitled, “250 Birdhouses Denmark.” While in Lebanon, he built 110 birdhouses, painted them in “happy colors”, and put them up around the city. He documented his journey with a YouTube video called “110 Birdhouses Beirut” and said in the description,“The project is supposed to make people smile, birds sing, and remind us that nature is present in the big cities, in a happy way.”

Truly, Dambo’s birdhouses put a smile on my face. They brought nature and added colors to the city, making it more charming and lovelier than it is. I hope the birds will move into their new homes soon. I also hope that his gesture will inspire us to put smiles on other people’s faces, and to get in touch with nature more often.

appreciate and silently long for the company of its sender. It’ll have your brain processing the past, present, and future. It might help you remember who you are or shed light on changes you’ve made for the best. While there’s no telling how private things will go with the modern version of letters, handwritten ones always encompass a glint of personal exchange, to say the least. The fact that someone spent a moment of their time and thought in presenting you with certain news reflects a closeness that cannot be attained in an email.

Do not misunderstand; I’m not asking you to drop every form of electronic mail and go back a few decades or centuries into relying solely on letters, but rather to give it an appreciation of its own. It wouldn’t hurt to write one every once in a few months or years to someone who you think will, undoubtedly, find much pleasure and gratitude in what you have done.

Outlook Team Chairperson Editor-in-Chief Associate Editor Arabic Editor Photography Editor Layout Editors Webmaster

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Talal Nizameddin Lojine Kamel Nour Jane Kachicho Nouhad Awwad Mohammad B. Azzam Nadine Razzouk Layla Smaili Jad Shammsseddine

Public Relations Manager

Emile Zankoul

Member at Large

Camelia Harb

Business Manager Business Executives Copy Editor

Timmy Malkoun Amer Farhat Marc Ziade Ian Gibson

News Executives

Dalia Hosn Ali Kassem Mona Ayoub Heather Jaber

Photographers

Tugce Coskun Nadi Nassar

Staff Writers

Cartoonists Deedee El Jilani Ghassan Nassar Jad Jari Assaad Khoury

Ragheed Naimi Mohamad Alameh Robert Isaf Dania Machlab Mada Dibs Weam Al-Awar Sarah Khalil Rayane Zahreddine Hadi Mehio Lama Zakharia Edward Abou Jaoude Zeina Mhaidly Sarah Al-Dirani Karim Zahed Rida Daher Loulwa Kalache Hrag Vosgerichian Gregoire Dugueyt Ghida Ismail Edward Abou Jaoude Jon Martin Cullell

Outlook is a weekly publication of the American University of Beirut (“aub�) and represents the voice of the student body. It is an independent, non-affiliated publication that favors no ethnic, religious, or political group. All columns, articles, and reports are the property of Outlook and do not necessarily represent the views of Outlook or the AUB community. Outlook welcomes all contributions. Authors are asked to please include their full name, major, ranking, and contact information for verification.

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Page 17

‫الثالثاء‪ 20 ,‬اذار ‪2012 ,‬‬

‫صفحة ‪18‬‬

‫هي ق�ضية �أ�شخا�ص‪ ،‬و لي�ست ق�ضية خمدرات‬ ‫�أحمد �صالح ‪ -‬ر�سالة اىل املحرر‬ ‫تعليق على مقال «ق ّوي إرادتك و عش حياتك»‬ ‫هذا هو الشعار الذي رفعته عدة جمعيات أهلية لدى تناول‬ ‫موضوع اخملدرات‪ .‬لقد ارتأيت أن استخدمه أيضا ً ألنه يوضح‬ ‫الفكرة التي أرجو ايصالها عبر هذا املقال‪.‬‬ ‫عندما نتناول موضوع اخملدرات‪ ،‬ال نتكلم عن اخملدرات و مشتقاتها‬ ‫فحسب‪ .‬بل نحن نتكلم عن أشخاص‪...‬نحن نتكلم عن‬ ‫حياتهم و طموحاتهم و أحالمهم و جتاربهم‪ .‬أشخاص مثلي‬ ‫و مثلكم ‪...‬مثل أصدقائكم و أهلكم و جميع معارفكم‪ .‬هذا‬ ‫مبدأ مهم جدا ً و علينا أن نتذكره دائماُ‪.‬‬ ‫مقال نشر في اجلزء ‪44‬‬ ‫لقد قررت كتابة هذا املقال ردا ً على‬ ‫ٍ‬ ‫(‪ )14‬بعنوان « ق ّوي إرادتك و عيش حياتك»‪ .‬و كانت الصورة‬ ‫التي أرفقت معه أول ما لفت انتباهي‪ .‬كانت صورة قامتة اللون‬ ‫(كالعادة)‪ ،‬ترافقها صورة جمجمة بشرية مع سيجارة (رمبا قصد‬ ‫بها سيجارة حشيشة) بني الفكني و أخرى لشخص يستنشق‬ ‫خطا من البودرة البيضاء (على األرجح قصد بها الكوكايني)‪.‬‬ ‫فكي جمجمة‬ ‫بغض النظر عن (ال)‪-‬عملية تثبيت سيجارة بني‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫بشرية‪ -‬سوف أحاول الرد على بعض املفاهيم الدرامية اخلاطئة‬ ‫التي حتوم حول موضوع اخملدرات‪.‬‬ ‫وجدت في ذلك املقال عدة نقاط أود طرحها للجدل‪ .‬أوالً‪ ،‬أرى أنه‬ ‫من الغير املنطقي القول أن استخدام اخملدرات و اخملاطرة باألذى‬ ‫املرتبط بها هو جراء سعي «وهمي» بحت وراء السعادة‪ .‬ثانياً‪،‬‬ ‫إن ربط «رفض اخملدرات» بإرادة شخصية فقط غير موجودة‬ ‫لدى األشخاص الذين يستخدمون اخملدرات‪ ،‬هي مبالغة ألسباب‬ ‫ستتوضح الحقا ً عبر هذا املقال‪ .‬ثالثاً‪ ،‬إن ترابط انتشار استخدام‬ ‫اخملدرات لدى الفئات الفقيرة أو ذات املستوى اإلجتماعي‪-‬‬ ‫اإلقتصادي املتدني هو دليل على أن إلستخدام اخملدرات أبعاد أكثر‬ ‫عمقا ً من الشخصية الفردية‪ .‬و آخيراً‪ ،‬أجد أن وصف األشخاص‬ ‫الذين يستخدمون اخملدرات كجبناء و ذوي شخصية ضعيفة‬ ‫مخجل و محزن جدا ً‪.‬‬ ‫في البداية‪ ،‬علينا أن نسأل‪ :‬ملاذا نستخدم اخملدرات؟ اجلواب‬ ‫األبسط و األكثر قربا ً إلى احلقيقة هو السعي وراء اللذة و‬ ‫سعي حقيقي‬ ‫السعادة (حتقيق الذات أو املغامرة إلخ‪ .)...‬و هذا‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫و غير وهمي‪ ،‬وراء السعادة املتمثلة باللذة املؤقتة‪ .‬و إن جتادلنا‬ ‫في معنى السعادة‪ ،‬ال ميكننا أن نتجاهل مبدأ اللذة عندما‬ ‫نتناول موضوع اخملدرات‪ .‬فيصبح السؤال احلقيقي؛ ملاذا نسعى‬ ‫وراء السعادة عبر اخملدرات؟! على األغلب ألن معظم أو حتى‬ ‫كل مصادر السعادة لدينا قد نفذت أو استهلكت‪ .‬فعندما‬ ‫نفقد مصدرا للسعادة‪ ،‬نقوم تلقائيا ً بالبحث عن غيره‪ .‬و لكن‬ ‫عندما تنفذ كل هذه املصادر‪ ،‬تصبح اخملدرات مصدر محتمل‬

