SYBT: How To Silence a Woman: Praying for Malala

Malala is a 14 year old Pakistani girl whose crime was to speak up for girls' right to education. She has been doing this since age 11 and has even won a peace prize in Pakistan. Last week she was shot in the head twice by the Taliban.  As of an hour ago her condition was listed as "satisfactory" and the possibility of taking her to another country to continue treatment is being considered. 

The first time this particular journalist met Malala he asked what does the name mean.  "Probably a hero" she said.

Madonna stripped down to bring attention to the cause.  There are lots of critics of the material girl who label the act a publicity stunt.  It seems to me that is exactly what the intention was. It's bringing attention to the cause.

Malala has now become the face of the girls education movement:
"Some believe the attempt to kill Malala could propel the girls education movement into the Swat Valley — and then, perhaps, pose an existential threat to the Taliban."

This is a poem by Clarissa Pinkola Estees that has caused a deep impression on me, especially the part that says "When someone says your ideas are dangerous, say yes, my ideas are dangerous, and why are you so afraid?"

The poem is called: How To Silence a Woman

When someone says, "We're saying the same thing."
Say, "We are not saying the same thing." 

When someone says, "Don't question, just have faith."
Say, "I am questioning, vato, and
I have supreme faith in what I think." 

When someone says, "Don't defy my authority."
Say, "There is a higher authority that I follow."  

When someone says, "Your ideas are seductive."
Say, "No, my ideas are not seductive,
they are substantial."  

When someone says, "Your ideas are dangerous."
Say, "Yes, my ideas are dangerous, and why are you
so afraid hombre o mujer? " 

When it is said, "It's just not done."
Say, "It will be done."  

When it is said, "It is immature."
Say, "All life begins small and
must be allowed to grow."  

When it is said, "It's not thought out."
Say, "It is well thought out."  

When they say, "You're over-reacting."
Say, "You're under-reacting, vato." 

When they say, "You're being emotional."
Say, "Of course I have well placed emotions,
and by the way, what happened to yours?"  

When they say, "You're not making any sense."
Say, "I don't make sense, I am the sense."  

When they say, "I can't understand you when you're crying."
Say, "Make no mistake, I can weep and be fierce
at the same time."  

When they say, "I cant understand you when you're being so angry."
Say. "You couldn't hear me when I was being nice,
or sweet or silent, either."  

When someone says, "You're missing the point."
Say, "I'm not missing the point, but you seem
to be missing my point --
What are you so afraid of?"  

When someone says, "You are breaking the rules."
Say, "Yes, I am breaking the rules."  

When someone says, "That's not practical."
Say, "It's practically a done deal, thank you very much."  

When it is said, "No one will do it,
believe you, or follow it."
Say, "I will do it, I will believe in it, and in time,
the world may well follow it."  

When it is said, "No one wants to listen to that."
Say, "I know you have a hard time listening to that."  

When it is said, "It's a closed system,
you cant change it."  

Say, "I'm going to knock twice
and if there is no answer,
then I am going to blow the doors off that system
and it will change." 

When it is said, "They'll ignore you."
Say, "They won't ignore me and the hundreds of thousands who stand with me."  

When they say, "It's already been done."
Say, "It's not been done well enough."  

When they say, "It's not yet time."
Say, "It's way past time."  

When they say, "It's not the right day,
right month, right year."
Tell them, "The right year was last year,
and the right month was last month,
and the right day was yesterday,
and you're running behind schedule, vato,
and what in the name of God and all that is holy
are you going to do about it?"  

When they say, "Who do you think you are?" --
tell them ...
tell them who you are,
and don't hold back.  

When they say, "I put up with it,
you'll have to put up with it too."
Say, "No, no, no, no."  

When they say, "I've suffered a long time
and you'll have to suffer too."
Say, "No, no, no, no."  

When they say, "You're an incorrigible, defiant,
hard to get along with,
unreasonable woman ... "
Say, "Yes, yes, yes, yes ...
and I have worse news for you yet --
we are teaching our daughters,
and our mothers,
and our sisters ...
we are teaching our sons,
and our fathers,
and our brothers,
to be
just
like
us."