A Muslim encounter: My time at a Mosque

I visited the Salman Alfarisi Islamic Center in Corvallis last friday afternoon. I have driven by many times, but didn't know it was a mosque. I was surprised by what I found inside.

As people interacted, I noticed a lot of physical contact, whether it was a hug or walking with their arm wrapped around another; the community appeared close-knit and loving.

Upon my arrival, I was directed to the “ladies room” where the women prayed. The entrance to their area was marked as such and was upstairs in a much smaller space than the men’s area.

Judy Russell was kind enough to be my host. She was born to an American Christian family, but has practiced Islam for 32 years. She explained that no one has particular status in their mosque, as is typical for the religion, however, she is one of the longest members of this mosque.

Russell started studying Islam when she attended OSU and took a History of the Middle East class. She always believed in God and when she learned of Muhammad, she made a Declaration of Faith to him and Allah.

“Consciously I was not looking for a religion but subconsciously I was.” Since her commitment to Islam, she said, “I have learned to put my trust in God, in God’s decisions in my life, and I’m learning not to question Him. I don’t have to worry about anything. He is in control.”

The ladies’ space was open, with padded benches that lined the room, and in the center were long Persian-style rugs. They stood on the rugs in a row, shoulder-to-shoulder and foot-to-foot, for ritual prayer requirements. They prayed together and then had the option, Russell explained, for private prayer. “If we want to just sit here and talk to God, we can do that too.”

The prayer room seemed like a place someone had just moved into and not yet decorated. I asked Russell why there was no art on the walls. She said that there are to be no pictures of people or animals on the walls - that would be a sin.

“Creations of the law need not be worshiped or venerated. We don’t use the name of God as art because it’s not art.” However, some forms of calligraphy and geometric designs are allowed.

When I asked why they were praying separate from the men, she gave me an interesting answer. I figured that some of the reason was modesty, but she added that it also limits distraction.

“Women are attracted to men as men are to women, but we’re not here to watch the other bend over.” Since their ritual prayer involves bowing onto their hands and knees, a butt in the air is in poor taste. She said that it was not because women are secondary - if they had a bigger church they would be allowed to pray behind the men.

We discussed their head cover and dress attire. She explained, which I was not aware of before, that the “hijab” refers to the combination of head scarf, attitude, and other items of clothing combined. She explained that all of her hair and neck must be covered at all times when in public or in the presence of non-Muslim men or women.

“We don’t wear it as fashion, we wear it as obedience to Allah.” Around Muslim “sisters” as she called the other ladies of the mosque, or with her direct male family such as dad, brother or grandpa, she does not have to wear it. Even though she admits the attire is hot, she said Muslim women don’t complain about the discomfort because, “It’s not punishment, it’s a test. It’s part of the obedience [to Allah].”

How free we really are: a philosophical approach

Determinism tells us that everything in nature is the result of the cause and effect of preexisting causes. Since everything is predetermined, that is, mapped out for you before birth, then humans have absolutely no free will. With determinism fatalism exists, your death-day has been chosen and you can’t escape it, no matter what you do. In believing determinism, you support the idea of supernatural powers. You would also discredit personal responsibility, believing that if you are doing what you are destined to do, no matter how bad it is, it’s not your fault - you were born that way. Thinkers like Skinner and Freud were determinists. Indeterminism tells us that freedom and responsibility are interchangeable. That humans have the ability to size up a situation, look at the options and choose the one best for them. With indeterminism, the possibility of choice exists and the outcomes are always unknown. It proposes the idea that humans take responsibility for who they are, what they do, and how they live their life - that their life’s map is absolutely not drawn out ahead of time and that we are in the driver’s seat. Thinkers like Aristotle, Sartre and Ellis were indeterminists.

Belief in indeterminism is not for the powerless. It combines common sense and ownership in our lives, and offers a chance for humans to define themselves uniquely based off their individual experiences. It provides empowerment over self that determinism takes away. In contrast to determinism, Sartre proposed that every human is born a blank slate. Character, as he says, is a learned skill in which we gain through practice and study as we would for any subject in school. We choose actions that define our personality and thus determines our character. In simple terms, we are who we choose to be. Bad behavior is the result of someone who doesn’t train themselves to be better, similar to failing a class because you chose not to do any homework.