‫للتعويض عن هذه السعادة املفقودة – شرط توفرها و القدرة‬ ‫على احلصول عليها‪ .‬و لكن مثل أي قضية اجتماعية‪ ،‬هناك‬ ‫ثالث متغيرات مبدئية لهذه املعادلة؛ البيئة املادية و احمليط‬ ‫اإلجتماعي و الشخصية املستعدة‪ .‬و بالتالي فإن قرار رفض أو‬ ‫جتربة أو استخدام اخملدرات هو نتيجة توازن بني األسباب الكامنة‬ ‫وراء اللجوء إلى اخملدرات كمصدر للسعادة و توازن هذه املتغيرات‬ ‫الثالث‪.‬‬ ‫لذلك فإن األسباب و العوامل التي تدفع الشخص إلى استخدام‬ ‫اخملدرات ليست بالوضوح أو البساطة املعترف بها في املعتقدات‬ ‫الشعبية السائدة‪ .‬نحن ال نلجأ إلى استخدام اخملدرات من جراء‬ ‫ضغط أقراننا أو مجموعاتنا فقط أو ألننا جبناء أو ضعفاء‪،.‬‬ ‫بل إلستخدام اخملدرات أبعاد اجتماعية و مادية و شخصية‪/‬‬ ‫نفسية‪ .‬انتشار استخدام اخملدرات و احتمال ادمانها هو دليل‬ ‫وجود خطب جسيم في مجتمعنا‪ .‬و لوم األشخاص الذين‬ ‫يستخدمون اخملدرات بسبب عوامل خارجة عن سيطرتهم‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫املطلقة هو غير منصف و غير محق‪ .‬أنا ال أقصد أن مستخدمي‬ ‫اخملدرات هم بحت ضحايا للمخدرات أو اجملتمع‪ .‬و لكني أؤكد أن‬ ‫قضية استخدام اخملدرات أعمق من مجرد خيار‪.‬‬ ‫قبل أن أختم‪ ،‬أود ذكر بعض التصحيحات‪:‬‬ ‫مجتمعنا يتقبل اخملدرات‪ ،‬حتى ميكن القول أن لديه قدرة تقبل‬ ‫مصدر رئيسي للقنب (احلشيشة)‬ ‫عالية للمخدرات‪ .‬لبنان هو‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫فى املنطقة من بعد املغرب و يساهم ب ‪ %4‬من إجمالي اإلنتاج‬ ‫العاملي بحسب احصائيات مكتب األمم املتحدة ملكافحة اجلرمية و‬ ‫اخملدرات في ‪ .2007‬كما أنه بإمكانك احلصول على وصفة طبية‬ ‫ألدوية مراقبة مببلغ يبدأ ب ‪ .20000‬قد نغض النظر عن هذه‬ ‫األمور و لكن هذا ال يعني أنها غير موجودة‪.‬‬ ‫بشكل إرادي مما يتطلب من الشخص‬ ‫قرار املعاجلة يجب أن يُأخذ‬ ‫ٍ‬ ‫الوقت االزم لإلستعداد ألخذه‪ .‬في هذا احلني‪ ،‬يجب أن تتوفر‬ ‫لهذا الشخص املساندة و الرعاية الصحية الالزمة لإلحالة دون‬ ‫اخملاطر و األذى احملتمل عبر الثقافة املستنيرة و التوعية السليمة‬ ‫و سياسات و برامج احلد من اخلطر‪ .‬لألسف‪ ،‬نحن نفتقد لهذه‬ ‫املكونات الثالثة في لبنان‪.‬‬ ‫خطط العالج في لبنان محدودة و تعتمد مبعظمها على إعادة‬ ‫التأهيل ضمن مراكز داخلية‪ .‬و هذا يتطلب من الشخص‬ ‫تخصيص حوالي السنة للعالج بعيدا ً عن عائلته و حياته‬ ‫اإلجتماعية‪ .‬بالنسبة للطالب و األشخاص الذين يعيلون‬ ‫عائالتهم‪ ،‬خطط العالج الداخلية تشكل عائقا دون ولوجهم‬ ‫للعالج رغم استعدادهم‪ .‬أما بالنسبة خلطط العالج اخلارجية‪،‬‬ ‫فهي ما تزال حديثة العهد في لبنان و غير مدعومة رغم كونها‬

