Printer-friendly version"They thought the bullet would silence us, but they failed. Out of that silence came thousands of voices. The terrorists thought they would change my aim and stop my ambitions. But nothing changed in my life except this. Weakness, fear and hopelessness died. Strength, power and courage was born.” ~Malala Yousafzai
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Hi everybody.
The UN has declared today (July 12) to be Malala Day, after the young Pakistani girl who was shot by the Taliban for the crimes of being a female and trying to obtain an education.
Kudos to this young woman who having survived her attack keeps on speaking out for women's rights and the rights of all in places where packs of hateful looneybeards rule by intimidation and murder in the name of God.
A prayer, if you're so inclined, for all the Malalas who never lived to tell their story...
~hugs, Veronica
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True courage
Thanks for posting this Veronica.
Hugs
Grover
And for a change in the
And for a change in the attitudes shown by so-called moderate Muslim men that will inevitably deprive so many of the girls in this photograph of their hopes and dreams.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jul/12/malala-yousafzai...
I'm not holding my breath.
I support Malala as she is an
I support Malala as she is an example of perseverance and courage. And that in itself is sad to be honest, that we would need such. So yes, support her.
However, I am going to ask why you have to purposely attack moderate Muslim men. By doing so, you're attacking people like Malala's father (who supported her and taught her) and other moderate Muslim men who do the same for their daughters, wives, mothers. You attack my Imam who speaks out in support of not just women's rights, but also LGBT rights within Islam. And you don't see a problem throwing people like them under the bus. That is unfortunate.
No group is perfect. Whether they are Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Atheist or anything else. All groups have extremists. THAT is who we have to all fight against. That is who Malala stands up against today. ANYone who would deny anyone else rights simply because of who they are. Did you read about the father in the story you linked to? Initially, he was aghast, now he's proud of his daughter.
Samirah M. Johnstone
I don't believe there can be
I don't believe there can be such a thing as a moderate Muslim. As Sam Harris says, 'even "moderate" approaches to Islam generally consider the Koran to be the literal and inerrant word of the one true God' (The End Of Faith, p 110).
You speak of an imam who claims to hold enlightened views on LGBT issues. I wonder what he - and it will be a he - would say if I asked him what he thought the proper punishment for apostasy should be. Or if he ever considered publicly disavowing the fatwa that called for the death of a British novelist?
Yes, I admired Malala's father for what he said. I only hope he translates his words into action.
One last thing. Atheists aren't a group. It's just a label for people like me who don't believe in ludicrous fairy tales. Some of us have the guts to speak out against the harm those fairy tales can do. If that makes us extremists, then I'm proud to wear that hat.
my god!
Have you no idea just how inflammatory you are being? Or how untrue your sweeping generalizations? THAT is what makes an atheist extremist. And it ain't something to be proud of!
And no. Atheists are very definitely a "group" these days. And they're becoming a very vocal and entirely too powerful group these days. They don't understand something and therefore it must be quashed.
Agnostics are the only "unbelieving" sorts who don't really group up or anything... they're happy enough just ignoring the whole question and staying clear clear away from anyone who decides to take a chip off their shoulders and hurl it at someone in another group.
Oh. And me? I'm Mormon.
Abigail Drew.
No Generalizations?
Sorry, Abigail, but you just made a pretty outrageous one yourself regarding atheists. No, they're not all militants, or in groups (cabals?), or hating all references to God because he doesn't exist.
Like any other amorphous group defined by their beliefs, some people fall into the stereotypes and others don't.
I think I can safely say that many object to the assumption that because they don't believe in God they don't have a moral sense. There's also the widespread assertion that their refusal to believe in God, and to invoke him at public meetings, schools, etc., somehow threatens everyone else's ability to believe what they wish. It's the classic "defense of marriage" argument, equally specious here.
Of course, I'm no more able to speak for all of them than I am about any other group.
Eric
Oh! I'm sorry!
I really didn't mean it that way. Welllll, yes and no. There's definitely a large and vocal and VERY militant sub-group of atheists out there. But you're right. Not all atheists are like that. And I never meant to say that they were. I guess I just had my heat up and responded without completely thinking it through and putting in the appropriate clauses to my statements.
