In Friday’s NY Times, there was an article about Tashnuba Hayder, a 16-year old Queens girl, the daughter of Muslim immigrants, who had been forced/coerced to Bangladesh (not technically deported, although she may as well have been) by the FBI, who saw her as a potential terrorist threat. Did you read this? There were many reasons to feel amazed and appalled by this story, particularly by Tashnuba’s plight (I mean, my goodness, we’re talking about a young woman who pledged, in her diary, to “practice lowering gaze to fullest”!). I was, however, charmed by this quote from Tashnuba:

“They thought I was anti-American because I didn’t want to compromise, but in my high-school ethics class we had Communists, Democrats, Republicans, Gothics — all types…”

That settles it. Next election, I’m voting the Gothic ticket all the way.