A windy day with the Skellys

On the last weekend in September I was fortunate enough to meet up with the family of one of my closest friends from school.

I met Mr. and Mrs. Skelly and Sara and Todd for lunch at a historic tavern near the White House and then we strolled over to the new MLK memorial.

I was really excited to be able to visit the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial so shortly after it had opened- before it's dedication even!

The memorial is in a gorgeous location, right across the pond from the Jefferson Memorial (some might call it the Jameson....)

And I was really impressed by the design and organization of the whole thing. Dr. King's figure emerges from a large stone with a quote

"Out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope"

The symbolism is incredible, I found it really beautiful.

Then all around the site are some of his best quotes. It was awesome.

And although everyone here talks about this weather with disdain, I LOVE IT!

I love some good rain and some crisp wind.

And of course, it was amazing seeing the Skelly family! Just to catch up and wander around and have some familiar faces around was really nice for me.

This family has a really special place in my heart, they've always been so supportive and kind and I really appreciate our friendship!

State Department Briefing

This is just a short paper I wrote for class that I wanted to share: 

 Jane Moshbacher briefed the LCWS students about her work in the Office of Counterterrorism Coordination in the State Department building. Moshbacher spoke about today’s terror threats and the ways in which the Office of Counterterrorism Coordination is combating them while working with the Departments of Defense, Treasury, and Justice within the State Department.  

Moshbacher opened by talking about the Counterterrorism Coordination’s new strategy more narrowly targets the threat of Al-Qaeda, specifically its senior leadership, most of whom are in Pakistan. She noted that Pakistan anti-terrorism efforts have been of major help over the last ten years and Al-Qaeda has lost a lot of influence and many resources. She also mentioned, however, that as Al-Qaeda has lost resources it has grown more geographically and ethnically diverse.  

She then spoke about Al-Qaeda’s affiliates like Al-Qaeda of the Arabian Peninsula who were responsible for the “underwear bomber” attack on the United States in 2009 and were the first of Al-Qaeda’s affiliates to attack the U.S. Al-Qaeda of the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) was weakened, said Moshbacher, by the death of Anwar al-Awlaki. Al-Awlaki was an American and effectively influenced many other Americans with his radical ideas.  

Moshbacher noted that many terrorist organizations thrive because of leaders like al-Awlaki who are able to relate to their audiences. Just as Rischard said that terrorism has “sought refuge in failed states” terrorism also seeks refuge in disheartened persons who feel they have no other choice (Rischard 96). For recruitment, terrorism plays on people when they are feeling weakest and without hope. In this sense, one might say our speaker would take an anti-cosmopolitan view as she seemed to believe that “reason is a product of particular cultures and circumstances” (Shapcott 56) especially when she expressed that terrorists are generally not crazy and they are just people like everyone else who become caught up in what they think is the only ration approach left. 

One of the Counterterrorism Coordination’s best weapons is combating this way of thinking by presenting potential members with other lines for thinking. The State Department has a special team specifically designed to combat this process online through social networking. For example, there are now officials on Twitter and Youtube that can immediately counterstrike terrorist recruiters online by exposing their lies and giving readers other options. If readers are getting both sides of the story they are less likely to be entrapped by charismatic anti-American bloggers, video posters or tweeters. Our speaker believes our generation has the potential to transform counterterrorism with the use of the technology that makes our world so much smaller and more accessible. She stated that it is important to disprove terrorist claims that “change only comes from violence.”  

Moshbacher told the group that one of “the primary pillars in counter terrorism is trying to diminish the drivers of terrorism.” Their goal at the Counterterrorism Coordination Office is to “de-legitimize the violent narrative, present alternatives and build partner capacity to help.” This is where she tied in the United State’s ambitions for democracy in other countries. She said we have much to gain in our engagements abroad because “democracy increases the space for peaceful descent and helps fight violence.” If people have a safe place to criticize their government they feel more empowered to fix things in a diplomatic way rather than a violent one.  

