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Nodi Khan

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Category:

Life

Kyle Rittenhouse Verdict
FeaturedLifeMomentsStories

Kyle Rittenhouse Verdict

It’s hard to even start this post. The verdict ruled today revealed many ugly truths about not only our judicial system but our country as well.

The fact still stands that a murderer crossed state lines, entered a populated environment with a gun, and shot three people. Undeniable drone footage shows him committing these atrocious acts, and yet he walks free.

There is a lot to unpack in this case. There is the fact that the judge refused the prosecution to refer to those shot by Kyle Rittenhouse as “victims.” But the defense was allowed to refer to these two dead men and one fatally wounded man as “arsonists,” “looters,” “rioters.” There is the fact that the prosecution wasn’t allowed to zoom in on a video, because the judge was convinced it was a digital alteration. The fact that Rittenhouse’s involvement with the “Proud Boys” (a white nationalist hate group) was rendered not acceptable for use in the case, despite the obvious racially charged motives he possessed. There is also the extremely inconsiderate Asian food joke made by Schroeder in the middle of the trial. I can’t comprehend how you can make any sort of joke in the courtroom of families with dead sons.

It should be known that the prosecution itself was not perfect. There were flaws and inefficiency in some of the arguments but these shortcomings pale in comparison to the grand scheme of things.

Ultimately, the trial boiled down to a question of self-defense.

And this question is ultimately what gave the unimaginable leeway for a murderer to walk free.

America’s fixation with self-defense is ridden with racial biases and political agendas. “Self-defense” is what is used to justify policemen killing unarmed black men. “Self-defense” is used to justify the use of absolute and lethal force, taking away mothers and fathers and leaving their children without a parent. Today, “Self defense” is used to protect the privilidged few from the consequences of their horrific actions. 

It seems that “self-defense” is a one-way street and statistics on the overwhelming presence of racial bias in such cases reflect this.

Although the victims of Rittenhouse were all white, self-defense still remains a one-way street. After witnessing Rittenhouse shoot Joseph Rosenbaum, Anthony Huber attempts to apprehend the fatal shooter and he himself is shot. However, is this not also self-defense? What about when Gaige Grosskreutz, after being held at gunpoint, attempts to wrestle the gun from Rittenhouse’s hands? Is this also not self-defense? Why are these and similar cases of “self-defense” twisted to suit one narrative: granting one person the right to protect themselves, when that same right isn’t equally extended to others?

There is a lot to discuss in regards to the content of this trial and its nauseating outcome though what stands out the most is the very apparent and serious pitfalls in our judicial system. My condolences and sincere support go out to the victims’ families and I can only hope for the healing of their hearts.

November 19, 2021 0 comment
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Lunar New Year
LifeMomentsStories

Lunar New Year

I approached the silky gown with the caution of a bomb defuser, pinching the fabric as though too much human contact would cause it to dissipate.

With the hue of cotton candy, equally as bright as delicate, I pinch the cloth, trying to minimize the times I touch it. Like a prism, the fabric converts the ambient glow of my yellow kitchen lights into the blurred rays of a nighttime carnival.

The gown feels less like clothing and more of a second skin: gifted to me by my mother and tied with a matching magenta ribbon. Unfolding the drapery feels just like untying a bow- succinct and graceful until the original silhouette hangs.

The mission to slick my hair is equally as poised- my black hair stretched out into a thick string of inky dough, before twisted and twirled into an even bun. A blend of hair oils and serum acts as the glaze, flattening stray hairs until my hair sits taut and pulled back, neatly pleated to match the outline of my dress.

Getting ready had turned my body into a moving prototype of glass, where I carried myself with a cautious fragility, but I also brought a glittering skip in my step with me. As I kneeled gently for a family photo, I felt the moon rise in the center of my chest.

I tell my experience like this because the emotions that I underwent during this lunar celebration could only be described in the unsaid process of creation- the naturalistic and simplistic procedure of where each step is equally as necessary as intuitive.

My theory is that the world has never operated in words. “Show, not tell” is not just a commandment of writing but rather natural law, and anything else feels interruptive. It’s difficult for a single word to match the intensity of an emotion, but it’s easy to find read pages encapsulating a single feeling.

This is the sole reason why unsaid glances exist- the implications of unspoken movements, tones and atmosphere say what the human language limits us on. It’s not necessarily something one can document but feel.

Emotions aren’t tangible: they are the thin strings woven into a thousand thread rope.

February 7, 2021 0 comment
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FeaturedLifeMoments

Don’t let yourself forget

We sometimes have the tendency to give our memory more credit than it deserves. The human body naturally overlooks things, dims the vibrancy of previous life events, and allows for major occurrences to fade from the mind. Once the anticipation, fear, and excitement dissipate, a memory loses its position at the forefront of your mind. This is normal, of course, but that doesn’t mean it’s unavoidable. 

