The Value of Education

"[On the subject of the Taliban] But then I said, 'If he comes, what would you do Malala?'  Then I would reply to myself, 'Malala, just take a shoe and hit him.'  But then i said, 'If you hit a Talib with your shoe, then there would be no difference between you and the Talib.  You must not treat others with cruelty and that much harshly.  You must fight others, but through peace and through dialogue and through education.'  Then I said that I will tell him how important education is and that 'I even want education for your children as well.'"  -Malala Yousafzai

If you're not familiar with the story of Malala Yousafzai, then you should check it out.  It's a story that has stuck with me for over a year now...  Malala is a girl from Pakistan who has championed girls' education in the Middle East her entire life.  Unfortunately, since that region of the planet is filled with backward, worthless fools, she drew the ire of the Taliban.  Giving women an education would eventually topple the anathema that is Islam, given enough time.  As is the case with so many religions, those in power will do almost anything to retain it.

The Taliban finally came for Malala.  While she was on a bus ride home, armed men stopped the bus and shot her in the face.  Somehow the bullet missed her brain, and doctors were able to save her from near death.  Now she lives in the US where she continues her education while her family is in hiding.  She also just released a book, which is on my reading list right after the final Thomas Covenant book.

The subject of girls' education in the Middle East has been on my mind for years.  When I was married to my ex-wife, I did tons of research into adopting a girl from those troubled countries.  Unfortunately, it seems that there is not a single avenue to do so.  I just always thought that it would be great to adopt an orphaned girl from those countries and provide a better home where she could have so many more opportunities.  I really wish there was more that a person could do to help those kinds of situations, but I guess there's not...  plus I don't foresee myself running out to get shot by those nutjobs.

Nonetheless, listening to that girl speak is almost hypnotic.  It's very rare to hear a girl of her age be able to articulate things so easily and so well.  There's a great interview with Jon Stewart in which she says the quote above.  I see her and I think, "Wow, if an education under that much fire (as in, literal fire, with bombs) can produce such an amazing girl, just think of what could happen if all the girls received an education."  I don't even know why it's sat so heavily on me for years.

But even more impressive is her attitude (both then and now) toward those who were trying to kill her.  It's so hard for me to not hate those in my life who have wronged me, but they literally tried to kill this little girl and she forgives them.  I wish I could take that stance.  There are plenty of things that everyone could learn from this girl.