‫بنفس كفاءة العالج الداخلي‪.‬‬ ‫خطط العالج و املساندة غير صديقة أو مالئمة للشباب مما‬ ‫يشكل عائقا رئيسيا أمام الشباب الذين يستخدمون اخملدرات‪.‬‬ ‫هذه اخلدمات يجب أن تكون مؤمنة ضمن األوقات املالئمة‬ ‫للشباب (معظم الشباب ال يستطيعون الولوج إلى اخلدمات‬ ‫في الصباح بسبب دوامات املدرسة أو اجلامعة أو حتى العمل)‪.‬‬ ‫عليها أيضا ً أن حتترم خصوصية الفرد و أن ال تكون مشروطة‬ ‫بسن معني؛ أي يجب أن يكون مبقدور الشباب احلصول على هذه‬ ‫ٍ‬ ‫اخلدمات بسرية و خصوصية دون احلاجة إلى تواجد أولياء أمرهم‬ ‫أو أهلهم‪.‬‬ ‫إن شعار « ق ّوي إرادتك و عش حياتك» هو تص ّور لسياسة‬ ‫محلية للمخدرات قصيرة النظر‪ .‬فهو يلقي اللوم على الضحايا‬ ‫الرئيسني لهذه السياسة‪ ،‬أي األشخاص الذين يستخدمون‬ ‫اخملدرات‪ ،‬و يساهم في انتهاك انسانيتهم و تهميشهم في‬ ‫اجملتمع‪ .‬من واجبنا التوقف عن نشر هذه املفاهيم اخلاطئة و‬ ‫تصعيد مستوى التعاطي مع املشاكل املتعلقة باخملدرات عبر‬ ‫تقييم م ّوسع للسياسات احمللية املتعلقة باخملدرات و تعديلها‬ ‫لتصبح أكثر عدال ً و إنسانية‪.‬‬

‫‪photo from 4.bp.blogspot.com‬‬

‫اىل حبيبتي االوىل واالخرية‬ ‫جاد �شم�س الدين‪ ،‬م�س�ؤول املوقع ال�شبكي‬

‫يختلف الناس في تعريف احلب‪ ،‬فمنهم من يصفه بالعذاب‬ ‫والتعب النفسي ومنهم من يصفه بالفرح والسعادة‪ ،‬وهناك من‬ ‫يجمع بني االثنني‪ .‬اما انا فمرحلة احلب التي عشتها وما ازال‪ ،‬ال‬ ‫بفرح او سعادة النها اكثر من ذلك بكثير‪ .‬فلهذا‬ ‫ميكنني وصفها‬ ‫ٍ‬ ‫ً‬ ‫احلب طعما ً مختلفا‪ ،‬انه احلب املليء باحلنان والعاطفة‪،‬باالمان‬ ‫والطمأنينة‪ ،‬نعم انه حبك يا امي‪.‬‬ ‫وحنانك‪ ،‬وها‬ ‫بعطفك‬ ‫مرت الساعات وااليام والسنني املشبعني‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫هي السنة الثانية والعشرين التي اقول لك فيها امي‪ .‬هي املرة‬ ‫الثانية والعشرين التي حتتفلني فيها بعيد االم بوجودي‪ .‬مرة‬

‫عقود تبدلت فيها شعوب‪ ،‬و سقطت انظمة‪ ،‬تغيرت درجة حرارة‬ ‫االرض‪ ،‬اال ان درجة حبك لي لم تتبدل او تسقط بل هي في ازدياد‬ ‫دائم يو ٌم بعد يوم‪.‬‬ ‫ٍ‬ ‫ال توجد عبارات استطيع ان اعبر من خاللها عن حبي لك‪ ،‬فانت‬ ‫من حملتني تسعة شهور‪ ،‬وولدتني ‪،‬وسهرت من اجلِي‪ ،‬وحتملتني‬ ‫في كل االيام التي مرت‪ .‬انت التي ضحيت من اجلي‪ .‬ال ميكنني ان‬ ‫اوفي لك ذلك حتى لو ضحيت بحياتي من اجلك‪ ،‬فالهدية ليست‬ ‫بأكثر من تقدير معنوي لك وحلبك لي الذي ابادلك اياه من دون‬ ‫شك‪.‬‬

‫جرحتك‪ ،‬عن قصد‬ ‫يوم ما‪ ،‬او‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫اعذريني يا امي ان اسأت اليك في ٍ‬ ‫او بغير قصد‪ ،‬فانا انحني امام قدميك واقبل يديك طالبا منك‬ ‫رضاك ‪،‬فزعلك هو تعاسة لي كما ان رضاك وفرحك هو سعادتي‪،‬‬ ‫دونك الطعم لها وال روح فيها ‪،‬فانت انت زينتها ‪ ،‬انت‬ ‫فاحلياة من‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫عصفورة الطبيعة التي اعيش بها‪.‬‬ ‫اقدم اليك زهور الربيع‪ ،‬وقبالت العصافير فيه‪ ،‬واعدك بان اكون‬ ‫عام وانت‬ ‫عند حسن ظنك وان احقق احالمك باذن اهلل‪ ،‬كل ٍ‬ ‫سعيدة وبصحة جيدة‪ ،‬يا حبي االول واالخير‪.‬‬

