Wow two post in one day, I must not have enough to do.
So I almost finished my latest book and I am so frustrated that I start taking it out on the teenager. Asking her why, Why, WHY, WHY!!!! She looks at me then quickly takes off to her bedroom. What has got me so worked up you ask? Well, even if you haven't I am going to tell you cause I need to take my frustration out somehow and I won't know if you tune me out and switch to a different blog.
I am just about finished 'Stones into Schools' by Greg Mortenson http://www.stonesintoschools.com/. Two summers ago I read his first book 'Three cups of Tea' http://www.threecupsoftea.com/ and thoroughly enjoyed it. I found it eye and heart opening. Since then I have followed Mr. Mortenson's (not stalkerish but in a polite curious way) career and hoped someday he would be speaking in my area so I could tell him just how proud of him I am. But by the time I find out he is in the Southern Ontario area the events are already sold out! Good for him but to bad for me. Anyway, I digress.
So his latest book picks up where the first one finished not much after the war started. This man has taken the time to really get to know the people of Afghanistan and Pakistan and his passion to educate girls is amazing. I commend him and all the people who also support him.
But my frustration and maybe he has explained it but I am just too dense to get it is.... Why do the Taliban so fear educating women? Why such a hate on for girls? What are they so afraid of, that we might do what???? I am so frustrated cause I just don't get it!
And my frustration doesn't end with only the Taliban it extends to all these men who won't educate the females in their family because???? What are you so afraid of??
I am finding the older I get the less patience I have and especially with ignorant men. I am finding I no longer will bite my tongue and let them just spew stupidity. I have had enough and am calling them on it. Now my poor husband has had to listen to my rants about Afghanistan and the Taliban for over 13 year now. I first read about their treatment of women way back when Sally Armstrong http://nsb.com/speakers/view/sally-armstrongwrote articles for Homemakers magazine about what she was witnessing in Afghanistan. I can remember my husband coming home from work and me being angry and slamming pots around, he had no idea what the problem was. I would toss the magazine at him and yell at him that men were stupid and this needs to be fixed. Now all these years later and I am even more angry (he is hiding in the basement) and I don't know if it is practical for me to go to Afghanistan and I would probably get myself killed. But I can't just keep getting frustrated, something needs to be done!
But what, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT???????
Carolin
P.S. If there is any ex-Taliban out there please explain to me why the 'hate on' for women. You know what, you don't have to be an ex-Taliban, just intelligently explain to me why you hate women so much, but don't kill me cause I still need to finish raising my children (girls) and educate them so they in turn can kick your ass with their intellect!
Wow! I have been looking at his first book for a while now and have been told it's very good. You and I have always had similar tastes in books, so I guess this is another one I will have to pick up. As for the Taliban, I, too would like to understand better the "why" of their philosophy. A few years back I read a book called, "Honeymoon in Purdah: an Iranian Journey", by Alison Wearing
ReplyDeletehttp://www.alisonwearing.com/honeymoon-in-purdah/
She is a Canadian who went to Iran to find out first hand what it's like to be female in that world. It was very good.
I have no idea what the answer is to the issue. I would have thought that education would have made it better. It only seems to be getting worse.
Dear Caroline, I have thought about your post for many days now. I have not read any of the books that you speak of or any of the articles for that matter so I am not exactelly sure what was said. However, regarding solelly the issue of educationg women, I believe that everything has its coarse in time. I know that a short time ago (maybe 50 - 60) years ago
ReplyDeletethis mentality was present in many other countries as well. My mom was from a fairly big city in the southern part of Italy. She came from a family of 8 children of which 3 were female. She was allowed to go to school until grade 5 and that was the end of her education. Then she was sent to study with a seamstress so that her contribution to the house hold would be to make garments for the family. She would tell stories of how she would make dresses and even bras for the girls. She said that her family never bought clothes from the stores because they could not affor it. Her sister was sent to learn how to embroider and beed. Her younger sister, I don't know, I don't remember what her role was. She came from a family who was very loving and her mother was an incredibly caring and devoted woman. I only meat my grandmother three times in my life, but she is one of the peole that I remeber most and I really loved her a lot. I loved her so much because of the love that she showed us. She was a pretty extraordinary woman. My mom came here to marry my dad when she was only 19 years old. A very important thing that I remember growing up was that my mom always stessed how important it was for the three of us (me and my sister) to go to university and get a good education. Where did this come from? I came from wanting a better life for her childre and better opportunities. It also came from now being amongst a culture that encourages education for both sexes. It was also made possible by an open minded husband who loved his wife and was not threatened by her wanting more and wanting something differen. My mom was a very strong an oppinionated woman but my dad respected her for all that she was. Also anothe very important fact is that my dad held down a steady job that allowed for the imcome for us to pursue a higher level of education. Now today in Italy my cousins children boys and girls can persue an education if they desire to do so. Change comes in stages. Although they can pursue education things are not like they are here. Opportunites are not the same and I am sure that some eyes cannot see the opportunities that can come there way with education. Often being able to use your skills requires leaving home for somewhere many many miles away. Rome was not built in a day. There can be a love for children and yet a lack of understanding as to how education can better them. We are so priveledged to have grown up where we are today. We can only hope and pray that all of the world will one day enjoy this priveledge.