We must condition ourselves to be the best version of self as possible, and as Aristotle would argue, we are in control of our future regardless of past experience. Freud on the other hand would join the argument with a hard stance that we are not in control of our future. That the past is governing our future, particularly the first five years of a person’s life. He didn’t believe in Sartre’s “blank slate” theory. Freud says that everything we do is buried deep in our psyche and that the unconscious mind is often more powerful than the conscious. His idea of freedom, or lack there of, is based off the Id - deeply buried, irrational and powered by anger; the Ego - principles of reality, accepting limitations to actions in a practical way; and the Superego - where we judge actions as right or wrong striving for moral perfection. The ego, which is the part we show to the world, has defense mechanisms that distorts our reality. In some ways it hides the monster of the Id inside you and presents a more acceptable version of self with the help of the righteous superego. Their conflict could be considered the “voice” inside that we often hear when getting ready to make a decision - should I or shouldn’t I? With the constant conflict of the Id and superego, one an enraged warrior and the other a peaceful protester, we often feel anxiety as a result of the internal conflict. This is why he says that free will is impossible. We are reacting in response to conflict that has both distorted our reality and been decided for us.

Ellis would not agree with Freud. He believes that the mind, as a single vessel, governs emotion. That what we think determines how we feel. It’s not about an internal battlefield between parts of your personality, it’s about your thoughts, your fears, your likes, your dislikes. Your experiences have shaped who you are, not the other way around. Having control over what we do in response to an event is what Ellis would say gives us freedom. He proposes that we rid ourselves of the irrational beliefs that hold us back and replace them with rational ones. It will take effort and work, like acing a final exam, but Ellis would say that we are not predetermined by Freud’s Id, Ego and Superego and instead can change what, and who, we are.

Perhaps the most intriguing theory within the indeterminism realm is Sartre’s existentialism. With existentialism, as he says, existence proceeds essence. That our nature is determined by the actions we choose and that we are completely free at every moment. He suggests that we in fact live life our way, by our rules. As where Freud would say that someone does what they do because of an event that happened to them in their past, Sartre would tell him and if we don’t like something about ourselves that we have the power to change it. He would say that your life gets its meaning from what you do with it. That one of the worst things we can do is act in bad faith, that is, to tell ourselves that we have no choices and that we don’t have to make them. Possibly because Sartre did not believe in God, his theory is centered completely around you taking charge, not a God-like orchestrator.

I like Sartre’s take on freedom in particular. “There is no reality except in action,” our textbook offered as his stance on freedom. I have always felt that reality is what we make of it; our exposure to things, places, people and experiences. Although I am aware that there are social standards and laws that bind me to a social agreement, I like to think that I am free to choose how I will respond to such guidelines. Taking away my personal responsibility, to me, would feel like losing everything that makes me who I am. The idea that every step I take I was supposed to take, and that all choices I make are because I was supposed to make them, doesn’t sit well with me. I have been told all my life that I have a gift to go “where ever my heart takes me.” Perhaps this is why I like Sartre’s philosophical reasoning. At the age of 17, I moved out of state against my parents wishes but with their blessing. I have always had a need to discover and explore, but no matter what has happened I’ve always taken responsibility for where I am, what I am doing, and who I am doing it with. My choices have been my own, often against the suggestion of others, but always because I felt they were the best for me. Without even knowing it, I have been living the way Sartre says we should; if I don’t like something in my life I change it. This has led me to live in several states, has facilitated exotic vacations, has crossed items off my bucket-list, and has created more stories than I could write in a book. And I feel that I personally made all of these things happen. No one knocked on my door and handed me a screenplay of my life, I am writing it myself.

