Bilal Beydoun is one of about 82,000 Lebanese Americans who live in Michigan. He was born and raised in Dearborn, but many of his loved ones are in Lebanon.
Israel’s escalation against Hezbollah continues to claim lives and destroy communities in Lebanon. The Lebanese health ministry estimates more than 2,000 people have been killed in the past year. Most of the country’s public schools are out of service, either due to their use as shelters or their location in areas directly affected by the war.
Beydoun said he's been able to communicate with his family members in Lebanon, but they've been "remarkably sleep deprived."
"A lot of the bombing in Beirut has taken place at night, and so I think there's there's a deep sense of fear. Terror, really," Beydoun said. "I think people are terrified, and so although the communication has has sort of continued... it's in a very dire sort of context."
While he believes that the Lebanese people "should never stop aspiring for better," Beydoun expressed that he also wants others to understand that the heavy grief they carry.
"I think there's a trope about resiliency when describing Lebanese people, but also Arab people in general, that they're resilient, and that they've experienced so much pain, and have seen so much carnage and violence," Beydoun said. "They're also infinitely human. They also experience tremendous amounts of grief, but also joy and happiness."
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GUEST ON TODAY'S SHOW:
- Bilal Beydoun, Dearborn resident
