I am Malala

I am Malala by Malala Yousafzai is the life story of the young Pakistani teenager who fights for the freedom for other young girls to be educated.  A great education on how American reach constantly impacts the lives of those outside our country.  Malala’s book begins when she is shot in the head by a Taliban militant who wants to end her crusade to provide girls the freedom to gain an education.  The remainder of the book focuses on the years before the shooting, from her birth to the present day.  She presents the political strife from when the country was created as the first homeland for Muslims to the overthrown leaders (those killed and those who were exiled from the country), and to the takeover by the Taliban due to other forces at play in the Middle East.  Much of the politics raised, echo my previous read by Chomsky, noting the US on-again/off-again dealings with thugs who claimed to be leading the country in a way that benefitted the US.  Malala is a product of her father’s upbringing.  He was a staunch believer that girls should have the same opportunities to learn as boys.  He started a school for girls in the valley of Swat and faced the ramifications by the newly formed Taliban military faction.  Over the years the group became more and more corrupt and had a very conservative view of Muslim beliefs, such that they used terror and murder as a means to stop people who did not follow their message.  This eventually led to the shooting of Malala, who was beginning to rise as a country spokesperson in the region for education.  The last chapters of the book focus on Malala’s near death and eventual recovery from the shooting.  She has earned many awards and accolades as a young speaker and motivator for those who want to be educated.  She and her family had to be sent to England for safe haven from the Taliban.  This is a heart-warming story that captures the very essence of the cross roads our society faces today.   Malala stared evil in the eyes and is living a life worth emulating.  Her words are beyond her age, but her life experiences are not.  Every young person should read her life story and will be better able to understand why role models exist.  Have a cause, never give up, and fear nothing.  Her commitment to God, her family, and her cause are refreshing to see in this day and age of hatred, ignorance, and lack of sustained commitment.  A phenomenal story!