If the issue circulates around the idea that we don’t recall things as well as we should, then the only plausible solution would be to give our brains a well-deserved refresher. 

Nowadays especially, it is more important than ever to reflect and remind yourself of happier times. Looking at old pictures, videos, and clips will remind you of the better times that existed outside of now. They’ll also remind you of what’s to come in the future. For me personally, allotting a set amount of time each day to dedicate towards simply recalling sunnier days is what keeps me motivated and happier. Everyone should, once in a while, take time to appreciate the good things that they have experienced. Not just the memory itself, but the sensory stimulants, the emotion attached to it, and the visuals. Don’t just remember what happened that day, but the warmth of the sun on your skin, the speed your heart would beat, and the hue of the sky as well.

September 17, 2020 0 comment
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FeaturedLifeNature

Why humans love the beach

There’s a specific reason why swaths of crowds swarm the beach every summer.  Humans are naturally attracted to oceans, shores, and large bodies of water. In fact, it’s embedded in our survival instincts to pursue areas with loud, crashing waves and deep waters. As humans evolved from apes, they moved from forests and settled on nearby beaches and rivers all the while maintaining a marine diet. This diet of fish, clams, and crabs provided a surplus of omega-3 fatty acids which were necessary to promote brain cell growth. Scientists have also discovered a link between the amount of fish consumed in ounces per week and rates of depression. It seems as though our attachment to the ocean is rooted deep within our intrinsic nature to obtain abundance and secure survival. Phenomenons such as these go to show that although the human race has evolved exponentially far from our primate ways, humans will still find a way to enjoy the simple, basic beauties of life.

September 10, 2020 0 comment
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FeaturedLife

How to Heal

How do we deal with this? With everything that’s going wrong, it’s as if every member of humanity has been put under a curse that refuses to leave us alone. It’s painful to wake up every morning and be bombarded with crisis after crisis. What do we have to do to cope? How can we make it go away?

Unfortunately, there’s no right answer to that question. 

And me especially, I cannot give you that answer. Only you know yourself best, only you can figure out what works best for you. 

So what can I offer you?

Realities.

Things that we forget, understandably, and things we have to remember, especially now.

The first reality is that humans were assembled to adapt and to change accordingly to a changing environment. The human race has a remarkable talent to alter itself nearly at will- from a fluctuating body mass to varying levels of flexibility and strength. The human body and mind innately evolve depending on the sort of initiative taken. That means essentially, we change ourselves in order to make our lives easier. This sort of adaptation is perhaps a lengthy process but it indefinitely occurs.  Whatever foreign and unexpected circumstance you are enduring as of now will be just an old obstacle in the future.

The second reality is that humans are persevering in nature. This phenomenon is called the Hedonistic Treadmill. Essentially, it states that when major events occur, either positive or negative, humans will relatively quickly regain their normal sustained levels of happiness. In other words, humans are brilliant at recovery. The pain that most of us are tolerating right now is temporary. As cliche as it sounds, things will improve, either with our environment changing or ourselves. Nothing painful is eternal. 

The third reality is that humans are naturally gifted to deal with so many problems that overwhelm us. Each of us possess our own desires, skills, communications and needs. Some of us require a routine to feel in control. Others need to schedule blocks of time to relinquish that control. As unique, individual beings, we have our own methods and special ways of getting through absolutely anything. All of us are in essence, an unstoppable force. It is embedded in our psyche to heal. 

August 26, 2020 0 comment
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Swings
LifeMoments

Swings

When I was younger, the swings were my vice on the playground. I loved the gentle rocking of the motions, the wind rushing past my calves, and the rhythmic squeak of iron chains. But I despised the eclipse that would occur when I soared too high when the pit of my stomach expanded until it felt like I was being swallowed up whole.

Today, I embarked on those swings again: and the pit of my stomach still dipped, folding over and flipping itself like a falling pancake.

It is a good thing.

Your stomach’s “pit” is what makes the world’s colors seem brighter, what keeps your head refreshing, it is one of the sensations that separates your today from your yesterday.

Call it fear, adrenaline, or adventure, but the lively nature of the pit should be fed daily. Ironically, it is the hollow abyss that fits itself right beneath our belly buttons that keeps us from feeling empty.

The pit is metaphysical- It is not to be fed with tangible, sporadic motions like the simple presence of riding on swings but rather with the experience of things that one cannot get used to-

A confrontation, a risky menu choice, a different route back home. Everyone carries a different pit.

The pit for me, just for today, was the swings.

And after over twelve years, I’m happy to know that my pit is nowhere close to being full.

