View Full Version : Wow
Not even sure where to post this, but if this doesn't move you, (almost) nothing will.
Malala Yousafzai's speech to the UN.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5X70VyjU0g
You lost me at "compulsory".
ToomuchStuff
7-13-13, 2:09am
You lost me at "compulsory".
Was this putting you to sleep as well?
It amazes me how people expect reactions. Some of the people this gal moved (if she is who I think she is), were moved to violence. Being moved isn't always a good thing. Being unemotional has benefits. If I were being emotional, I would have to take it as an insult, that you thought, I had to be moved.:laff:
Gregg, someone posted this on my FB page yesterday, and it was captioned with your title for this thread: Wow.
I agree completely... Wow.
I for one was very much moved. Thank you for posting.
"I do not even hate the Talib who shot me. Even if there is a gun in my hand and he stands in front of me. I would not shoot him. This is the compassion that I have learnt from Muhammad-the prophet of mercy, Jesus christ and Lord Buddha. This is the legacy of change that I have inherited from Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela and Muhammad Ali Jinnah. This is the philosophy of non-violence that I have learnt from Gandhi Jee, Bacha Khan and Mother Teresa. And this is the forgiveness that I have learnt from my mother and father. This is what my soul is telling me, be peaceful and love everyone.
"Dear sisters and brothers, we realise the importance of light when we see darkness. We realise the importance of our voice when we are silenced. In the same way, when we were in Swat, the north of Pakistan, we realised the importance of pens and books when we saw the guns."
You lost me at "compulsory".
Fair enough. (Corrected)
Added: If you have the opportunity to watch this with a teenage girl, as I did (DD2), I would recommend it. Its a moment in time not likely to be repeated.
This is a truly remarkable young woman, and she (and young people like her) are the only hope for her country's future. The Taliban have marked her for assassination merely because she wants an education. In the U.S., we have free education, actually mandated by the law, yet we have so many drop-outs by kids (and parents) who just don't care. In Pakistan, this girl risks her life and almost loses it trying to get an education. It's amazing that she has fully recovered, and seems to harbor such a sweet and optimistic spirit. ToomuchStuff, surely you did not mean that this young girl walking to school incited the Taliban to violence?
ToomuchStuff
7-14-13, 10:54am
. ToomuchStuff, surely you did not mean that this young girl walking to school incited the Taliban to violence?
Of course I do. Surely the attackers acted out of emotion, instead of reason and logic, when she went against all "their" fundamental beliefs. (their being the attackers)
Emotion can be a good thing, but too many times, people act on it, before stepping back and using their brain. Religion is a big problem in the world (anyone can twist it, DAMHIK), but initial actual emotion actions, are a problem as well.
Of course I do. Surely the attackers acted out of emotion, instead of reason and logic, when she went against all "their" fundamental beliefs. (their being the attackers)
Emotion can be a good thing, but too many times, people act on it, before stepping back and using their brain. Religion is a big problem in the world (anyone can twist it, DAMHIK), but initial actual emotion actions, are a problem as well.
Actually taking out someone that capable can be quite tactical.
ToomuchStuff
7-16-13, 12:10am
Actually taking out someone that capable can be quite tactical.
True, but based on what we have seen with other attacks, the tactician, remains at a distance, and uses the emotional ones as weapons.
You lost me at "compulsory".
Why is that, Bae?
Why is that, Bae?
Have to admit I was a little confused by your statement too, bae. I just didn't want to derail the conversation regarding Malala if there were others who wanted to head that direction. A little clarification would be appreciated. Thanks.
ApatheticNoMore
7-16-13, 12:29pm
Because it imposes a western solution that doesn't even work very well in the west on other cultures? (that is not a blanket defense of those cultures). And the west's interests in other countries is NEVER disinterested anyway. It doesn't even work very well in the west and school was a very bad experience for many where they learned little other than they have to spend their lives going somewhere they hate everyday (ie it made them employable! - ultimately in a global economy in which they will have little say). And not much was necessarily learned by people going to school against their will (compulsory - why do you have to go to school - because it's the law). But our culture has very little other possible use for children and youth other than daycare (uh I mean school) anyway and not all parents are cut out to be great home/un schoolers. Really enough of them aren't even cut out to be parents! So ... that's the way it is. If you are to judge school on it's utopian promises - educated citizenry, etc. it is a miserable failure - it could hardly be a worse failure - but maybe those were a burden education could never bear anyway (ie utopianism).
Gardenarian
7-16-13, 12:33pm
+1 ANM
(Just commenting on ANM's post - I could not view the video.)
catherine
7-16-13, 12:46pm
Gee, if Malala's message is going to be completely derailed by one word, the whole point to Gregg's post is lost, IMHO.
I was not moved by the thought of compulsory education--in fact I missed that completely. I was blown away by the courage, poise, resilience, and deep, mature love and faith that I saw coming from this very young girl--a love and faith you see once or twice in a lifetime. We've seen it in the likes of King and Gandhi. I guess others are thinking so what--just a little upstart kid who got shot for trying to do what we all take for granted, almost died, and still refuses to let her attackers move her spirit.
It's so remarkable how we all process the same information so differently.
ApatheticNoMore
7-16-13, 2:20pm
FWIW, I tried to view the video, but I don't have the flash they wanted installed. So buggy technology as the intermediary is not me deliberately trying not to view the video - it's the tech period.
So I merely responded to what *I* consider some legitimate complaints people have against compulsory education, though people have their own reasons for that.
FWIW, I tried to view the video, but I don't have the flash they wanted installed. So buggy technology as the intermediary is not me deliberately trying not to view the video - it's the tech period.
So I merely responded to what *I* consider some legitimate complaints people have against compulsory education, though people have their own reasons for that.
Gotcha. FWIW, as a mother who felt BETTER about having her son drop out at 16 than keeping him in school, I agree with you that the educational system here is seriously flawed...
When I lived in Guatemala, literacy & numeracy were very low. Basic education is needed all over the world, and it is when it's made compulsory that families are more likely to make sure their children get a basic education. Ms. Yousafzi's plea is decidedly not about replicating our sad school systems. She is advocating for basic skills, in order to lift desperately poor people out of abject poverty, violence, and servitude.
ApatheticNoMore
7-16-13, 4:24pm
She is advocating for basic skills, in order to lift desperately poor people out of abject poverty, violence, and servitude.
I suspect they need a lot of other things more than they need education (for instance if poverty is their problem, education is not necessarily a cure all).
I suspect they need a lot of other things more than they need education (for instance if poverty is their problem, education is not necessarily a cure all).
Hi ANM... I am very surprise by this comment, and am most curious about what your thinking is? It's been long established that basic literacy & numeracy are foundational to any move out of poverty. Cure-all? What is a cure-all, anyway?
Here are some studies & articles I am familiar with.
The data is also clear that the key to birth control is educating women.
http://daily.sightline.org/2009/06/17/the-taboo-of-population-growth/
Forbes article:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/alejandrochafuen/2013/02/20/from-aid-to-enterprise-how-to-intelligently-cure-poverty/
A NGO partnership working to provide solutions:
http://www.povertycure.org/issues/education/
I can't see any sustainable way to reduce poverty in any setting that doesn't include at least basic literacy & numeracy. Certainly food, clothing and shelter (and water) are more pressing needs than education when one or more of them are missing, but do we really need to stop at mere survival? Escaping poverty goes immediately back to the old give a woman a fish/teach a woman to fish adage. We, as a species, need to be teaching a whole lot of women to fish.
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