Home Gender Ayesha Noor on Malala

Ayesha Noor on Malala

Details
Published on Wednesday
31 October 2012  17:29
Written by Radical Socialist
 

Extremists, who in the beginning deemed Malala an icon of bravery, now consider her to be unworthy of all this care and attention. Facebook pages, text messages, and tweets denouncing her as an American agent have gone viral

Fearless fighting characterizes both Joan of Arc and Malala Yousufzai.  The other week, Malala opened her eyes for the first time after the Taliban shot her in the head for advocating women’s education and condemning the Taliban. Six centuries prior, a pro-English court ordered Joan of Arc be burned at the stake for her own defiance against an oppressive regime.

Malala grew up in Mingora, a town entirely under Taliban control. Joan of Arc grew up in eastern France surrounded by pro-English Burgundian land.

Malala’s father mentored his 11-year-old daughter to pick up the pen and fight for her rights against the Taliban. Joan of Arc’s mentoring came from St. Michael and St. Catherine, who inspired the 12-year-old “to cut her hair, dress in man’s uniform and to pick up the arms,” for her country.

While writing for the BBC Urdu, Malala disguised herself under the pen name of Gul Makai. Joan of Arc famously disguised herself in men’s attire and convinced the captain of the dauphin’s force to give her the command of troops.

Joan of Arc won miraculous victories. In one instance her troops captured the English Commander and overpowered a much stronger army despite the many obstacles she faced. In the face of numerous school closings, Malala showed similar courage and fearlessly criticized the Taliban in the face of mortal danger, writing, “Even if they come to kill me, I will tell them what they are trying to do is wrong …”

Even after Malala’s true identity was revealed in December 2009, she continued relentlessly advocating for women’s education. In the coming years, Malala appeared as a girls’ rights activist and an advocate of peace, even winning the National Peace Prize. The New York Times featured her in two documentaries. Earlier this year she initiated to organize the Malala Education Foundation to help poor girls go to school.

In 1430, the Burgandians captured Joan of Arc while defending Compiegne near Paris—revealing her true identity.  But she did not relent. The English tried and convicted her for witchcraft and heresy. The main accusation on her was her male appearance, which was considered a crime against God. In 1431, she was convicted and on May 30th, was burnt at stake at the age of 19.

On October 9th, the Taliban shot Malala in the head for her alleged crime of education advocacy. At present, she is being treated in a hospital in Birmingham. Her to-be-killers have expressed their desire to kill her if she survives.

Despite, Joan’s selfless services for the France, King Charles VII did not come to her rescue. Likewise, extremist elements of Pakistani society, who in the beginning deemed Malala an icon of bravery, now consider her to be unworthy of all this care and attention. Facebook pages, text messages, and tweets denouncing her as an American agent have gone viral.

Despite the bigoted opposition, intelligent people in Pakistan are already calling for Malala to be recognized as the “Daughter of Pakistan.”  It took some 25 years after Joan of Arc’s death, for her to be declared innocent. Many years later she received the title of Patron Saint and inspired countless. We hope Malala lives for many years more to experience the fruit of her labor first hand. Her fearless fighting has already inspired billions.

RELATED ARTICLES

The right to choose. Socialism and women’s rights in Ireland

Details Published on Thursday 21 March 2013 17:15 Written by Radical Socialist

Selling Sexual Services: A Socialist Feminist Perspective

Details Published on Saturday 07 February 2015 09:43 Written by Radical Socialist

REVOLUTION WILL BE FEMINIST OR IT WON’T BE

Details Published on Monday 20 June 2011 11:26 Written by Radical Socialist

Most Popular

Supreme Court quashes defamation case on activists by Association of Pesticide Manufacturing Companies

Details Published on Thursday 05 August 2010 04:35 Written by Radical Socialist

Fourth International Report on the international situation

Details Published on Monday 05 August 2013 14:30 Written by Radical Socialist

Tunisia and the Arab Revolution

Details Published on Monday 14 February 2011 16:41 Written by Radical Socialist TUNISIA AND THE ARAB REVOLUTION Osvaldo Coggiola After 40 days of mobilisation and with over a hundred people...

France: An Unprecedented Movement

Details Published on Sunday 24 October 2010 10:26 Written by Radical Socialist An unprecedented movement which is far from over. Sandra Demarcq   Since last May, the situation in France has...

Debt Crisis: Today Greece, tomorrow the world

Details Published on Thursday 23 July 2015 09:56 Written by Radical Socialist Today Greece, tomorrow the world 20 July by Mike Roscoe   Greece has been living beyond its means, having borrowed...

The Labour Movement in Africa

Details Published on Monday 13 February 2017 11:05 Written by Radical Socialist AFRICA Introduction to Pambazuka’s Special Edition on the labour movement in Africa (From International Viewpoint) Friday 10 February...

Contribution from Argentina

Details Published on Tuesday 15 December 2009 12:12Written by Radical Socialist

The Martyred Professor : Saba Dashtiyari of Balochistan

Details Published on Saturday 04 June 2011 06:13 Written by Radical Socialist Obituary: The Martyred Professor http://www.thebalochhal.com/2011/06/obituary-the-martyred-professor/ By Malik Siraj Akbar I do no know any young Baloch of my generation...

Welcome to the surveillance campus

Details Published on Sunday 05 August 2012 05:43 Written by Radical Socialist ISR Issue 82 • March-April 2012   Welcome to the surveillance campus We are living in the State of...

PAKISTAN: Impunity for rape and other forms of violence against women must end

Details Published on Thursday 26 May 2011 09:51 Written by Radical Socialist PAKISTAN: Impunity for rape and other forms of violence against women must end HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL Seventeenth session,...