MALALA YOSAFZAI: NOBEL PEACE PRIZE WINNER, SPEAKS IN SANTA BARBARA

I went to hear Malala Youafzai speak today in Santa Barbara at the Arlington Theatre on State Street. I doubt if I could think of a person on this planet that I was more (in awe) to hear speak than Malala. There are very, very few Malala’s in this world. She is the youngest person to ever win the Nobel Peace Prize---let’s just start there.

As I sat in silence watching Malala I thought.....this girl could end up having more positive influence on the world over her lifetime than anyone presently alive. No one has ever got off to a better start on the road to inspiring global change....it’s a fact.  And, she has already taken a bullet to the head for standing up for her beliefs.

Malala, to me, stands for determination in the face of great adversity and risk. She stands for independent thinking....and not cultural thinking. She said it like this: “It is our duty to oppose culture, change culture, that denies human rights and human dignity”. She stands for questioning authority....not accepting traditions that would rob her of her free will and autonomy. She encouraged everyone to ”ask lots of questions----don’t just accept what you hear.”

Just how many 11 yr. old girls have such a thirst for education that they are willing to stand up to the Taliban. She said that she knew that her role as a girl, and later as a woman, would be to be a wife, and a mother...and that was all she could be. She said that by custom she should have two children by now based on her age (and NO education). She wouldn’t be able to leave the house on her own...or pursue any ambitions, or make any independent decisions. Such is the established patriarchal culture that exists, and has existed for centuries in her part of Pakistan, and in the muslim world.

She was asked what role her father played in her development and in her courage to stand up to the Taliban. Malala said that it wasn’t so much what her father (did) do, but what he didn’t do...”he didn’t clip my wings”. He treated me with just as much respect and dignity as he did my brothers. He made me feel like I could do anything I wanted to do. There were no limits.

I can’t say enough for how important it is for developing girls to have a father like Malala’s...ones who empower them and build their sense of self, and their self esteem. Life is going to be hard for girls who don’t get this nurturing...who don’t develop this self image. They will much more likely be victims of society...they will much more likely be suppressed and controlled.

Malala was remarkably articulate and thoughtful. She has endless self confidence, yet a glowing humility.

One thing that vexed me was the hypocrisy of seeing her wear something that covered her head...she always wears something on her head in compliance with the muslim tradition for women. I thought about it for awhile ...and then settled with the thought that Malala knows exactly what she is doing. She realizes that she can do much more good in the muslim world, affect much more social change among women, and among men...by ”eating the elephant” one bite at a time. She has captured the hearts of the world....but she knows that the time is not now for her to make that colossal break from Islamic tradition. I feel confident that in the next several years she will take further steps. I don’t know this for sure, but I satisfied myself with this explanation.