ISSUE 1
JAN. 12 SPRING
Muslim women on campus are an enigma to many students at Florida Tech. Most noticeable are the Muslim women that wear hijab, the cloth that covers their head and neck. Within Muslim culture, the purpose behind this style of dress is part religious, part custom and is a completely normal part of everyday life. Non-Muslim students at Florida Tech are accepting of the women who wear hijab, but they seldom ask quesPhoto by Audrey Gangloff tions about these women who appear to be so guarded. Meznah Albaqami, Florida Tech student from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. “I don’t know how they feel about their religion. I don’t want to make them feel uncomfortable by approaching them or overstepping some boundary that I don’t know, so I usually just steer clear,” said Timothy Christians, all of them follow the same Bible, during the Melbourne winter. Christopher Jr., a chemical engineering but they all follow the same rules exactly? Perhaps most importantly, wearing hijab student. No. That’s also how it is in Islam. So some is spiritually fulfilling. Middle Eastern Muslim culture is generwomen wear hijab, some of them not.” “When I wear hijab, I feel happy and ally seen by Americans as strictly religious Merfat Hammad does not wear hijab beat peace because I am doing what my god and male-dominant in nature. As a result, cause it makes her too uncomfortable when said to me,” said Albaqami. “So it’s a good a common misconception about hijab and people stare, and no one can recognize her. thing. I wake up every morning and I feel at other Islamic dress is that women do not Instead of wearing hijab while at school, she peace.” v have a choice in the matter. chose to ‘Americanize’ In reality, this herself. could not be any //AUDREY GANGLOFF Albaqami said that farther from the SPORTS EDITOR I just want to say we are normal girls. We can talk, sometimes she feels like truth. laugh, do anything, it’s okay for us.” people are nervous to “This thing, it’s talk to her because of just between her - Meznah Hammad how she is dressed. and God,” said “Some people think Meznah Albaqami, because we wear hijab, a Saudi Arabian we are not friendly or we don’t want to talk native and biomedical engineering student. to anyone,” said Hammad. “Men, usually. I “It’s only my sin, and my choice.” feel bad, but it’s okay. I just want to say we Florida Tech student Omar Alshehhi are normal girls. We can talk, laugh, do anypointed to scripture to help clarify the rule. thing, it’s okay for us.” In the Quran, the Prophet Mohammed These kinds of reactions from their classrelayed to believers God’s word on how a mates are the hardest part for Florida Tech proper Muslim should dress. The Prophet students who wear hijab. Mohamed said women “should let their “I can excuse them because the media headscarves fall to cover their necklines” talks the wrong way about hijab, and also and “make their outer garments hang low because they don’t try to contact girls who over them.” are wearing hijab correctly,” said Hammad. “We believe that there’s another life when “They don’t ask questions. Maybe because of we die, so this life is for us like the test,” said that, they think hijab is wrong.” Albaqami. “I have to be a good person and Despite the social barriers, wearing hijab do good things. There are rules to be a good has some definite advantages for Muslim person, so this is one of the rules.” women. Besides hijab being comfortable, it’s As much as hijab is based in religion, Alalso not as hot as it looks. baqami said it is a purely personal decision. Thin summer material wicks away sweat Albaqami (left) and Hammad (right), are “Look at your five fingers, not all of them and the thicker winter cloths help to keep both biomedical engineering students and are the same,” Alshehhi said. “We are 1.7 bilyour ears and neck warm when it gets windy have many of the same classes. lion Muslims, and not all of us are the same.
Muslim students reveal the truth behind Hijab
Star Wars sets records
Publicity for the newest Star Wars movie The Force Awakens has gotten fans, new and old, talking. What makes the latest film stand out from the rest is the time gap — 39 years of waiting. The original “Star Wars” movie was produced in 1977. Many would argue that the original, older movies in any series tend to be better. But “Star Wars:
The Force Awakens” (2015) is now the highest grossing film of all time at the box office, making almost $800 million, even surpassing James Cameron’s Avatar (2009) which brought in $760.50 million. The movie also holds the record for the biggest opening day at the domestic box office, making $119.1 million. Based off of ratings, the past three Star Wars movies, “The Phantom Menace” (1999), “Attack of The Clones” (2002), and “Revenge of the Sith” (2005), have been a little bit of a let down compared to older ones. All received a rating of 7.7 or lower out of 10 from IMDb.com, which is not bad based off of other movie standards. But it is important to note that the Star Wars movies from the 70s and 80s, “Star
Wars” (1977), “The Empire Strikes Back” (1980), and “Return of The Jedi” (1983), all received a rating of 8.4 out of 10 or above. “The Force Awakens”
(2015) has brought the series ratings back up, with a solid 8.5 out of 10. Take that for older movies being better. CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
In this issue
3 GUN CONTROL 5 SPRING 2016 SURVIVAL GUIDE 7 WINTER SPORTS RECAP/ SPRING LINEUP 8 MAKING A MURDERER