The Harvard Independent

 

Retaining religious identity amidst the temptations of college life.

“You know, there’s many young men like you that I have seen over the years, and they all say the same thing: that they are ready to go out on their own. It’s a different world out there, and they come back, having changed.”  I looked at my doctor, not sure what to make of his advice.

It was the summer before college, and I was getting my annual check-up. I was not, however, prepared for getting life advice from my doctor. Harvard was only a couple of months away, and I was excited. My doctor’s warning seemed to kill all of that excitement. I left the hospital that day, deep in thought, wondering — as I had done so many times in the last few months — how college life would really be. What I hadn’t expected was how hard it would be to reconcile religion and social life in college.

Flash forward to the first few weeks of school. All I am hearing about is some kind of “dance” for the freshmen class, Rush Hour. I had made new friends already, and they too were interested in figuring out what all the commotion was about. However, I was apprehensive; I was not the type to go out during the weekends and had no idea what to expect.

Flashing lights greeted me inside the dance floor. “Party Rock” was pounding my ears. Bodies were moving, swaying, and molding everywhere.  It was surreal. It was intoxicating, exotic, and made my skin tingle. The music pulled me in, and the excitement held onto me.  I was hooked, and I knew it. I realized at that moment how difficult it would be to retain my identity as a Muslim in a world without parental oversight and with so much temptation.

Being Muslim means that I do not have many of the privileges of the typical American teenager. As a Muslim, I should pray five times a day and fast during the month of Ramadan. My parents, being very religious, have always been strict with my siblings and me. I can’t be out too late, unlike some of my friends. Drinking is forbidden. Dating is unacceptable. Phone calls from female friends would have my mother questioning my relationship with them. My mother expects me to work hard and study; if I were back at home, I would never be out at 1 a.m.

I’m not the only one who faces this dilemma; many other freshmen share my concerns.  College is a different world —there are no mothers to tell you to clean your room or fathers to make sure you’re at home in the night. In this new world, one is no longer a child but an adult. There is more freedom. Temptation is everywhere, and this makes it particularly difficult for freshmen who, coming from strict households, have never had such freedom.

But this freedom has also taught me about responsibility.  After Rush Hour, I have made it a priority to deal with my religious, educational, and work commitments before anything else. As of now, my doctor has not been completely right about college changing me. Even though I go out a bit more, I’m still very much the same person. I continue to practice my religion and work hard to accomplish my dreams.

Anonymous ’15 can be contacted at independent1969@gmail.com.

 

A commitment to fiscal consistency and the rise of the American economy.

First, it is important to note that the presidential election is not about race, religion, socioeconomic level or marital status. It is about what will be best for the United States of America in the years to come. Second, track records matter. Actions speak louder than words, and so the true value of any candidate should be measured first by what he or she has done, and then by what he or she will do. Third, Americans need to learn to prioritize. Instead of hanging their hopes on a fictitious political savior who merely runs a campaign of ‘Change’ and ‘Hope’ rather than taking concrete action, they should be focusing on what really matters: money and national defense (in all of its forms). Everything else needs to take a backseat.

Before the economic crisis began, Congressman Paul was one of the loudest voices that warned the rest of Congress of what was about to take place. As the crash approached, he was heavily criticized by the establishment media and even by many of his fellow Republicans because he would not back down from his warnings about where big government policies were leading America. When those predictions came true, however, the President and leaders in Congress used the economic chaos as an excuse to expand government intervention and power on an unprecedented level. Congressman Paul believes that excessive spending, artificial credit, and market manipulation crashed our economy, and no one should be surprised that these same policies continue to prolong the suffering for millions of Americans. His solution to this is manifold. First, he plans to veto any unbalanced budget Congress sends to his desk. Second, he will refuse to raise the debt ceiling so politicians can no longer spend recklessly. Third, he will fully audit (and then end) the Federal Reserve System, which has enabled the more than 95% reduction of what our dollar can buy and continues to create money out of thin air to finance future debt. Congressman Paul claims these policies will allow the worth of the United States Dollar in relation to foreign currency to grow and hopefully return our currency to its former strength.

As for national defense, Congressman Paul believes that there is nothing more important than a strong United States of America. The country was strong once, and can be strong once again if steps are taken in the next term. As an Air Force veteran, Ron Paul believes national defense is the single most important responsibility the Constitution entrusts to the federal government. His plans on national defense center mainly around a simple concept: the United States is not the world’s police. Mull that over for a moment. Acting as the world’s policeman and nation-building weakens our country, puts our troops in harm’s way, and sends precious resources to other nations in the midst of an historic economic crisis at home. The way things stand, taxpayers are forced to spend billions of dollars each year to protect the borders of other countries, while Washington refuses to deal with our own border security needs. As president, Congressman Paul will make securing our borders the top national security priority and avoid unnecessary long and expensive land wars that bankrupt our country. If and when war becomes necessary, unlike some of his predecessors, he will follow the guidelines written in the Constitution, asking Congress to declare war before starting one.

Ron Paul is the right choice for America for a number of reasons, but mainly because, despite the fact that he is a Republican, he does not particularly care for partisan politics, and instead directs his focus towards what will be best for the country that he loves, the country that he risked his life for, and the country that he plans to serve to the best of his capabilities for years to come. A vote for Ron Paul in 2012 declares a love for America and a hope to see our nation reclaim economic stability and confidence on the world’s stage.

Anonymous ‘1776 is a true patriot and will undoubtedly vote for Ron Paul in the upcoming election.

 

Want to come? Fill out this Google form.

Calendar

February 2012
S M T W T F S
« Jan    
 1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
26272829  

Comp the Indy!

We meet every Thursday at 8:00 PM in the Boylston Mezzanine (right above Ticknor Lounge). Come visit! We don't bite! If you want to find out more, contact us and indicate you're a comper – we'll send you information ASAP!

© and ® The Harvard Independent, Inc., 1969-2012.