Malala yousafzai - modern hero

[jayne lee wilson]

I'm surely not alone - both moist-eyed and heartened - in watching this story unfold; a remarkable young woman, with a better chance of changing the world than all those tanks and guns!

http://guardian.co.uk/world/2013/july/12/malala-yousafzai-un-taliban-militants-speech

"One person CAN make a difference... the extremists are afraid of books and pens... They are afraid of women... the power of the voice of women frightens them".

The most positive, even joyful, story in a terrible, violent year.

(If the link doesn't work, just google under Guardian/Malala Yousafzai/taliban etc.)

[amateur51]

Inspirational and courageous, how her would-be assassins must worry about the world-wide attention she is receiving. May others follow her example in overcoming gender-based prejudice wherever it exists in the world.

Malala will be at London's South Bank Centre in October to launch her memoir I Am Malala, and to discuss her life and her continuing campaign for every girl's right to an education

http://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whatson/malala-yousafzai-77932

[ahinton]

Her courage - especially at her age - is remarkable indeed, as is the articulacy with which she gives voice to it; all the more so, given what happened to her. I share wholly the hopes for the future expressed here by am51 and jlw in terms of the extent to which and the ways in which she might well influence it.

[Richard Tarleton]

Yes to all of the above - a truly inspirational young woman. The sad thing is that the one group of people upon whom her global exposure will have no effect are the people who did this to her in the first place, and who would happily do it again if she were to return to the Swat Valley. Her schoolfriends who were caught in the crossfire remain in fear as they pursue their education, and the future for women both in this area and in neighbouring Afghanistan looks as bleak as ever, as (male) politicians and military leaders argue about the security situation with allied withdrawal under way. The fate of high profile female politicians in the region is not encouraging.

Good luck to her, and I hope her example and courage lead to something good.

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

striking young person long may she speak such thoughts to us all

[Boilk]

The media has been less candid about who pulled strings to get Malala to speak at the UN, and which governments' interests it is serving.
In this respect although she is getting her message across, she is also being used as a political pawn, which she'll better understand in years to come.

[amateur51]

The media has been less candid about who pulled strings to get Malala to speak at the UN, and which governments' interests it is serving.
In this respect although she is getting her message across, she is also being used as a political pawn, which she'll better understand in years to come.

She is not unique in being so used, Boilk.

Which string-puller/governments' interests did you have in mind?

Do you have any views on whether or not it matters, and why?

[Boilk]

Do you have any views on whether or not it matters, and why?

It matters somewhat, because her story has been exploited to aid the US govt. propaganda machine, otherwise she wouldn't have been given such a high profile platform. Would such a privilege have been bestowed on an equivalently brave and articulate Palestinian teenage orphan, I wonder?

Or can you imagine Edward Snowden being given a platform at the UN, telling the world how the US government routinely flouts the Constitution, and spies on its international "friends" and "allies" (having previously denied it)? That might be of particular interest to those many UN member countries who were/are ongoing victims of US hacking.

[jean]

Here's the Taliban trying to limit the damage.

[jayne lee wilson]

It matters somewhat, because her story has been exploited to aid the US govt. propaganda machine, otherwise she wouldn't have been given such a high profile platform. Would such a privilege have been bestowed on an equivalently brave and articulate Palestinian teenage orphan, I wonder?

Or can you imagine Edward Snowden being given a platform at the UN, telling the world how the US government routinely flouts the Constitution, and spies on its international "friends" and "allies" (having previously denied it)? That might be of particular interest to those many UN member countries who were/are ongoing victims of US hacking.

This is too cynical. Ed Snowden has no need of such a platform and his message could only have been adulterated if such a bizarre event took place. And the US's current treatment of him only damages them further.

Malala represents many women who have no voice and suffer daily from fear and deprivation, so she can make a huge difference irrespective of any reflected glory the US thinks it can bask in. Reading her story carefully, you might easily conclude that SHE was exploiting THEM.

[Boilk]

Malala represents many women who have no voice and suffer daily from fear and deprivation, so she can make a huge difference irrespective of any reflected glory the US thinks it can bask in. Reading her story carefully, you might easily conclude that SHE was exploiting THEM.

Her appearance at the UN is a huge propaganda coup as far as the US is concerned, and that's mostly why it has come about at all ... I'm simply adding context. Let's hope it does make a difference somewhere, though sadly I don't think anyone in Washington or the CIA has genuine concerns about women's rights in Afghanistan/Pakistan.

[jean]

...I don't think anyone in Washington or the CIA has genuine concerns about women's rights in Afghanistan/Pakistan.

That is far too cynical.

It is all too easy to represent any concern for women's rights under Islam as a purely Westernising, neocolonial project, and it would be impossible to prove otherwise.

Read the Taliban letter I linked to - the writer makes the point that the education Malala was being subjected to derived from Lord Macaulay. Does that invalidate it?

[amateur51]

It matters somewhat, because her story has been exploited to aid the US govt. propaganda machine, otherwise she wouldn't have been given such a high profile platform. Would such a privilege have been bestowed on an equivalently brave and articulate Palestinian teenage orphan, I wonder?

Or can you imagine Edward Snowden being given a platform at the UN, telling the world how the US government routinely flouts the Constitution, and spies on its international "friends" and "allies" (having previously denied it)? That might be of particular interest to those many UN member countries who were/are ongoing victims of US hacking.

Thanks Boilk. I just felt that your OP was unnecessarily vague & nudge-nudge.

[Beef Oven]

The media has been less candid about who pulled strings to get Malala to speak at the UN, and which governments' interests it is serving.
In this respect although she is getting her message across, she is also being used as a political pawn, which she'll better understand in years to come.

You're not wrong Boilk, but in any case, she is an utterly remarkable young woman and incredibly brave.

[ahinton]

This is too cynical. Ed Snowden has no need of such a platform and his message could only have been adulterated if such a bizarre event took place. And the US's current treatment of him only damages them further.

Malala represents many women who have no voice and suffer daily from fear and deprivation, so she can make a huge difference irrespective of any reflected glory the US thinks it can bask in. Reading her story carefully, you might easily conclude that SHE was exploiting THEM.

Indeed; agreed wholeheartedly in every particular!