I've written pretty extensively about my horror, anger, and fear at the American attempts at a Muslim ban and its various iterations. But aside from the practical shortcomings and moral depravity of such an attempt, there was always another layer of outrage towards it: How the hell can they make the visa process any harder … Continue reading Max Weber should have lied
Tag: politics
DAMN., Goddamn.
At some point I need to admit to myself that there are so many articles about music I can get published before people start getting annoyed at me. I'm no music critic; I'm not even an upstart music industry/related field major - I'm just an upstart politics student whose entire conception of life is framed … Continue reading DAMN., Goddamn.
The old Lie
I imagine the hardest part of living through a war is not being able to see the enemy as anything but just that; an enemy. I imagine the other hardest part of living through a war is realizing you had no stake in it until your way of living was turned into a small pile … Continue reading The old Lie
A post written in poem
as a child i listened to The Cranberries singing anthems i could not grasp for Salvation & for Zombies, as Odes to my Family & to Saving Grace; i am 21 & my heart aches as it connects the dots a five year old in her father's car could not. i cry for the Warchild, … Continue reading A post written in poem
Long note: honest despair
I realize my last few blog posts have been a little more depressing than I usually put out. I try and imbue optimism in everything I write, because there's enough sadness going around without me adding to it. And yet, here I am. I forced myself to take a social media hiatus after some encouragement … Continue reading Long note: honest despair
Stranger in a Strange Election
I make no secret of how invested I am in American politics. No matter how you look at it, the entire world is affected by American policymakers (much to my chagrin - I am nothing if not a proud denouncer of American exceptionalism) and considering I live in the United States, partake in this country's … Continue reading Stranger in a Strange Election
Shame and retrospect
I don't like admitting to it but I was frankly far more imbued in the Western than I was in the local growing up in Pakistan. American cartoons, British books, English music - hell, even Japanese media - were a staple of my early life far more so than my own culture or the immediacy … Continue reading Shame and retrospect
I got off the armchair
My grandfather passed away when I was 14 years old. I may not have been as close to him as my brother was but I’d like to think my dada – Urdu for grandfather – was privy to the moment every star in my figurative sky aligned and made me recognize what I wanted from … Continue reading I got off the armchair
Short note: Musings on make up
If you follow me on any kind of social media, chances are you'll see some variation of the following, "I like politics and make up." Granted, sometimes the variations are very varied, but the point remains the same: I have two great loves in the world and those are politics and make up, or international relations … Continue reading Short note: Musings on make up
Open Letter to Pakistani voters
I'm going to list this in bullet points rather than prose form because I don't want to forgo my rationality in favor of digression. I'm so, so happy about the fact that people are promoting the importance of voting. Especially in a country like Pakistan, we need people who will actually vote, if only to remind … Continue reading Open Letter to Pakistani voters