Thanks to the relative peace in the country, many clubs are now having their best season in years - with thousands of tourists joining the beachside throng.
However, it seems not everyone is welcome at the clubs.
The Lebanese office of campaign group Human Rights Watch says a majority of beach clubs it surveyed are preventing many migrant workers from Asia and Africa from using their facilities. More...
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Racism' claims at Lebanon beach clubs By Andrew North BBC News, Beirut
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IN RESPONSE TO:
Racism' claims at Lebanon beach clubs
By Andrew North
BBC News, Beirut
Thursday, 13 August 2009
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8200001.stm
Social discrimination is a by nature a global pandemic, transcends religion, color and race.
In Lebanon, You belong to either, a social elite, a bourgeoisie or the populace.
The issue of racism as addressed in the BBC article written by Andrew North, a bigot and a racist par excellence is a despicable attempt by a failure of a reporter to discredit The Sporting Club Swimming Center, in Beirut, Lebanon by claiming that the Club enforces racial prejudices against Black and Asian migrant workers because of the club's policy of not allowing workers on their premises.
North, firstly assumes that migrant workers can obviously only be black or Asian, a repulsive suggestion & a racist statement in itself.
Without this stupid argument North has no article to write.
The Sporting Club's member list and patrons which counts in the thousands each season & includes people from different nationalities, religions and skin color.
Clients of the Club are NOT allowed to bring any help with them, regardless of the nature of the assistance those helpers provide.(Medical reasons excluded)
Business men are NOT allowed their personal help or assistants on the premises of the Club.
Politician are NOT allowed their body guards on the premises of the Club.
Ambassadors, are not allowed their security team on the premises of the Club.
Families who cannot take care of their children are NOT allowed their helpers/maids on the premises.
Proper grooming and decent attire are prerequisites.
Men not accompanied by wives or female friends are NOT welcome.
Children and teenagers not attended by a parent are NOT allowed access to the Club.
The Sporting Club is a private institution and a business, therefore the Club screens it's patrons in terms of potential Dollar spend AND homogeneity.
HOMOGENEITY, MEANING EXACTLY: that the ONLY directive of the Club's management is to maintain a pleasant atmosphere for high spend and like minded individuals, regardless of their religion, race, color, political views and sexual preferences.
Racism, is what Airport security in Western countries enforce when they ask an Arab looking fellow to step out of a queue and is almost strip searched just because of the way he looks.
Racism is when you are told by a maitre de or a bouncer at a Club that you are not welcome at a Club just because you have the same skin color as Ben Laden.
North seems to have Very little social exposure in his own country. Ask him when was the last time he was at at a dinner party, a club, a restaurant, a hotel, an airplane, where the
help, waiters, attendants, took time off to fraternize with the guests, eat at the same dinner table as the clients, or laze by the poolside with the patrons.
....Get real North....
In any event, we reserve all rights to sue North & the BBC for any damages and/or harm his irresponsible and poorly researched article could cause our Institution.
Waleed Abu-Nassar
Partner
Sporting Club Swimming Center
Beirut, Lebanon