The brief ended with a question and answer session in which our speaker took questions from the students. Many led to the elaboration of the aforementioned topic. A key part of the last section was when Moshbacher clarified the difference between radicalism and religiosity. She was firm in the notion that although throughout the Middle East there are a handful of radical madrasas (or schools) they are not the way of every madrasa and a radical Islamist is not every Islamist. She said “we would never want to eradicate the role religion plays in the lives of others, it’s a matter of educating people out of radicalism.” 

This beautiful place

Here are some sites from around town. Some non-touristy sites.

I love DC. DC has character.

A little book store in Eastern Market: FILLED top to bottom. Literally.

Art at the farmer's market

Georgetown

And for you Dad, the JAMESON Memorial from across the pond

Extras:

Apart from the plethora of LCWS/ CAIR related blessings, this city and this semester has brought a refreshing breeze of people from different parts of my life. I've been able to meet up with people I've really been missing.

Here's a quick highlight:

Margaux! My best friend from my semester in Egypt! She lives in South Carolina but is an avid Capitols fan (the DC hockey team). This being the case, she tries to swing by a few times a season, which is quite a happy chance for me =) I'd only been missing her every second since the night we dropped her off at the Cairo airport last December. There was no one on the earth happier than I was the day we reunited!!

I've also been very lucky to have become a kind of honorary member of the Skelly family. Caitlin Skelly was my roommate my sophomore and junior year in college and one of my best friends at school. I met up with her family to go see the MLK Memorial and Washington Monument. They live in PA and her sister and brother-in-law live in DC. It was a cold day but we had such a fun time wandering around and catching up.

Bobby and Lyndsay were classmates of mine in Cairo! Lyndsay is here working for a senator and Bobby has some kind of cool secret government job. We've been able to meet up a few times and reminisce about our wonderful time abroad.

And this is my adorable Sara Smith. We met a couple years ago at USC through our mutual friend James. When I was abroad she was living in Australia and then galavanting around so I hadn't seen her in more than a year! She just moved to DC with her twin sister. Rachel and I met her at one of our favorite farmer's markets East of the Capital and explored and caught each other up on the insane past year we'd both had. We were having too much fun and forgot to take a picture together but here's my cute girl. She has a portable mustache, basically because she's awesome.

Saudi National Day

Last friday CAIR was invited to a party at the Saudi embassy for their National Day. It's like the Saudi counterpart to our Fourth of July- the day King Abdul Aziz Bin Abdul Rahman al-Faisal al-Saud united the country in 1932.

The invitation was passed around the office and after a while my boss announced she'd like to go, and asked me if I wanted to come. Well of COURSE! Free food? Free party hosted one of the richest countries in the world? Yes please. My favorite food, and for FREE. Yes. I'll go.

It was an awesome party, more extravagant than I expected even. The embassy itself is gorgeous, beautiful pictures from different parts of Saudi, woven Islamic calligraphy, models of the Dome of the Rock and Mecca and tapestries. Modern and folk arabic music bellowing throughout the rooms. And then there were the buffets; loaded with ever imaginable delicious Middle Eastern concoction... ever. Like a full goat. And an entire table with basically only baklava on it.

My favorite part of the event was all the different ways people dressed up. There were decorated officers in all their military guard and women wearing extravagant gowns. And there were men in suits, Saudi teenagers wearing Farari T-shirts (just like always, eh?), men in galabias, women wearing naqab, men wearing the traditional Saudi head turbans; and my favorite were the little kids =) All dressed up and ready to go.

It was such a sight to see and I was so honored to have been there. They even sent us with a parting gifts: a glass paperweight with the image of the Middle East from space. I'll honestly treasure it forever. It's going to be my favorite centerpiece when it gets home.

I don't know what it is about arab culture, but I can't be made happier when I'm around it. I guess I must love the contrast between it and what I'm used to. I love to watch the ways in which it fits into "modern" and western life too; a juxtaposed, dissonant beautiful mixing of two worlds.

Most of all though I know it's because of the memories the music and the smells and the outfits invoke for me. I always think of Egypt and the time I spent there. How can I not be blissfully happy when reflecting upon some of the happiest moments of my life? =)

Ilhamdulillah, life is so good.

