This week in DC has been exciting, but also very relaxing and low-key. Most notably, this week marked my momentous breakfast with Congressman Paul Ryan, which was very insightful as well as thought-provoking. It certainly gave me a lot to think about in regards to possibly running for office one day. I suppose the “relaxing and low-key” portions are most applicable to describe this weekend—since they are in the freshest portions of my memory. I began my weekend by watching a movie in Georgetown called “Horrible Bosses”, a comedy about three men who plot to murder each other’s bosses in “criss- cross” fashion because of the terrible—though granted very hilarious, ways their bosses mistreat them. Later that night I explored U-Street a bit more with Emma and my friend Andrew. After a bit of searching, we finally stumbled upon a delicious mexican restaurant (its name escapes me sadly) and chatted and ate for a while. Interestingly, we found ourselves quite heavily enagaged in a heated, but in no way offensive or rude conversation on politics. Though “social etiquette” would deem this an inappropriate subject matter, instead, it was quite a refreshing conversation to hear so many varying thoughts in play. On Sunday, Emma and I (again) as well as some friends from Wellesley went to the movies to watch X-Men: First Class—which surprisingly had many correlations with gay rights movement, disability rights movement, and the civil rights movement. Just as the X-Men are deemed the “mutant” out-group by non-mutated society, out-groups are established in the previously mentioned movements to create justifiable cause for disempowering, disenfranchising, and discriminating against people that are LBGT, with disabilities, or who are of color. To paraphrase a quote from the film, [a CIA agent says regarding to Emma Frost] “She’s a mutant, therefore, the laws of human beings don’t apply to her.” Additional, each movement often juggles two options in terms of combating injustice: assimilation, enacting change through the system OR using force to change the system itself. These two options ultimately create the divide in Erik (Magneto) and Charles (Professor X)’s relationship. Not to turn too much in to a comic book nerd (though X-men is probably my favorite,) but these were just a few thoughts that lingered through the conclusion of this weekend. ☺ In future news, I can’t wait to attend the NCIL rally! Perhaps I’ll be able to meet my congressman, John Lewis! Woo hoo!
-Nicole Tay
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