‫الثالثاء‪ 20 ,‬اذار ‪2012 ,‬‬

‫صفحة ‪19‬‬

‫كارلو�س لطوف‬ ‫نهاد غازي عواد ‪ ,‬حمررة ق�سم اللغة العربية‬ ‫أوصل صوته الى العالم بدون أن ينطق بحرف واحد‪ .‬في زمن‬ ‫كمت فيه األفواه وأصبحت األفكار علب جاهزة لإلستعمال‪،‬‬ ‫كان كارلوس لطوف‪ .‬ال يتبنى وجهة نظر سياسية معينة‬ ‫فهو يساري يرفض الظلم ويحارب اإلستبداد أينما وجد‪ .‬يحاربه‬ ‫بالصورة اجلميلة والفن الرائع‪ .‬إستضافه النادي الثقافي‬ ‫الفلسطيني ضمن نشاطات أسبوع الفصل العنصري‪ ،‬وقد‬ ‫ألقى محاضرة رائعة عن عالقة الفن باملقاومة‪ .‬كما انه َعرض‬ ‫بعض من سيرة حياته واملواقف التي تعرض له‪ .‬وقد كان لنا‬ ‫دردشة شيقة بعد انتهائه‪ .‬وقد ُعرض بعض من رسوماته‬ ‫على احلائط‪ .‬هو انسان شارك العالم بآهاته وأالمه من خالل‬ ‫رسوماته الكاريكاتور ّية‪ .‬إحتقر املستعمرين واملستبدين وعلى‬ ‫رأسهم إسرائيل‪ .‬تربطه عالقة قوية بالقضية الفلسطينية‬ ‫حيث أنها القضية الوحيدة التي ال يتقاضى أجرا على رسوماته‬ ‫عنها‪ .‬الكثير من األغنياء الفلسطنيني حاول إكرامه ودعمه‬ ‫لكنه يرفض رفضا باتا‪ .‬بدأت عالقته مع قضايا الشرق األوسط‬ ‫في ‪ 1999‬بعد أن تلقى دعوة لزيارة الضفة حيث أمضى ‪ 15‬يوم‬ ‫اعايش فيها املعاناة الفلسطينية عن كثب‪ .‬بعد أن المس‬ ‫مأساة الفلسطنيني‪ ،‬قطع على نفسه عهدا بأن ينقل املعاناة‬ ‫وأن يجعل العالم يرى احلقيقة التي شوهها اإلعالم الصهيوني‬ ‫والتي طاملا جتاهلها اإلعالم العاملي‪ .‬إسمه اآلن مدرج في القائمة‬ ‫السوداء وممنوع عليه الدخول الى األراضي الفلسطينية‪ .‬يعلن‬ ‫العداء إلسرائيل وأمها أمريكا بشكل واضح‪ .‬حيث رسم العديد‬ ‫من الصور الكاريكاتورية تتعلق بالعدوان األمريكي على العراق‬

‫وأفغانستان‪ .‬وقد اهتم كثيرا بالثورات العربية ودعم نضال‬ ‫الشعب في تونس ومصر وسوريا والبحرين واليمن‪ .‬وقد علق أن‬ ‫بعض وسائل اإلعالم تعرض الرسومات التي تتناسب مع أجندتها‬ ‫السياسية وتتجاهل أخرى بينما هو ضد الظلم في كل مكان ‪.‬‬ ‫البعض يظنه بسبب أصوله اللبنانية(جده من أمه لبناني)‬ ‫يساند القضايا العربية لكن الواقع مغاير‪ .‬فهو وأمه ال يجيدان‬ ‫اللغة العربية وإسمه احلقيقي كارلوس دي سيلفا وليس‬ ‫لطوف‪ .‬وعندما قلت له انت لبناني امتعض وقال انا برازيلي‬ ‫ولست عربيا‪ .‬فهو يؤيد القضايا العربية إلميانه بأحقيته كما‬ ‫يؤيد الكثير من احلركات في العالم كنضال الشعب في بوليفيا‬ ‫واالنقالب في هندوراس‪ ،‬ووحشية الشرطة والدتي في البرازيل‪،‬‬ ‫وأيضا ً انتهاكات حقوق اإلنسان في تركيا‪ .‬وملن يتتبع كارلوس‬ ‫على تويتر يعرف أنه ليس مبليونير وأن عمله ال يدر عليه الربح‬ ‫الوفير فهو يعمل في جريدة تابعة الحتاد العمال البرازيلي في ريو‬ ‫دي جانيرو‪ ، ،‬وهو مصدر رزقه حيث يتقاضى أجرا ال يتعدى األلف‬ ‫دوالرا شهريا وال سيارة لديه وما زال يسكن مع أبويه في أحد‬ ‫منازل ضاحية ساو كريستوفيان والتي تبعد عن العاصمة ريو دي‬ ‫جانيرو ما يقرب من ‪ 15‬كيلو مترا وهى احدى الضواحي الشعبية‪.‬‬ ‫وقد أحببت أن أنقل لكم جملة في هذا اجملال كتبها كارلوس‬ ‫على تويتر «أعمالي ليست للبيع ‪ ..‬هي متاحة للجميع‪ ،‬املهم‬ ‫إيصال احلقيقة إلى أكبر عدد ممكن من الناس‪ ،‬يكفي تعتيما ً‬ ‫عما يحصل في العالم من قهر ومعاناة‪ ،‬ادخلوا املوقع وخذوا ما‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫تشاءون من رسومات‪ ،‬اطبعوها ووزعوها وعلقوها على اجلدران‬