Fanciful Friday

I'm not a graceful or particularly lucky person, but sometimes, rarely, I have a day in which everything goes perfectly. Perfectly.

I woke up after a perfect night's sleep, had some coffee, made myself an omelette and headed to work. At work I was able to concentrate, I organized a little bit, made some calls and actually CLOSED my first case. The letter was mailed and Mr. So and So's company knows now that they're under our watchful eye. If Mr. So and So is prevented from practicing his religion freely again they will have a lawsuit on their hands. I'm not one for threatening or aggressive language but I must admit I really do like writing these letters. I like that our organization is able to be the voice of people who need our help. I like that we are legitimate in the legal world and I like that we get things done.

No one should be afraid of being exactly who they are. No one should be prevented from performing their religious rituals if they're not hurting anyone. No one should be told that what they are is wrong or threatening or evil.
I'm happy to stand for the rights that our country is based upon but so easily forgets.

And I'm honestly so happy to be doing real work. I haven't fetched coffee once or made a single copy. I have a ton of responsibility, and I love it. It's surprising to me, but I really do love it. I feel accomplished at the end of the day which is stark contrast to how I would feel at the end of the day at the library.



So around 1 I brought something to my boss's office and she says "I'm going to Jummah, do you want to come?" Jummah is sometimes called "friday prayer." It's basically a Muslim church service. There's an opening prayers and a congregation and a speaker (and Imam) and a congregation and everything. So I went with her to "the hill."

No big deal, we'll just will go into the Capitol Building.

Every friday they hold a service downstairs in the Capitol Building. You get an "official business visitor" badge and meet with the others downstairs. I became really emotional during the service because it reminded me so much of my time in Cairo. The room wasn't like Cairo or anything and the congregation was totally diverse, but the call to prayer was flawless. It always makes me a little misty eyed. I still remember the first one I heard. And the ones we listened to while we watched the sun go down in Cairo and Luxor. It just is inherently beautiful to me because of the memories it invokes. And the fact that the man singing usually has such a thick, haunting voice. The one on friday was beautiful.

The crowd was African-American and Arab and Caucasian and Hispanic and red blooded American and fresh off the boat. Most of the men wore business suits and were on lunch break but a few were in traditional African shirts and a few wore Kufi prayer caps. The women had modern and traditional vails. (my boss dresses so beautifully, she is very trendy).

The Imam's message was one I wish every bigoted or biased person could here. One I think many Americans would be surprised to hear from a Muslim just because they've never given one a chance. He thanked Allah for America. He thanked him for our strength and guidance in Afghanistan. He thanked the men and women who fight to protect our country and asked that the congregation continue to pray for the leaders of America.

And he said "don't forget our Jewish and Christian brothers and sisters who are together with us in prayer."

I don't think he changed the message just because one little white girl walked in, I think he believes these things. And I think he loves America. I know a profound amount of Muslims who do.

The Wind Down

This summer produced a lot of good memories. Living in T.O. and working was a challenge and at times very lonely, but overall I really had a fabulous summer. And learned a lot about prioritizing and saving and that obscure place they call "the real world."

The last few weeks were refreshingly simple and good natured. I was with my family and the friends in the first place I really considered my home.

Here are some highlights:

Sara, one of my best friends since high school, is working on the Kern River as a tour guide and took us on a trip when our good friend James came down with some of his friends from school.

I got to spend two beautiful weeks just with my family. The first portion was spent in San Diego and the second we stayed in a cabin in Lake Arrowhead, a long time favorite of Mom and Dad's. This is a picture of Andrew taking some snap shots from a fire look in the San Bernardino mountains. On a clear day you can see almost all of California.

Reunions with some of the Dear Elizas (that means my gorgeous choir girls from high school)

I got to spend some time with Alyssa before she moved to Nebraska for school and even Charles came up from San Diego!

Gina, Melanie and I helped Monavie out with a photo shoot of her original designs!

Melanie and I ran away to the beach

The family at the San Diego Wild Animal Park