What these Eyes Have Seen: A modern-day Horror Story

I wake up every morning thinking I was dreaming, thinking that whatever I must have seen, must be an ugly, ugly dream. But then I turn on my phone and go to social media. I have been like an addict, glued to my phone all day constantly checking the latest and heartwrenching developments. The list of accounts I check keeps getting longer and the list of crimes keeps getting more horrifying by the minute. Sometimes I spend hours watching horror after horror unfold, watching war crime after war crime go unpunished, until I can no longer take it, until suddenly I shut off everything.

The recent genocide against people who have not known peace for the last 75 years has been unfolding for more than a month now with no hope or end in sight! We are witnessing, helpless, as others go through hell, yet again. Sadly, the story is as old as tales. Today, parts of the world are being utterly destroyed, whole populations are being completely inhaled, and for what you might ask? Well, for resources.

Colonialism at its best is still alive and kicking, despite what some well-dressed white men may try to make you believe, with their hypocritical cry for equality and love. Because when it comes down to it, everything in this world is about money and power, over everything else.

Those values they keep preaching to you about? These are just some old tales they have concocted to keep their populations satisfied with the surface of it all. But if you were to dig deeper, then all of these lies would come crashing down, and you would realize that you were the only one trying to live up to these lies, while the other party was involved in the most vile of things.

Babies are being slaughtered en masse, but do you think anyone in power cares? Certainly not, as they have shown by their multiple actions time and time again.

And what is the price to pay for all that? The lives of some indigenous people, who do not look like them? (and who decided that they are the standard of looks to live by, by the way, pretty narcissistic on their part don’t you agree?).

If you come to think about it, the lives of some indigenous people somewhere far off, are a small commodity in the grand scheme of things, right?

I was born, and raised in Lebanon. To say I have witnessed some troubled times would be an understatement. I have seen the devastating effects wars and violence have on people. Living in such a country can either help you become more resilient and inventive, or it can permanently and utterly break you. I was lucky enough to be part of the first group, but many people I know are part of the latter.

I have known for a long time the horror crimes Israel has been repeatedly committing against Palestinians, and for a very very long time, I felt powerless. I kept watching, the horrors that were unfolding day in and day out. Israel has always committed heinous war crimes against Palestinians, and Lebanese, the only difference today is that the world is waking up to what we, the savages, have known all along; what a criminal the Israeli state is.

What happened on October 7th is a horror story but what has been happening for the past 75 years is nothing other than sheer tragedy.

We live in an ugly world, where priceless human souls unfortunately mean nothing to power-hungry leaders. Where interests are more important than the number of dead and wounded, who are seen as casualties.

I have been off of social media for the past month because I couldn’t cope with that much violence. What the world is starting to learn about today, is what we have grown up with sadly. Seeing evil spreading once again, without any actual consequences yet again, is more than what I can take.

But I know that darkness won’t last forever.