Sure, my exposure growing up with two amazing parents who are supportive and good-natured helped shape who I am. I don’t totally disagree with Freud when he says that childhood shapes adulthood. But what I do disagree with the idea that we can’t ever change what we are. I get frustrated when someone says that they don’t do something because of a bad experience in the past. I get it, we’ve all had bad experiences, but where Sartre got it right is the ability to identify the problem and not use it as a crutch to excuse yourself from ever doing it again. To me, Skinner’s behaviorism, observable events and genetics, doesn’t answer all the questions it provokes. For example serial killers. There have been those that come from “good” families and who have respectable parents and siblings. Assuming that the serial killer and siblings were treated equally and shared experiences, then how do we explain the serial killer? They certainly share genetics with the other members of the family that are not serial killers. Maybe Freud would suggest that the serial killer’s Id overpowered the Superego. I prefer empiricism, that knowledge comes from sensory experiences. In such, Ellis would offer that the serial killer developed their own perceptions based off their own thoughts, shaping their reality with irrational ideas about why they must kill. The serial killer had the freedom to choose, as did the other siblings, and Aristotle would say that the serial killer chose different characteristics that changed their perception of their reality.

Choices and possibilities do exist and that’s why I don’t think determinism is true. If determinism were true, the universe would be fixed - offering no alternatives to anything. There would be one of everything with no other option. Like a salad bar with no toppings. There is always toppings - choices - and we make them all the time, every day. Spontaneity exists, so does responsibility and freedom. Since determinism diminishes these which I do believe in, then I CHOOSE indeterminism.

Mental Health: Awareness in the Month of May

Fifty percent of Americans will meet the criteria for a diagnosable mental condition sometime in their life, according to mentalhealthamerica.net.

In 2013, President Obama proclaimed May as National Mental Health Awareness Month, bringing the issue of mental health to the forefront of our communities. 

"It's important, I think, to be willing to say in our country that our mental health system isn't broken, it doesn't exist," said Mark Weiss, counselor at Linn-Benton Community College.

It may be easy to brush off mental health as "those with a disease," but the fact is, mental health is a condition we all have - some are just healthier than others.

For 20 million college students in the United States, mental health comes in the form of a good social life, positive relationships, low stress, and ability to cope. For many, balancing the stress of growing up, moving out, going to school, and getting a job can be too much to handle. And, they don't always know where to find resources to help.

In the same year that Obama declared mental health an epidemic, LBCC conducted a mental health survey of 235 students. The survey asked specific questions pertaining to anxiety, exhaustion, loneliness, depression and suicide. 

"Although some of the numbers are quite high, they aren't unusual. They are just about the same as national average," said Weiss. "Some of this is shocking, but none of it is unusual, which is possibly the most shocking of all."

In the survey - a National College Health Assessment conducted by American College Health Association - 54 percent of students reported feeling overwhelming anxiety that, at times, prevented them from coming to school. Forty-three percent said they, at one point, felt that things were hopeless, and 11 percent had seriously contemplated suicide.

"The typical college student is someone that has very high anxiety and depression that leads to some behavioral problems," said Weiss. 

The issue surrounding mental health is that if it goes unattended, it often escalates into a disorder that will affect many facets of one's life. For many, a typical response heard growing up is "you'll get over it in time." According to Weiss, this is a dangerous remedy for dealing with your problems.

"Without some help people don't typically ‘just get over it.'"

LBCC has six counselors that try to inform students that stress can cause a snowball effect, melting down their mental well-being. In a series of workshops held on the Albany campus this month, guest speakers were asked to present solutions to life's stressors and how to spin them into a positive experience.

"College in itself is stressful, and can be related to the number of changes in a person's life," said Weiss. "For many people they've never had a job as stressful as being a student."

In the first workshop, on May 15, Stan Mazur-Hart, Ph.D., a psychology professor, presented subjective well-being and what makes people happy. The second workshop, on May 18, featured former LBCC counselor Lynn Bain, who spoke about her experience as a survivor of suicide. She lost her son to suicide and has channeled her pain into a national tour called "When Life Hurts."

The final discussion will be with Greg Jones, Ph.D., a retired psychology instructor from LBCC and founder of the Active Minds club on campus. On May 29, at noon in the Fireside Room, Jones will discuss the three pillars of positive psychology: confession, forgiveness and affirmation.

For most college students, they will encounter a variety of issues that will affect their happiness. Lack of money, car problems, dating struggles, pressures from family, and social stigmas to name a few. Weiss encourages students to reach out to someone when they feel the weight of the world closing in on their shoulders.