‫وفي كل مكان وانشروا احلقيقة ‪ ..‬كونوا أنتم صوت املظلومني‬ ‫إلى جميع أنحاء العالم»‪ .‬ولذلك نرى املظاهرات في مصر‬ ‫وليبيا والبحرين مزدانة بقمصان والفتات طبعت عليها رسوم‬ ‫لطوف‪ .‬وأي إنسانية أكثر من هذا‪ .‬ليس فقط يوصل صوتهم‬ ‫بالرسومات بل أيضا يؤمنها لهم دون مقابل‪ .‬لطوف ال يتحدث‬ ‫العربية لكنه مهتم بالشؤون الفلسطينية والعربية اكثر من‬ ‫كثيرين يعيشون داخل الوطن العربي‪ .‬كل ما إحتاجه هو ورقة‬ ‫وقلم وحساب تويتر لينقل رسومه عبره‪ ،‬واألهم ضمير يفتقده‬ ‫الفنانون واملثقفون العرب‪ .‬هل ميكننا أن نختم زمن املقاومة‬ ‫بالفن مبقتل ناجي العلي وننتظر فنان برازيلي ميشي على‬ ‫خطاه؟ أين نحن من احلرية احلقيقية!!‬

‫‪photo from ibda3world.com‬‬

‫�رس الأمومة‬ ‫مدى الدب�س‪ ,‬كاتبة �صحفية‬

‫احلبل الذي يربط ّ‬ ‫الطفل باألم هو اكثر ما في اخللق حميمي ًة‪.‬‬ ‫هو ٌ‬ ‫امه بل يقوى ويصبح‬ ‫حبل ال ينقطع حني يغادر الطفل رحم ّ‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ً‬ ‫أكثر صالب ًة‪ .‬بداية ‪ ،‬ميثل حبل السرة رابطا ماديا يساوي احلياة‬ ‫نفسها‪ .‬لكن‪ ‬بعد الوالدة‪ ،‬تصبح العالقة اكثر نضجا ً بني اال ّم‬ ‫وولدها ‪ -‬ولذلك فالوالدة البيولوجية ال تُكسب املرأة االّ لقب‬ ‫األم بالوالدة ‪ .‬االمومة ِف ُ‬ ‫السرة املادي غير‬ ‫عل تربية‪ -‬فيصبح حبل ّ‬ ‫الدمعة ‪ ،‬في إدراك‬ ‫مرئي‪ ،‬و لكن نراه في دفء العني‪ ،‬في خجل ّ‬ ‫األلم ‪ ،‬و في فخر العطاء ‪ .‬و بالرغم من أنه حبل مطاطي‬ ‫يشتد ويرتخي تبعا ً للظروف واحلاجات‪ ،‬إلاّ انّه حزام األمان‬ ‫الدائم ومصدر النّور الذي ال يغيب‪ .‬العالقة التي تنشأ بني األم‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫مقدسة تختصر فيها األم كل التّضحيات‬ ‫عالقة‬ ‫هي‬ ‫وأوالدها‬ ‫ّ‬

‫في سبيل عائلتها‪ .‬لكن اخلطأ الذي يرتكبه الكثيرون هو املقارنة‬ ‫وحب أشخاص آخرين في حياتهم‪.‬‬ ‫أمهاتهم لهم‬ ‫حب ّ‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫بني ّ‬ ‫مقصر النّهم لم يصلوا ولن يصلوا الى‬ ‫فيحكمون ا ّن اجلميع‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫الدرجات حب األم‪ .‬اللغط هنا‬ ‫من‬ ‫درجة‬ ‫بأي‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫درجة حب توازي ّ‬ ‫ٌ‬ ‫مرتبط‪ ‬بروعة‬ ‫حب األم‬ ‫سببه مقارنة ما هو ّ‬ ‫مقدس مبا هو أرضي‪ّ .‬‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫الدعاء‪ ،‬باحلب‬ ‫السماء ‪ ،‬مبسؤولية األلوهة ‪ ،‬بسمو ّ‬ ‫الطبيعة ‪ ،‬بر ّقة ّ‬ ‫الالمتناهي وبالعطاء غير املشروط‪َ .‬عن َو َن أنسي احلاج مقالة‬ ‫له ّ‬ ‫الشهر املاضي بالعبارة التّالية‪« :‬أعرف أن أحب‪ .‬ال أعرف‬ ‫أن أعيش» ‪ .‬وان ّ‬ ‫فكرنا مل ّيا ً بها ندرك ا ّن األ ّم وحدها‪ ،‬رمبا‪ ،‬تعرف‬ ‫ان حتب وال تعرف ان تعيش‪ .‬رمبا استهلك الكثير من الكالم عن‬ ‫األمومة ولكن لم تستهلك أفعال التّقدير بعد في كل مكان‪.‬‬

‫فبينما تلتزم دول العالم األول‪ ‬كالسويد باجازة أ ّبوة واجازة‬ ‫امومة اجباريتني بعد كل والدة ‪ ،‬ما زالت األم اللبنانية حترم حتّى‬ ‫من حق اعطاء اجلنسية ألطفالها – وأين سويسرا ّ‬ ‫الشرق منّا‬ ‫باهلل عليكم؟ أخطأ أستاذ الفلسفة في مدرستي حني صنّف‬ ‫العائلة كمؤسسة ذات وظيفة دينية وتناسى دور العائلة األهم‬ ‫وهو دورها الوطني‪ .‬فاأل ّم تر ّبي املهندس ال اخمل ّرب ‪ .‬تر ّبي ّ‬ ‫الطبيب‬ ‫ال اجملرم ‪ .‬تر ّبي الضابط ال ت ّربي اخلارج عن القانون‪ .‬تربي املقاوم‬ ‫األمهات الصاحلات‪ .‬نح ّيي كل‬ ‫ال العميل ‪...‬في عيد األم‪ ،‬نح ّيي ّ‬ ‫ألمهات اجلنوب اللبناني‪.‬‬ ‫والوعي‪ .‬حتية‬ ‫أم قاومت بفعل التّربية‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ألمهات الشهداء في سوريا األبية‪ .‬وفي أسبوع رفض احلصار‬ ‫حت ّية ّ‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫والعدوان على غزّة‪ ، ‬حت ّية خاصة المهات أطفال احلجارة‪...‬‬

