[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 52 (Monday, April 13, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E468]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         NAIMAH SARWAR'S ESSAY

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                            HON. PETE OLSON

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, April 13, 2015

  Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I am privileged to interact with some of the 
brightest students in the 22nd Congressional District who serve on my 
Congressional Youth Advisory Council. I have gained much by listening 
to the high school students who are the future of this great nation. 
They provide important insight into the concerns of our younger 
constituents and hopefully get a better sense of the importance of 
being an active participant in the political process. Many of the 
students have written short essays on a variety of topics and I am 
pleased to share them with my House colleagues.
  Naimah Sarwar attends Pearland High School in Pearland, Texas. The 
essay topic is: in your opinion, what role should government play in 
our lives?

       I come from a household where there is one rule I have 
     learned from observation when it comes to discussing 
     politics: DON'T. I remember countless times after dinner 
     parties, where my dad would walk out of the parlor where the 
     men would sit to drink tea. Instead of looking like he had 
     just enjoyed a steaming cup of chai, he looked like he had 
     walked out of a war zone. ``Three hours,'' he would say, much 
     to my amusement. ``They've been pointlessly arguing about 
     politics for three hours.'' Instead of simply agreeing to 
     disagree they created a vicious cycle of destructive and in 
     my opinion, hilarious conversation. I have always been 
     obstinately opinionated but rather than joining the 
     conversation, I always chose to remain the casual observer. 
     Why go to the trouble of arguing against someone who would 
     always disagree with you?
       But I believe that is the root of the problem when it comes 
     to American involvement in the political process. We have 
     become complacent. We have become detached. We have become 
     scared to raise our voices. We live in one of the greatest 
     democracies in the world. However, I think that sometimes 
     politicians and constituents alike forget what that means. 
     They forget that as citizens, it is up to us to speak up for 
     what we believe in, and that politicians have a duty to 
     represent those beliefs. The American public needs to be 
     reassured of the strength of its political efficacy because 
     that is what makes our government tick.
       After attending Texas Girls' State this summer I made 
     several wonderful friends, who encouraged me to speak up 
     about my opinions. Although we might not agree with each 
     other when we argue about healthcare reform or foreign 
     policy, which embarrassingly enough makes up our ``girl 
     talk'', we are friends. We agree to disagree. Oftentimes 
     people feel as though their ideas and solutions are so 
     central to their identities that they must defend their 
     beliefs as though defending themselves. I have not only 
     become self-assured enough to share my opinions, but open to 
     hearing the disagreement of others. It is important for 
     people to care about the state of their government, and we 
     must break through the stigma that it is a taboo topic. 
     Bipartisanship not be considered rare. Conversations need to 
     continue. Ideas need to be shared. Although one voice can't 
     swing an election, or pass a law, it can make a difference.

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