June 15, 2020 0 comment
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Why The Trees Change Color in Fall
FeaturedLifeNature

Why The Trees Change Color in Fall

So I just published my book on Amazon titled “Why the Trees Change Color in Fall“, I have been working on this story since the US President Election of 2016, I was so depressed in seeing all the ugliness of our world, all the divisions and the hate among each other, I just couldn’t understand how as a society we were moving backwards, after all the wars and ugly history of our planet.

I wanted create a story that could be read and shared by anyone, a story that had hope, diversity, acceptance, inclusion and an inspiration to stay true to yourself and never change but be yourself always wherever life takes you. I took inspirational from His Holiness the XIVth Dalai Lama from an Aspiration Prayer –

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June 7, 2017 5 comments
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looking inside our hearts
FeaturedLifeMoments

looking inside our hearts

The photo above was taken by my father at the Socrates Sculpture Park in Long Island City. Art pieces here rotate monthly, featuring new works and different artists for people to discover.

The sculpture I’m standing beneath is by Nari Ward. It features a large upside down heart, made up scraps of rusty copper, hanging from a tall, red metal frame. Inside this copper heart is a bell you can ring. The noise it produces is nothing short of something magical and fantasy-like, soft jingles echoing from the depths of the inside of the heart and flowing outside. Like a heartbeat. When I shook the bell, I didn’t grab on to the string and shake it. I didn’t wildly swing the thread upwards. I didn’t shove the bell harshly. Instead, I gave it a very gentle tap. But that small gesture caused ripples of sound, and it let me know that something was inside the heart. I think that the whole structure of this artwork is an accurate model of how all of our hearts function. Whether it be a small smile, a pat on the shoulder, or a gentle tap, you will never completely know what the effect of your action is until it happens. The most tiniest of gestures can cause an entire earthquake in us.

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June 7, 2017 3 comments
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what it means to live
FeaturedLife

what it means to live

There are thousands of ways to define death, and every single version is valid and plausible. My personal definition of death is simple- it’s when you’re no longer alive. Which begs the question, what does it mean to be alive?

When you’re truly alive, you’re a wild child with thousands of different emotions whizzing around your head like you just broke a beehive. You show off your scraped knees like they’re fancy cars, you sing too loudly, you stare right into the sun. You do things because you feel like doing them, because you want to, simply because they can be done.

I should say that I’m not encouraging you to adopt unhealthy habits or engage in illicit behavior, please, for both my sake and yours- don’t. But I am saying that we all should start slashing down our fears. Our fears of being stung, going bankrupt and getting heartbroken typically end up doing far more harm than actually getting stung, going bankrupt and enduring heartbreak. It’s these fears that tell us not to go camping and experience the beauty of nature, because, well, we might get stung! These fears are the reasons why we work long hours (to evade bankruptcy) and become naturally untrusting to those who show us affection (fear makes you think: I won’t be heartbroken if I don’t have a heart!) As a result, our fears turn us into the worst versions of ourselves-  unloving slaves to work that never go out. And, are we really alive when it gets to that point? Our fears do more then harm. They’ll kill us if we let them.

I’m gonna finish off with something lighter. You know that saying that “life is a box of chocolates”? I know you’re rolling your eyes, but just bear with me for a minute. There’s a lot of truth to that. Life is gonna be the longest thing we’ll ever do, and even so, so much stuff can be left undiscovered. I think that yes, life is a box of chocolates, and they’re all there for your sampling. You might come across some trashy flavors, but it’s not likely you’ll have to eat them again. You don’t know what to expect, but there is a 50/50 chance that the chocolate you’re eating is good or bad. You shouldn’t agonize over which chocolate is the tastiest or which one has the most calories. You should just try to eat as many chocolates as you can before you get full. 

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June 7, 2017 3 comments
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Dear Toronto
LifeStoriesTravel

Dear Toronto

This post will be about Toronto, one of my most favorite places to have traveled. Toronto was similar to New York in some ways, but had its own characteristics. I could see why it’s been consistently on the list of the world’s most livable places. Toronto, much like New York has an incredibly busy and bustling Chinatown, which is the place me and my family traveled to first. I was especially fascinated by the amounts of cables that hung from the pole to pole, which are used to string on-ground cable cars along. Another we did in Toronto was visit the Spiceland market, a place we saw on Eddie Huang’s TV show, “Huang’s World. Spiceland is basically a medium-sized Sri Lankan market, with a large assortment of goods not found in many other stores. We also visited Toronto’s K-town, which was larger than the one in New York. It was late out at night at this point, but we still got to go inside some stores and observe some pretty cool street art.  I can’t wait to visit Toronto again.

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June 7, 2017 3 comments
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“And still, after all this time, The Sun has never said to the Earth “You owe me” Look what happens with love like that. It lights up the sky!”

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