‫ال ‪ ....AUB‬ماذا بعد؟‬ ‫منى �أيوب ‪ ,‬كاتبة �صحفية‬

‫هو السؤال الذي يؤرق كل تلميذ‪ ،‬و رغم ذلك فالعديد منا ال‬ ‫يأخذه على محمل اجلد‪ .‬كسال أحيانا‪ ،‬و بسبب « طول األمل»‬ ‫أحيانا أخرى‪ .‬غير أننا جميعا سنأتي إلى اليوم الذي نخرج فيه‬ ‫من حضن اجلامعة إلى احلياة ‪ « :‬احلياة احلقيقية»‪ . .‬مخطئ‬ ‫من يظن أن « احلياة احلقيقية « تلك التي تقبع خلف أسوار‬ ‫اجلامعة وردية أو فاضلة كما يحلو للبعض أن يتخيلها‪ ،‬فتحديات‬ ‫جمة سوف تواجهنا و مستقبل زاهرلنرسمه ينتظرنا‪ .‬و لهذا‬ ‫يجب االستعداد بكل ما أوتينا من قوة منذ اآلن‪ .‬إن كنت تلميذا‬ ‫يطمح للحصول على شهادات عليا كاملاجستير أو الدكتوراه‪،‬‬ ‫فعليك باستغالل أي فرصة للمشاركة في أبحاث علمية في‬ ‫مجال تخصصك‪ .‬العالمات العالية وحدها ال تكفي‪ ،‬فبرامج‬ ‫الدراسات العليا‪ ،‬خصوصا تلك في الواليات املتحدة أو بريطانيا‪،‬‬ ‫تهمها خبرة الطالب في إجراء األبحاث العلمية كاهتمامها‬ ‫متاما بالعالمات العالية‪ .‬ال تنتظر أبدا من أستاذك أن يأتيك راجيا‬

‫أن تشاركه في أحد مشاريعه العلمية‪ ،‬إمنا يجب عليك إبداء‬ ‫االهتمام و «النق» كي تتاح لك هذه الفرصة الذهبية‪ .‬إبحث عن‬ ‫مجاالت لألبحاث في غير تخصصك إن كانت دائرتك غير منخر‬ ‫طة في أبحاث‪ .‬و ال تنس أبدا؛ كن على عالقة جيدة مع أساتذتك‪،‬‬ ‫فهم من ستطلب منهم أن يكتبوا لك رسائل توصية!! أما إن‬ ‫كنت ممن ال يهوون احلياة العلمية و يفضلون خوض غمار سوق‬ ‫العمل ‪ ،‬فأيضا الوقت ال ينتظرك‪ .‬ال يخفى عليك أن املنافسة‬ ‫باتت صعبة جدا‪ ،‬خصوصا في مجاالت الهندسة و إدارة األعمال‪.‬‬ ‫ووسط هذه «احلرب على الفرص» عليك أن تتميز بني اجلمع و‬ ‫تثبت أنك أفضل من كثيرين سيتقدمون لنفس الوظيفة‪ .‬لذا‬ ‫احرص منذ اآلن على « تعبئة» سيرتك الذاتية بكل ما من‬ ‫شأنه أن يزيدك خبرة و علما و مهارات‪ .‬شارك في النوادي‬ ‫الطالبية و لرمبا حصلت على أحد املراكز القيادية‪ .‬قم بالعديد‬ ‫من الدورات التدريبية في لبنان أو خارجه إذا أتيحت لك الفرصة‪.‬‬

‫ال تتردد في املشاركة في املسابقات التي تقيمها بعض الدوائر ‪،‬‬ ‫فإن لم تفز باجلائزة‪ ،‬فأنت رابح خلبرة و إدراك ال يُقاسان‪ .‬باختصار‪،‬‬ ‫إياك االنتظار للحظة األخيرة‪.‬إلى جانب اهتمامك بدرسك‬ ‫طبعا‪ ،‬ال تدعه يغب عن بالك أهمية إغناء نفسك بكل ما ال‬ ‫تستطيع أن تقدمه الكتب اجلامعية‪ .‬سنوات قليلة و ستكون‬ ‫على مفترق طرق‪ .‬أيا ما كان الطريق الذي ستسلكه ‪ ،‬ال تساوم‬ ‫أبدا على القيم و األخالق‪ .‬فكم من ناجح فاسد و مفسد ‪،‬و كم‬ ‫من مجتمعات تدهورت و ضاعت بسبب ضياع أخالق شعوبها‪.‬‬ ‫و ال يخفى علينا أن مجتمعنا بحاجة إلى الكثير من اإلصالح‪.‬‬ ‫فكن من القلة املصلحة على قدر استطاعتها ال املفسدة‪ .‬أضاق‬ ‫صدرك؟ أشعرت بالقلق و اخلوف؟ ال تبالغ‪ .‬اخلوف و القلق دليالن‬ ‫على حتمل املسؤولية‪ .‬و لكن‪ ،‬ال جتعل انشغالك باملستقبل‬ ‫ينسيك جمال احلاضر‪ .‬إبتسم دوما للحياة‪ .‬إبتسم يا صديقي‪.‬‬