I may belong to one particular religious group, but I'll protect the rights of any other group instantly. Including atheists and agnostics when they're being unjustly attacked... but that doesn't happen too often, and I really am sorry to have written a post that came across in such a way. I was speaking only of a specific sub-group of atheists who are just as bad in their way as the Westboro Baptist Church is in theirs.
EDIT:
But this was originally supposed to be about Malala and all those girls in those terrible places. I do cheer for them, despite the distances between us, and I clap for those dads who are trying to help improve their daughters circumstances. This really is going to become something VERY big over there. THIS is what's going to gain those people their freedom from the religious tyranny of the few. It's going to take a while. But then, it didn't happen for us all that quickly either, we just got started a loooooong time ago. And quite honestly, we are STILL fighting it.
Abigail Drew.
I don't want this to turn
I don't want this to turn into a flame war, but some of the generalizations you make about my faith and beliefs are downright hateful. You don't know me. I wager you don't really know ANY Muslim, for you to be making such comments. I've been respectful towards you, but you can't return that same respect towards me. That's a shame, but this is the last time I ever want to reply to anything you say simply because I would rather speak respectfully with people with whom I differ than with hate and ignorance.
Yes, my Imam is male. His wife also happens to be a professor who has led sermons of both men and women together (which conservative Muslims are against in principle). I hate to break it to you as well, if you ever meet a Southern Baptist or a Catholic or almost any other Christian group...they all believe that the Bible is inerrant. I've met very militant atheists who are HAPPY to be a group. I've also met atheists who admit that and despise the hypocrisy from such atheists. But the real problem I have Nicki, is that you turned a thread about Malala (who speaks about bringing people together) into an attack on her religion (and mine). Malala is a proud Muslim. So am I. And by saying there is no such thing as a moderate Muslim, you are attacking HER.
Samirah M. Johnstone
I saw her speech...
It was an inspiration to everyone fighting bigotry in any form.
I wonder if the right wing, fundamentalist Christian haters will ever realize that they are no different from the Taliban. Hate makes people ugly inside and out, especially when they hate in the name of God. There should be an especially deep pit in hell waiting for them. Perhaps the supreme punishment will be that they will all share it together!
Ole
We are each exactly as God made us. God does not make mistakes!
Gender rights are the new civil rights!
What the Taliban Did
The Taliban by trying to kill a girl for seeking an education is a form of slavery. By seeking an education Malala made an effort to become free. My religion requires me to oppose slavery of any kind and any form. I applaud her courage.
Malala
should be given the Noble Peace Prize.
It would be nice to defend her right and all wimyn's rights to an education and equal treatment, but even in Pakistan, even with Pakistani defenders, those defenders would be outsiders. The locals would fight them just to have the "freedom" of no outsiders ruling them (allowing them to steal everyone else's freedoms).
Pakistan seems nutty to me because their Taliban act illegally, harm other Pakistanis, and have for a long time, but their central government won't fight the Taliban, just prepare to fight the Indians.
Hugs and Bright Blessings,
Renee
I heard some of her speech
on the radio. A remarkable young woman with more courage than the hateful assassins who would seek to silence her. It shows the truth that these ignorant bigots are frightened of a schoolgirl because she wants to achieve her potential through education and to share that dream with other women. Why that frightens some men, I don't understand unless it's all about loss of control.
I'm pleased that the UK was able to help her recover from her injuries and offer her shelter from these hateful men. May her lone voice be joined by a chorus of millions demanding equality through education, which grows so loud it can't be ignored.
Angharad.
Angharad
I believe...
that this precious child is the face of a future only we can choose to apprehend. I'm reminded of the movie (and the life therein, of course) Gandhi, where at one point he's asked about his Hindu faith. His response:
"Yes I am, I am also a Muslim, a Christian, a Buddhist, and a Jew." We're created for a purpose that while not excluding in which manner we believe, still goes beyond our selves. My prayer is that more and more people understand and express the wisdom of this child. Thanks for posting.
Love, Andrea Lena