"There are plenty of people at LB that don't know where the counseling center is, even though it's at the end of Takena Hall. If they need someone to talk to they can stop in and within a few minutes have someone qualified to help them."

LBCC: Timberhill Athletic Club Voted Best Gym in the Willamette Valley

Timberhill Athletic Club has been helping Benton County stay slim and trim for 35 years.

Randy Huber, general manager and owner, has managed the Corvallis club since it opened in 1980. He has modeled the business with a motto he feels is important to any community.

"Why try for friendliness and cleanliness."

The club offers a range of packages to fit the needs of a single person, family or couple. They pride themselves on comprehensive fitness and strive to keep up with trending workouts and modern equipment.

They offer a plethora of activities for both the young and old. Facilities include: indoor/outdoor pools, basketball courts, racquetball courts, cardio floors, free weights, group exercise, yoga and spin classes. They even offer on-site nutrition, daycare and massage therapy.

With summer around the corner, Timberhill is getting ready to open their outdoor pool. With the unveiling of the pool comes the opening of their concession stand, complete with cold treats like smoothies and snow cones or hot dogs and hamburgers for indulgence. 

"It's a great place to hang out on hot summer evenings," said Huber.

For his older customers, Huber sees a growing interest in pickleball, a game native to Seattle. It's similar to miniature tennis and played with a wiffle-like ball on a court a third the size of basketball. 

"You still have to run around a bit, but it doesn't beat you up like tennis and racquetball."

Many of the staff have been employees for over two decades and are experienced and educated, providing personalized attention to its members.

"We work hard to do what we do. There's a lot of hometown culture built into us." 

When asked how he felt about being voted the best gym in the Willamette Valley by LBCC students, Huber said, "I think we should be! I think it's great and it's a nice honor."

Mad Max Fury Road: Blood, Guts and Barbaric Glory!

Get ready for an action-packed two hours of adventure through barren landscapes dirt, dust, underground tunnels, and fend-for-yourself hard-living hostility.

"Mad Max Fury Road" is the fourth installation of the Mad Max franchise and delivers what it promises: crazed, weird and wacky characters wandering a wasteland in search of a better life. This is the first of the movie franchise to not star Mel Gibson. Instead, English actor Tom Hardy is Max and Charlize Theron joins in the quest as Furiosa.

Filmed in Australia, it offers a scape of openness; sand dunes, rugged mountains and almost no greenery, keeping to the essence of terrain in the first films. With a $150 million budget, "Fury Road" made every penny count and didn't skimp on explosive opportunities. Complete with sand storms, lightning strikes, fires and massive explosions, it even has a glorious twister that, of course, doesn't stop the madness of Max.

Max stumbles upon Furiosa who drives a war-rig for Nux, the land's badest and most barbaric ruler. Fed up with the life Nux forces upon them, she teams up with his bevy of wives - who are the prettiest things in the movie by far - resembling a group of Victoria’s Secret angels prepared to kick some ass in their two-piece grecian goddess-wear. Max becomes chauffeur to the hardcore hotties as they race to freedom with an army of savages in pursuit.

The rescue mission to deliver the ladies to salvation was unplanned. Max ran into them as they just began their  escape, turning the corner when they were pouring water on each other and cutting off their chastity belts. It was a not-so-subtle reminder that Hollywood knows how to sell a testosterone-infused movie of mostly muddy, deformed, and crude men.

The shock value is consistent throughout, starting with Max eating a cute little lizard, alive and squirming, within the first 30 seconds. Continued by Joker-inspired, bondage wearing, guitar playing puppet-men that dangle from wires on the front of the ruler's rig like a Cirque du Soleil act choreographed by Rob Zombie.

"Fury Road" offers little dialog, but enough to explain what is happening. The soundtrack is incorporated well into the action with hard, pounding beats using the sounds of slamming steel, revving motors, rapid gunfire, and screeching guitars. It certainly fits the rage and fury of the road.