‫جزء ‪ ،44‬عدد ‪16‬‬ ‫الثالثاء‪ 20 ,‬اذار ‪2012 ,‬‬

‫الإن�سانية يف معر�ض �صور‬

‫‪ ‎‬منى �أيوب ‪ ,‬كاتبة �صحفية‬

‫جمع بعض املال و إيصاله إلى من يحتاج إليه من فقير و جائع و‬ ‫منكوب خير من أن ال تفعل شيئا‪ .‬و دعوة من القلب لرفع البالء‬ ‫و إغاثة احملتاج خير من أن ال تفعل شيئا أيضا‪ .‬باختصار‪ ،‬أن توقد‬ ‫شمعة خير من أن تلعن الظالم‪.‬‬ ‫هذا هو املنطق الذي دفع أعضاء ال ‪ Insight Club‬إلى جمع‬ ‫تبرعات من خالل إقامة معرض صور بعنوان « اإلنسانية حتت‬ ‫اجملهر» يظهر املآسي التي تواجهها اإلنسانية عامة‪ ،‬إن كانت‬ ‫بصورة حروب ضارية كما في فلسطني و لبنان و سوريا و غيره‪ ،‬أو‬ ‫في صورة مجاعات قاسية كما في الصومال و إفريقيا عامة‪....‬‬ ‫إنها مبادرة إليقاظ ذاكرة تأبى أن تنام أصال‪ ...‬فمشاهد القتل‬ ‫و اجلوع و اخلوف ال تغيب حلظة عن شاشات التلفاز و اجلرائد‪.‬‬ ‫إعتدناها‪ .‬أصبحت جزءا من وعينا حتى كدنا نفقد أي ردة فعل‬ ‫جتاهها‪ .‬فكان املعرض إلحياء روح العزمية و املبادرة‪.‬‬ ‫املعرض‪ ،‬الذي امتد لثالثة أيام‪ ،‬افتتح يوم الثالثاء في ‪ 14‬آذار في‬ ‫قاعة ال احلجرة املشتركة في الوست هول بحضور الدكتور‬ ‫شربل طراف ممثال عميد مكتب شؤون الطالب‪ ،‬و السيد منير‬ ‫مبسوط رئيس مركز اإللتزام املدني وخدمة اجملتمع في اجلامعة‬

‫األمريكية في بيروت و عدد من أعضاء النادي‪ .‬أشاد اجلميع‬ ‫باملبادرة و باجلهد الذي قام به الطالب رغم انشغاالتهم األكادميية‬ ‫و احلياتية‪ ،‬و أكدوا على ضرورة عدم تغييب اجلانب اإلنساني‬ ‫لألزمات التي متر بها الشعوب العربية سواء إختلفنا مع بعضها‬ ‫سياسيا أو لم نختلف‪ ،‬كما و شكروا رئيس املركز على التعاون‬ ‫الذي املركز عموما إلجناح النشاط‪.‬‬ ‫زيارة قصيرة حول احلجرة املشتركة تأخذك إلى فلسطني‪ ،‬و حتديدا‬ ‫إلى غزة احملاصرة منذ سنوات‪ ،‬و التي ال تواجه خطر احلرب فقط‪،‬‬ ‫و إمنا اجلوع و احلرمان أيضا‪ .‬و ذلك دون أن ننسى مآسي الكثيرين‬ ‫في لبنان على أثر فقدانهم ملنازلهم و موارد رزقهم إبان حرب‬ ‫متوز‪ .‬و صور األطفال الذين أكل اجلوع أجسادهم الهشة كانت‬ ‫أيضا حاضرة بقوة في املعرض‪ ،‬و كذلك صور اجملازر التي ارتكبت‬ ‫حديثا على خلفية نهضة الشعوب للمطالبة باحلرية و التغيير‪.‬‬ ‫الغرض األساس من املعرض ليس عرض الصور فقط‪ ،‬و إمنا جمع‬ ‫تبرعات إليصالها إلى من يحتاجها‪ .‬و هذا ما قام به املدعوون‬ ‫في اليوم األول حيث قدموا تبرعات سخية‪ ،‬و تبعهم العديد من‬ ‫الطالب على مدى يومي املعرض‪.‬‬ ‫‪photo from members.abunawaf.com‬‬

