Put yourself in my shoes. There I was, at an altitude of 40,000 feet with no parachute, crossing over enemy lines with nothing but my intellect to keep me alive.
Well, that might not actually have been what was really happening, but the movie they showed on the flight was terrible. I suppose the only real threat I faced was somehow managing to forget to remove the six-inch knife I had left in my carry-on bag. My trip went off without a hitch. Even so, the journey was far from dull.
I was one of 400 students from across the nation chosen to receive the unique opportunity of traveling to Washington D.C. to participate in the integral functions of our government. The National Youth Leaders Conference holds six sessions every year that bring outstanding students together into an environment of leadership.
Throughout the week, we engaged in a multitude of political simulations and activities designed to sharpen our political and leadership skills. We had the chance to meet many important figures in current politics as well as to visit many special memorials.
The schedule for the week gave me a deeper understanding of how sheep feel when dogs are biting their ankles. In the beginning, stress was the only thing we felt, but after a while we caught the excitement of the chase.
I can think of only a few times in my life where I have been able to get the most out of every single minute. Acting as the president and his advisors, we resolved a nuclear crisis. It involved a hypothetical scenario involving future escalation of the India-Pakistan conflict. One of my roommates actually called the cousin of the president of Pakistan in order to get background information.
Several members of our group formed a panel of Supreme Court justices to listen to a trial about racial discrimination. The final simulation was a culmination of the entire week’s work. The 400 students were split half and half, Democrats and Republicans.
Each side was split into several caucuses. Each group wrote an amendment for a bill. I was a testifier, so I went before a committee to convince them to pass our bill. Each group designated lobbyists, testifiers and writers. In the end the amendments were voted on, and the final bill was passed.
Many of us were disappointed to see our sweat and tears negated by a simple “”nay”” vote. Despite the outcome however, it was an exhilarating and challenging project. Everyone became so immersed in their responsibilities that the project became our reality.
From meeting senators, to seeing the names of every man and woman that gave their lives for freedom in the Vietnam war, to debating whether or not the Bible is irrefutable, I saw God’s hand at work in everything.
A small group of us even attended a live filming of CNN’s “Crossfire” which was discussing The Passion of the Christ. It was interesting that in order to attend an Ash Wednesday service, we had to call our parents and have a note faxed, but we did not need a note to watch a fairly vulgar comedy group.
Apparently, suppression of Christianity is the only way we can attain true freedom.
