Blog 7 Official: Pakistani teen blogger's shooting a 'wake-up call' to 'clear ... danger'

         Malala Yousufazi is a 14-year-old blogger who lives in the conservative Swat Valley. Malala has been writing in her blog to encourage others to take a stand against the Taliban and not to hide. In an interview last year she expressed that she has the right to education and he right to speak up. Her blog about her daily encounters with extremists rewarded her with Pakistan’s first peace prize.  Earlier this week Malala was on her way home from school when a van pulled up next to her vehicle. The passengers in the van asked which girl was Malala and opened fire. She was shot directly in the head and others in her vehicle were wounded as well.  The Taliban has claimed responsibility for the act but not because she was fighting for educational rights of women.  The Taliban has issued a statement claiming that the attack was on religious grounds and those who fight against Islam and Sharia must be killed. Pakistan’s foreign minister says it is time for people around the world and in Pakistan need to confront those “ who choose to use violence.” Though Malala has suffered some brain damage there is a 70% survival rate.

 

During our small group discussion in class our group created a definition of violence. We defined violence as the use of force to control or exert power over another person that is used to hurt, inhibit or dominate that person. The Taliban’s reasoning for the crime can be looked at through two different viewpoints.  The Taliban feels that such extreme acts of violence are needed in order maintain order within their religious beliefs.  Others can look at this as an extreme form of violence in order to strike terror into those who speak out against them. This idea of violence against women to instill fear and terror to prevent them from speaking out is not a new one and can been seen around the world. Assassination of Benazir Bhutto in 2007, Meena Keshwar Kamal of Afghanistan in 1987,Konca Kuris in Turkey were all feminists who were killed for speaking out against extremists.  While these acts of assassinations are small occurrences the ideas behind them can be found around the world. Abusive relationships involving a male abusing a female can be considered small-scale violence of trying to silence, exert dominance, and force control over the female. Violence against women is seen in various forms in societies around the world. Education, awareness, and more people taking a stand against those who commit violence can help to send messages that violence will not be tolerated.

 

 

.

http://edition.cnn.com/2012/10/11/world/asia/pakistan-teen-activist-attack/index.html?hpt=hp_c3

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_assassinated_people