‫ال�سالم؟؟‬ ‫املر�أة �أم ّ‬ ‫هيا الأتا�سي‪ ,‬م�ساهمة �صحفية‬

‫السالم‬ ‫حتدث العرب والغرب واجملتمع‬ ‫لطاملا ّ‬ ‫بأسرِه عن ّ‬ ‫الدولي ْ‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫السالم وما الى ذلك‪ .‬ولكن من الواضح أ ّن‬ ‫وعمليات إقرار ّ‬ ‫أي نفع‪ .‬مازلنا نعيش‬ ‫محادثاتهم ومشاوراتهم ال ولم ولن جتدي ّ‬ ‫في عالم ال يصمد فيه االّ‬ ‫مبني‬ ‫العالم ا ّلذي هو‬ ‫القوي‪ .‬هذا‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ُ‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ٍ‬ ‫واملناطق االستراتيج ّية‬ ‫املصالح والتّحالُفات‬ ‫على‬ ‫باألساس‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫وال ّثروات النفط ّية وغ ْيرها‪.‬‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫السالم‪ ..‬في فلسطني احلبيبة في سوريا الصامدة في‬ ‫الكل يريد ّ‬ ‫العراق املظلوم في لبنان ّ‬ ‫الشقيق‪ .‬في البالد العربية واإلسالمية‪.‬‬ ‫ُّ‬ ‫السياس ّيون وراءه‬ ‫في ّ‬ ‫الدول الغربية واألجنب ّية‪ .‬كل ما يَسعى ّ‬ ‫مصالح بالدهم وأمنها واستقرارها‪ .‬ولكن يا ترى هل خطر‬ ‫هو‬ ‫ُ‬ ‫ببالنا ولو للحظة ما هو الشيء الذي يردع حتقيق عملية السالم‬ ‫احلكام أم عوامل خارج ّية أم أ ّن السالم هو ّ‬ ‫الشامل؟ هل هم ّ‬ ‫بكل‬ ‫حلم يستحيل حتقيقه ؟‬ ‫بساطة ٌ‬ ‫السياسة‬ ‫ولكن‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫لنتأمل للحظة‪ ..‬لننظر الى املرأة ودورها في ّ‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫مناصب‬ ‫عن‬ ‫املرأة‬ ‫إقصاء‬ ‫مت‬ ‫لطاملا‬ ‫ولية‪.‬‬ ‫الد‬ ‫والعالقات‬ ‫ة‬ ‫ي‬ ‫اخلارج‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ٍ‬ ‫حساسة عند العرب و الغرب وفي الكثير من األزمنة‪ .‬هناك‬ ‫ّ‬

‫ّ‬ ‫ُ‬ ‫الكل يعتقد أ ّن املرأة اذا ما كانت‬ ‫بالسالم‪.‬‬ ‫يربط املرأة‬ ‫دائما ما‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫من صنّاع القرار فسوف يؤول قرارها الى ما هو رقيق ومسالم‬ ‫و بعيد عن احلروب واملواجهات‪ .‬ال ّرقة ‪،‬التعاطف‪ ،‬واحلساس ّية‬ ‫من صفات املرأة‪ .‬احلزم واجلد ّية والقوة من صفات الرجل‪ .‬هذا ما‬ ‫ٌ‬ ‫عترف عليه دائما‪ .‬وبهذه احلجج ال طاملا أُبعدت املرأة عن‬ ‫هو ُم‬ ‫ُ‬ ‫الهامة لأل ّمة‪ّ .‬‬ ‫كل هذا كي ال تتّخذ املرأة قرارا ً‬ ‫القرارات املصير ّية‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫السالم‬ ‫قد يُعتبر غي ُر ّ‬ ‫فعال أو ُمضرٍّ ّ‬ ‫باألمة‪ .‬املرأة تعني السالم‪ّ .‬‬ ‫احلكام‪ّ .‬‬ ‫هو ما يريده ّ‬ ‫احلكام ال يريدون املرأة‪ .‬فاذا لم أكن مخطئة‬ ‫السالم أصال! ملاذا يربطون‬ ‫في الفهم فهذا يعني أنهم ال يريدون ّ‬ ‫السالم باملرأة ويسعون لتحقيقه ومن ثم يقصون من يعتقدون‬ ‫أ ّن السالم بيده؟‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫أصول‬ ‫أميركي من‬ ‫يعتقد فرانسيس فوكوياما‪ ،‬وهو كاتب ومحلل‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ٍ‬ ‫ألسباب اجتماع ّية‬ ‫يابان ّية‪ ،‬أ ّن هذا التّمييز بني املرأة وال ّرجل يعودُ‬ ‫ٍ‬ ‫وبيولوج ّية‪ .‬فال ّرجل بطبيعته حازم وصارم بينما املرأة بطبيعتها‬ ‫رقيقة وحساسة‪ .‬هذا ما ليس باإلمكان من تغييره ألنّه من‬ ‫سجل‬ ‫خلق اهلل‪ .‬ولكن ما لم ينتبه له فوكوياما أ ّن التاريخ‬ ‫ّ‬

‫‪3193 .ext 000 350 01 :tel 208 Bliss Street, West Hall‬‬

‫رجل‬ ‫أي‬ ‫للعديد من النّساء ال ّلواتي ُك ّن أقسى وأوحش من ّ‬ ‫ٍ‬ ‫مثل وزيرة اخلارجية اإلسرائيلية تسيبي ليفني والتي قتلت آالف‬ ‫الكونتيسة اليزابيث باثوري وهي أشهر‬ ‫الفلسطينيني في غزة‪،‬‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫سفاحة في تاريخ هنغارية بسلوفينيا‪ ،‬امللكة ماري ابنة هنري‬ ‫الثامن وا ّلتي أعدمت الكثير من البروتستانتيني ملعتقداتهم‪..‬‬ ‫وغيرهن الكثير‪.‬‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫رأي شائع ومعتقدات قدمية‬ ‫هذا التّمييز بني املرأة وال ّرجل ما هو إال ٌ‬ ‫وغض البصر عن التفكير‬ ‫وبالية هدفها تعزيز التّمييز اجلنسي‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫باملشكلة احلقيق ّية‪ .‬املشكلة ليست في ميزان القوى ومن‬ ‫أقوى‪ ..‬املشكلة تكمن في عقل ّية البشر‪ .‬فبدل من أن ينشغل‬ ‫بالسالم والعمل على حتقيقه‪ ،‬ينشغلون بالسعي وراء‬ ‫النّاس‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫حقوق املرأة ومساواتها وما إالى ذلك‪ .‬ال أعني بكالمي أنّني ضد‬ ‫حقوق املرأة بالعكس‪ ،‬ولكن إن لم تتغير فكرة أّننا ضعيفون‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫تتحقق؟‬ ‫سياس ّيا ورقيقوا القلب‪ ،‬فكيف ميكن لهذه املساواة أن‬ ‫للسالم أن ينتشر لوالنا؟‬ ‫وكيف ميكن ّ‬