There is much creativity in the cars for both Nux's army and the war-rig driven by Furiosa. As would be expected in a post-apocalyptic society, the vehicles are a hodgepodge of twisted metals; monster trucks, tanks, classic cars, semis and farm equipment - all bundled together in one badass battle car. Some have armor resembling a motorized porcupine and others look like warships out of water.

"The pacing, the sound design, the editing, the music, and even the emotional stakes are all so far above average that they make just about any other car-chase movie look like a quaint Sunday drive by comparison," wrote Brian Tallerico, critic for rogerebert.com.

There is little down time and no spots of boredom. "Fury Road" offers heroic adventure, a little bit of love and a lot of action. It's over-the-top in every way as Max helps to free his new friends using every weapon at his disposal. When it comes to a close, the film sets up another installment returning him to his preferred role as a lone wolf.

However, the film is not without message. Between battles, Max's humanness is apparent in flashbacks tastefully woven in from his pre-apocalyptic life and in the encounters with the ghost of his daughter.

Despite the insanity in nearly every scene, George Miller directs to send a message of duty and the sexes. Portraying men as power-driven warriors, the wives stand for anticipation in a better future maintaining hope in the wake of a male dominated, bloodstained world.

"Mad Max Fury Road" is a great fit for the big screen, definitely getting your money's worth at the box office. It's a guaranteed good time - as long as you aren't scared of some blood, guts and barbaric glory!

LBCC: International Student Panel to Exchange Language Basics

The Diversity Achievement Center is hosting Language Tables on campus - a chance to talk with students from another country.

A team of students from Chile, China, India, Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, Korea, Portugal, and the Philippines have signed on for conversations with inquisitive students in the DAC.

"It's a good opportunity for students to expand their mind and make friends," said Richenda Hawkins, library department chair.

At the Language Tables students teach basic phrases from their countries while also learning some from the United States. Some have prepared handouts with their language basics, such as their alphabet.

“The table leaders are very excited about their job and take it very seriously, being prepared with the weekly topic of questions for discussion,” said Kim Sullivan, adviser of Global Connections.  

Engagement at the Language Tables gives international students the opportunity to converse with students whom they may otherwise not approach on their own. It also gives them a chance to connect with others on campus through sharing stories about their homeland.

"It's much more comfortable to approach a total stranger when you understand that you will be chatting with them in this structured scenario," said Hawkins.

Country flags representing each student at the tables are currently on display in the library window.

The idea of the Language Tables came from Bryan Miyagishima, reference and instruction librarian, who heard of something similar at Chemeketa Community College. He thought it would be fun and helpful for international student integration to LBCC campus life.

Miyagishima asked the English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) department and the Global Connections club for help to recruit students. The panels began at the start of spring term.

"I think what we're doing right now is working out the kinks to get something bigger and better next year," said Miyagishima.

The panel will be available from 12:15 to 12:45 p.m. every Tuesday for the rest of the term. Feel free to bring your lunch, feeding your body and mind at the same time.

Anyone wanting to get involved can contact Kim Sullivan at sullivk@linnbenton.edu.

Katherine Miles: 15-year-old college student, business owner and fashion designer

Photo by Marwah Alzabidi

Standing 5-feet-tall and wearing braces, 15-year-old Katherine Miles is a college student, business owner and fashion designer.

Dual enrolled in the PACE program with Scio High School, Miles has three terms under her belt at LBCC. She will graduate with an AAOT and a high school diploma by the age of 17. If all goes as planned, she will then move to one of country's fashion hubs, Los Angeles or New York, to continue her education in design. 

When Miles was 4 years old her grandmother taught her to sew. She had no idea that lesson would change the direction of her life and land her on runways at Fashion Weeks local and abroad.

Nothing about her life is ordinary.

She grew up in a place called Hampton, Ore. with a population of 13. Everyone in the town worked on their farms. There was no civilization for 65 miles in any direction, only a highway that passed through their fields. Her family owned the only restaurant in town, in which all the locals could sit at one table.

"I'm from the land of cowboys and indians, where the West is still wild," she said. 

Miles began working on her family's farm at the age of 7. She also helped serve up customers her mom's fresh baked cinnamon rolls at the family restaurant. She never imagined that sewing doll clothes in her spare time would lead to selling her first wedding dress at the age of 11.

