Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

The real work of an opposition party is to hold the people in power accountable.

Narcissists are always shocked to discover other people have agency.

Stop using mental illness to avoid talking about armed white supremacy.

I am pretty sure these ‘journalists’ were not always such a bootlicking sycophants.

’Where will you hide, Roberts, the laws all being flat?’

The Giant Orange Man Baby is having a bad day.

The media handbook says “controversial” is the most negative description that can be used for a Republican.

You passed on an opportunity to be offended? What are you even doing here?

You cannot love your country only when you win.

I don’t recall signing up for living in a dystopian sci-fi novel.

Historically it was a little unusual for the president to be an incoherent babbling moron.

Giving up is unforgivable.

There are a lot more evil idiots than evil geniuses.

Prediction: the gop will rethink its strategy of boycotting future committees.

Insiders who complain to politico: please report to the white house office of shut the fuck up.

“Just close your eyes and kiss the girl and go where the tilt-a-whirl takes you.” ~OzarkHillbilly

Let’s not be the monsters we hate.

Republican also-rans: four mules fighting over a turnip.

“Until such time as the world ends, we will act as though it intends to spin on.”

The republican speaker is a slippery little devil.

Following reporting rules is only for the little people, apparently.

Hey Washington Post, “Democracy Dies in Darkness” was supposed to be a warning, not a mission statement.

I’d like to think you all would remain faithful to me if i ever tried to have some of you killed.

It’s always darkest before the other shoe drops.

You are here: Home / Justice / Women's Rights / Women's Rights Are Human Rights / Happy Sweet Sixteen, Malala!

Happy Sweet Sixteen, Malala!

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Kat Stoeffel at NYMag:

Today, Malala Yousafzai — the Pakistani girls’ education activist who was nearly killed by a Taliban sniper last year — turns 16. The United Nations declared it Malala Day, and she gave a moving speech. Wearing a pink shawl that once belonged to slain former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, she said, “The wise saying, ‘The pen is mightier than sword’ was true. The extremists are afraid of books and pens. The power of education frightens them. They are afraid of women. The power of the voice of women frightens them.”…

More at the link. What an awesome example for us all.

Reader Interactions

39Comments

  2. 2.

    michelle

    Now if you all would quit listening/responding to Corner Stone, we might make some progress here on this blog.

  3. 3.

    Gin & Tonic

    I only wish that at sixteen I had had 1% of the poise and courage that this young woman has.

  6. 6.

    Keith

    What an awesome example for us all.

    I’m not going to wear a pink shawl, even if it’s advertised as ‘salmon’.

  7. 7.

    jrg

    This girl is my hero. I’ve never seen such courage and eloquence in someone her age. The Taliban is right to be afraid.

  8. 8.

    Ruckus

    @Yatsuno:
    She wasn’t awarded that outlook, she earned it. The very hard way. At the risk of her life.

    But I know what you mean and I agree that she is way up there as humans go.

  9. 9.

    Mr Stagger Lee

    @amk: Oh believe me if the TeaBaggers are not stopped, we will have our own version of her. Today they are afraid of tampons and other feminine products. How far will these fanatics in Texas, Wisconsin, Ohio, North Carolina and other places go?

  11. 11.

    NickT

    spiegel.de/international/world/malala-yousafza-sparks-global-girls-rights-movement-a-910587.html

    Last fall Malala Yousafza, a 15-year-old blogger in Pakistan, was gunned down for demanding the right to an education. She has taken her message to the UN, and girls worldwide are fighting back against violence and oppression. A global movement is taking shape.
    For Diya, the rebellion began in India on the day she sat at the police station, a shy 13-year-old girl, and was able to find words for the unspeakable: “He did something bad to me.” She chose not to be silent though the man had said: “If you tell on me, I will kill your brother.” She chose to testify.

    It’s well worth reading the article. Pretty inspiring stuff, although very sad at points.

  14. 14.

    Short Bus Bully

    She is fucking unbelievable, as heroic as anyone I have ever heard of. To stand up to what she stood up to as a child? In that country? There are no words that do justice to that kind of bravery.

  16. 16.

    dewzke

    Tammy Baldwin? She rules. Sconi has not fucked up as much as those other places…but sorry for Joe McCarthy.

  17. 17.

    Botsplainer

    Awesome weekend. Client tipped me a C note, and last night, I found an All Access crew pass to Louisville’s Forecastle Festival laying on the sidewalk.

    Three days of great music, and I just sail through the side entrance. I got the String Cheese Incident tonight, as well as the Doc Crow Medicine Show. Tomorrow, I’ll come late for the Black Keys. Sunday, the later acts are Robert Plant and the Avett Brothers. My kids just have regular tickets.

    Tomorrow, I try to slip backstage and into VIP spaces…

  19. 19.

    p.a.

    I’m doubly humbled, first by her courage and also by the sad fact that others will die fighting for basic rights and there’s not much we can do besides support NGO’s like AI to better the situation and save lives.

    And these groups who treat half their population like farm animals shake their fists at ‘the West’ and wonder why their countries crap out in the modern world.

  23. 23.

    Redshirt

    @Anya: Yes, but one can understand why many girls sit down and shut up. Men are murdering women, throwing acid, maiming women all for crazy patriarch shit. Pakistan is crazy now – and didn’t used to be. Just like Afghanistan didn’t used to be.

    Just like the world actually seemed saner in the past. We’ve fucking regressed!

  27. 27.

    WereBear

    @Redshirt: They are fighting against the gains women have made.

    Just as “Christianity” didn’t used to mean “women can’t wear pants.” Fundamentalist Christians are the ones who have regressed, seeking out their inner tyrant because women have made some headway towards being regarded as human.

  28. 28.

    Betty Cracker

    What a courageous and remarkable young woman. She gives me hope for the future.

  29. 29.

    Elizabelle

    @Betty Cracker:

    Yes.

    We need to find our inner Malalas, even at 3% strength of the original.

    Gonna take a lot of fortitude to take state and local governments back from the ALEC and Koch and Tea Partying types.

  30. 30.

    gene108

    There’s a remarkable picture that’s been making the rounds on the web recently, and it caught our eye. You may have seen the shot: it’s of a group of medical students and they’re all women.

    One’s from Japan, one’s from India, and the third from Syria. They’re all wearing traditional clothes from their home countries.

    Nothing too remarkable in that, you might say. Until you see the date.

    1885.

    These women were students at the Women’s Medical College of Pennsylvania (WMCP).

    theworld.org/2013/07/historical-photos-depict-women-medical-pioneers/

    Saw this article and though it would be appropriate on this thread.

  32. 32.

    MikeBoyScout

    Malala won the week for me. This young woman is one strong, intellengent and motivated leader. She gives me hope for our fked up world.

  33. 33.

    gnomedad

    The extremists are afraid of books and pens. The power of education frightens them. They are afraid of women. The power of the voice of women frightens them.

    How dare this furriner bash the United States of Awesome like that??

  34. 34.

    red dog

    May all the girls and women in this country stand up and demand that control of their bodies not be undermined by a bunch of religious fanatics.

  35. 35.

    Mike G

    The extremists are afraid of books and pens. The power of education frightens them. They are afraid of women.

    It’s a good thing there is no political party like this in the United States, with its own dedicated propaganda channel and lavishly funded by billionaires dedicated to keeping the population scared and ignorant. That would suck.

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