“I Am Malala (Official Music Video)”

Fasten your seat belt!

Politics has found its way back to music and the Information Flyway has just brought you the kick-off of “The Malala Generation”.

Bourgeoisie in a great way, brave, concerned, inclusive, intellectual, liberal, progressive . . . .

Of course, not everyone likes that.

Ignoring the text of her speech, which spoke out for the rights of girls and women and implored world leaders to choose peace instead of war, the naysayers tore down the young woman, her father, and Western nations for supporting her in her quest for education.

Shah, Bina.  “The Malala backlash.”  Dawn, July 16, 2013.

Nonetheless, to reach back for the drift, last October, the BBC ran the header, “Malala Yousafzai will ‘inspire a new generation,” and you wish it could set you right on the ponies too.

As a young Canadian, I admire her. Only 19-years-old myself, I’ve been lucky to have seen some amazing and eloquent speakers in the past, including both Bill and Hilary Clinton and the former Secretary-General, Kofi Annan. Nonetheless, speaking just after the UN Secretary-General Ban-Ki Moon, Malala resolutely took the stand. Not a single of those mentioned could even touch the inspiration coming from this girl from Pakistan.

Khan, Jaxson.  “What a young Canadian heard when Malala spoke.”  The Nation, July 16, 2013.

Additional Reference

Arnoldy, Ben.  “The Malala moment: 6 Pakistani views on the girl shot by the Taliban.”  The Christian Science Monitor, October 15, 2012.

Gulf Times.  “Malala effect sparks courage in villagers.”  July 13, 2013.

Khan, Sara.  “Malala’s struggle for equality resonates with British Muslim women in the UK.”  Inspire, October 19, 2012:

Malala’s refusal to climb down in the face of death threats from the Taliban not only challenged their gender based discrimination, but broke the ancient code of silence (the ‘shut up and put up’ code) enforced upon girls. Despite the danger, she refused to be unvoiced. Malala demonstrated that nothing is more powerful and influential against the misogynistic and extremist narrative of the Taliban than the voice of a young girl.

Khan, Sarah.  “Punjab CM Shahbaz Sharif spearheads hate campaign against Malala Yousafzai.”  Let Us Build Pakistan, July 13, 2013.

Kay, Marylou.  “Malala: The uplifting brand of a young world leader (Video). Examiner, July 15, 2013.

NPR.  “Malala: How a Young Girl Became a World Symbol.”  Interview with Celeste Headlee hosting, Vanity Fair writer-at-large Marie Brenner, and Malala and Ziauddin Yousafzai, April 18, 2013.

Siddiqui, Fazeela.  “10 Muslim Women Every Person Should Know.”  The Huffington Post, March 24, 2012.  While Malala is not (yet) a part of Siddizui’s listings, the notables mentioned may be illuminating along similar lines.

Spiegel Online Staff.  “Girl Rising: Malala Fires Up a New Generation.”  Spiegel Online, July 12, 2013.

Strochlic, Nina.  “Malala’s Pakistan By The Numbers.” Women in the World, The Daily Beast, July 14, 2013:

7: how many times more that Pakistan invests in military spending than in primary schooling. This coming fiscal year, Pakistan has increased its defense budget by 15 percent, to $6.4 billion, while education spending has decreased from 2.6-to 2.3-percent of GNP over the past decade. Only seven other developing countries in the world spend less than Pakistan does on education.

Walker, Rusty.  “Why is There Increasing Criticism for Malala Yousafzai, and so Little Support for her Cause in Pakistan?”  Let Us Build Pakistan, July 15, 2013.

Zaman, Qurratulain.  “Teen Activist Malala Yousafzai Impresses UN, Polarizes Pakistan.”  Global Voices, English, July 14, 2013.

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Posted to YouTube March 19, 2013:

http://youtu.be/1dYpkDJVvBk

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Make of the juxtaposition what you will!

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