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Hezbollah theme park: an attraction designed with terror in mind
Are you always searching for a roller coaster that will make your hair stand on end? Well, if you really want to scare yourself, skip the traditional amusement park rides and catch a flight out to Beirut. There's a "theme park" in town that will open your eyes wide and keep you looking over your shoulder.
Hezbollah has gotten into the Disney business.
Identified as a terrorist organization by the U.S. State Department, Hezbollah's new endeavor isn't doing a thing to change that perception. Called "Landmark for the Resistance," the theme park celebrates the group's military efforts against Israel. Enter the park, and you can wander among implements of mayhem and destruction, from tanks to machine guns ... and you can even get some photo ops of the kids with their fingers on the trigger!
Designed and built by Hezbollah, Landmark for the Resistance cost a mere $4 million, a pittance compared to what it would cost to get an attraction up here in the United States. So far, the park's been a success, one of the few in a country that has had trouble attracting tourists because of ... well ... Hezbollah.
Buoyed by the strong response, especially the smiling children, I suspect, Hezbollah has already committed to expansion plans. Look for a cable car wandering around the guns 'n' ammo soon – and a hotel and a restaurant.
Filed under: Activism, Arts and Culture, History, Lebanon, Middle East, Theme Parks
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Daniel Oct 2nd 2010 8:07PM
WELL AREN'T YOU SMART TYPING IN ALL CAPS!
It's in Beirut not America, moron.
marcia Oct 4th 2010 6:13AM
WHAT A PEACEFUL RELIGION, I CAN NOT WAIT TO BOOK THIS DISNEY WANNA BE HELL HOLE!
jimbarry1946 Oct 2nd 2010 2:41PM
More from the "religion of peace". If it were totally unsuccessful, I might have a different opinion, but if it needs to expand, that means people like it.
Mena Oct 2nd 2010 2:53PM
Marcia, you have no concept of what the Lebanese people have been though. I've been there and the destruction wrought by Israel is terrible and has left many impoverished to this day. Americans celebrate victory over the Natzi's and mourn over Pearl Harbor so why shouldn't the Lebanese celebrate victory over Israel and mourn the men, women and children they have lost because of the truly unjustified attacks against them? All because Israel has decided Lebanon is 'theirs' never mind the people who have lived there since before Moses or Jesus were even born! Hezbollah was there to defend a poor country when the rest of the world was not. It looks more like an outdoor museum than a theme park anyway. CNN is just trying to use up air time by instigating fear and misunderstanding.
Wil Oct 2nd 2010 3:29PM
I totally agree with you. People in this country never hear about the hospitals, schools and libraries, which I will also add are secular, that Hezbollah has built. But anything that can be used to cast them in a bad light is jumped all over by our media. If Hezbollah were working for American interests they'd be called freedom fighters, just as the Taliban were in the 80's when they were fighting to get the Soviets out of Afghanistan.
dee Oct 2nd 2010 4:41PM
They in turn caused desturction to the Jews. I am sorry but I don't feel sorry for them and no I am not Jewish.
Pamela Oct 2nd 2010 2:55PM
Yeah, this theme park reminds me a lot of Disney's Epcot Center, towards the back where all of the countries are... Actually, I don't think Epcot boasts a middle eastern country but if they did, it would look just like this! NOT!
Sylvie Oct 2nd 2010 4:26PM
Pamela, Disney DOES have a middle eastern country represented in Epcot, it's Morrocco, and it's a fun place to visit, good food, great bazarre and belly dancing!
AM Oct 2nd 2010 3:04PM
I think you all forget that in Orlando, FL. there was a theme park called the Holy Land that had Roman soldiers follow a bloody Jesus carrying a cross passing by t-shirt shops and fast food carts.
Dusty 754 Oct 2nd 2010 3:04PM
Israel is not all shiney and clean over there. Sorry but there is no way that people are going to convince me that the Jews are persecuted all over the world through no fault of their own. I just cannot believe that the Jews are right and the rest of the world is wrong.
ART Oct 9th 2010 2:50PM
Dahhh! The Jews, who have done nothing more than create positive movements such as Capitalism, Science, Entertainment and modernity, are the single most reason we're not a third world country. They were given a vast desert in which to survive and turned it into an oasis and peaceful haven, something the Palestinians have yet to do. Let's give the Palestinians the land they so desire and watch them feed at the tit of the West because they have no ingenuity or creativity. They just want to scream and cry like infants so the West won't cut the umbilical cord. They're not standing members of the third world for nothing. How many third world countries exist only because the West allows them to?
Gerald Fisher Oct 2nd 2010 4:08PM
The minority have always been perseuted in most societies. Organized religion and corrupt rulers/military generals have been primarily responsible for persecution and discrimination throughout history. The favored Church cooperated with the political ruler to provide a "God approval" to the ruler and the rulers provided police/military protection to the Church. The Churches used their position to brain wash the common man into believing negative beliefs about followers of other religions.
Christianity persecuted Jews simply because they were not Christians. The Catholics persecuted Protestants beause they were not Catholics. Muslims persecute everyone not Muslim from their beginning to this day. All religions were guilty.
Candace Oct 2nd 2010 8:13PM
This comment is actually a reply to Gerald's comment:
I think you have a little of your history wrong. Christians were persecuted by Jews. Paul, whose name was Saul prior to his conversion to Christianity, was a Jew and was notorious for killing Christians.
Good comment about different religions persecuting each other merely for believing different things, tho.
JoJo Oct 2nd 2010 3:16PM
Wow, you sure hit the mark perfectly with this post, and of course, the UN and many other countries will turn a blind eye either out of fear of offending muslims or because they are naive and think this type of park is nothing serious.
This fear and PC garbage is going to be the death of western civilization sooner than people think.
ab Oct 2nd 2010 3:30PM
I just find it Sad don,t they have any GOOD things to be HAPPYabout?
Children NEES PEACE in their world could they not have a peaceful place just so children can be children. no sense to me at all.
ART Oct 3rd 2010 1:23AM
Excellent!!!!
Dave Oct 2nd 2010 3:39PM
As a American I don't have any problem with them having a Theme Park for display. What I do have a problem with is any person or country threatening others with physical harm or destruction. I don't have a problem with free religion or free speech. What I do have a problem with is when the foreign people in the streets are chanting death to Americans. That's when I would like to personally drop a nuke on them and eradicate them from the planet. Sure that wouldn't be a nice thing to do but sometimes it's just easier to get rid of them than to put up with them.
Sylvie Oct 2nd 2010 4:27PM
Dave, I have a problem with free religion when its leaders use their beliefs to justify the imprisonment, abuse and mutilation of women. Islam is not a female friendly religion. All religions are not equal, and some are better than others, regardless of whether you belong to the in group or the out group.
Royal Rican Prince Oct 2nd 2010 3:54PM
Disgusting but no surprise there as these people has no regard to human life!
Gwendolyn Oct 2nd 2010 3:56PM
Marcia, find me a religion that doesn't have extremists. Obviously, you couldn't make a constructive comment without trying to insult. Have you stopped and wondered that it's people with a negative and hateful mindset that causes the problems in the world? I will pray for them...and for you.