"A lady in the community saw my doll clothes and said, 'I want that in my size.'"

While many brides may scoff at the idea of a seventh grader making the dress they would wear down the aisle, Miles was prepared to prove that she was up for the challenge.

"The fact that she believed in me to make her that beautiful on her wedding day was the most confidence I ever got from anyone."

Her mom, Rebecca Miles, remembers that day.

"She was very confident she could do it. She had no reservations."

Her first customer was happy, and more customers followed suit. She began making prom and party dresses for girls at school. Local grandmothers became repeat customers, buying dresses for their granddaughters. Soon she was online.

"Social media has been my biggest asset in sales."

She expanded her services at Kate's Couture, and began designing dresses for a rent-and-return collection she kept in her bedroom closet.

"I think it's a good option because you still have an option unique and pretty, but you don't have to pay as much for it." 

Last year Miles entered an emerging designers competition in Portland. With 31 other contenders, she was one of two winners. Their prize was a chance to have their creations grace the runway at Portland Fashion Week.

"Portland Fashion Week was something I stumbled across. I had no expectations from it, I just wanted to build a portfolio."

During the week's showcase, she was noticed by scouts recruiting for Vancouver Fashion Week in Canada. After returning home she got an email with an exclusive invitation to the invite-only runway show. 

There was only one problem: it came with a hefty price tag. She called the organizers to see if there was anything they could do to lower the cost. During the call they learned her age and made an exception.

"I got another email that said due to my youth and enthusiasm they would give a 25 percent discount." 

To come up with the money she used her savings, took odd jobs, and sold her horse. She knew that small sacrifices had to be made in the pursuit of the greater good. She gives her mom credit for her determination and ingenuity. 

"I really respect her for teaching us if we want something bad enough, we'll get it."

Miles got what she wanted.

This March, she traveled to Vancouver and took the stage at Fashion Week. At the show, reporters from the Vogue, Elle and The Huffington Post wanted to talk to the budding designer.

"I had no idea, but designers are kind of the royalty behind it. I thought it would be the models, but really, people want to meet the designer."

Her mom watched proudly as Miles mingled with industry elite while models paraded in her clothes.

"I never cease to be amazed that it's something she thought up and made. And then to see it on the runway; it's just crazy." 

Miles creates many of her designs from clothes she finds at thrift stores. She feels there's a romance in refurbishing and refreshing them, transforming them into an original work of art. She describes her style as, "Vintage inspired whimsy. Timeless, but exciting."

"I love the history of the fabrics and the stories hidden in the seams. I have so much fun thinking about the excitement of a young girl going to prom, or a bride who is about to walk down the aisle. It’s like the fabric never loses those emotions, and if you are willing to listen, they can’t wait to tell you. I love that those garments and their memories can live on in the dresses I make, and it’s definitely something I plan to incorporate throughout my career."

She shops for new fabrics to intertwine with the old, uniting them as her visions come to life. Her passion for fabric has been lifelong, according to her mom.

"She always loved fabrics. She would sleep with fabrics instead of teddy bears."

When Miles creates, it's most important to her that people feel happy and youthful in her clothes.

"I want an adult to put on a dress and feel like a 5-year-old playing dress up."

She estimates that one dress can take 30 hours to complete. Sometimes she remakes a dress multiple times until she feels it's perfect.

This May, she will travel to L.A. as a semifinalist for the first season of Project Runway Junior. If she makes the show, she will spend five weeks there this July competing for the crown on the spinoff of Bravo's hit show.

But she's keeping her guard up.

"If they want me to start crying and yell at people, then I don't need them." 

Her mom will travel with her and pay close attention to the expectations of the reality TV show.

"I think Project Runway is a little different, as it really appreciates the craft. So as long as it celebrates the craft that's okay."

Miles is keeping her options open for her future. 

"I'm not into rules, so as long as I'm creating I'll be happy. I would love a little boutique with haute couture."

Her mom has no doubt of Miles' ability to achieve her dreams.

"She loves to make people feel beautiful. I would never say that the fashion industry doesn't scare me, but Katherine has a lot of common sense and she knows who she is."