Research Paper On Malala Yousafzai
How Malala Inspires Me
Malala Yousafzai is a girl who put up a fight against the Taliban at a very early age. I personally identify with this as a young person who has been given rights as a result of the American Civil Rights Movement. Although I was not alive during this powerful movement, I realize as an African American male, if the Civil Rights Movement had not occurred, I too would not have equal opportunity to education in America. I wonder if I presented the same circumstances as Malala would I be able to take the same actions as Civil Rights Movement leaders and Malala.
These two powerful movements have many differences and similarities. Malala’s struggle to gain female educational rights occurred in Pakistan between 2011 and 2014. She was attempting to break down a gender barrier between the men and women of her village of Swat, in Pakistan. This was such a hard wall for her tear down was …show more content…
misinterpretation of the Qur’an by the Taliban and other powerful groups. Much like in Malala’s case, the Civil Rights Movement was an equally difficult social movement for African Americans with regards to establishing equality in America for African American people. However, this movement took place in the United States approximately between the years of 1954 and 1968. Many leaders of this movement were trying to prove that all men and women were created equal despite skin complexion. This movement, due to the pervasive ignorance of basic human rights, continues into present day America. Malala, like most civil rights movement leaders, chose to oppose the Taliban in a non-violent way. As she says in I Am Malala, “I began to see that the pen and the words that came from it can be much more powerful that machine guns” (6). She also believed that education was the key to defeating the Taliban and decided to speak out against the Taliban in speeches.
Two of the greatest leaders the Civil Rights Movement were Martin Luther King and Malcolm X. These two men had very different approaches when it came to gaining freedom and equality for African Americans. Of the two, MLK’s approach was the most similar to Malala’s approach when it came to taking a stand against injustice. Martin Luther King believed in demonstrating in a strictly non-violent manner much like Malala. He also, much like Malala, spoke out against oppression and inequality in a series of speeches across the nation. Malcolm X, unlike King, believed that although non-violence as long as his opposition did the same. “We are nonviolent with people who are nonviolent with us" (2). He once said regarding his position on protesting. While both leaders did agree on non-violence there is discrepancy on the strictness of this rule.
With many great leaders there comes opposition and in Malala’s case her opposition was the Taliban. They used violence and fear to keep the women of Pakistan from retaliating against the oppression. The Taliban’s ideology was not well supported by the men and women of Pakistan. However, this lack of support did not slow down the growth of the Taliban membership. They used their weapons and power to force young men to enlist and changed these men’s understanding of the Qur’an’s teachings. Much like the Taliban, the Klu Klux Klan uses violence to strike fear into the civil rights movement leaders. However, unlike the Taliban the KKK did not want to be known publicly as a member. This is because in America what the KKK was doing is illegal. They were also, despite doing very illegal things, supported by the community and were even allowed to hold massive rallies to influence the thinking of Caucasian Americans in the civil rights movement. “After a period of decline, white Protestant nativist groups revived the Klan in the early 20th century, burning crosses and staging rallies, parades and marches denouncing immigrants, Catholics, Jews, blacks and organized labor” (3). There were many educational rights taken from African Americans and the women of Pakistan.
For example, in both cases, the chances of equal education were difficult due to segregation. There was also harassment due and violence due to this discrimination. “From the earliest times in American history, the U.S. educational system mandated separate schools for children based solely on race” (8). In many instances denial of rights effectively condemned the basic human rights of both African Americans and the women of Pakistan. There are also just as many differences in how rights were restricted in both of these cases. In Pakistan on women were discriminated against whereas in America men and women felt discrimination. Also murder while it did occur was not most common in the civil rights movement whereas in Pakistan the Taliban would kill anyone in their way. Also unlike in Pakistan Africans were allowed to be in public however in Pakistan women were “hidden away behind a curtain, their role in life simply to prepare food and give birth to children”
(6).
Malala’s struggle for female education is personally inspiring especially when I consider what I have been provided as a result of the Civil Rights Movement. Being a young African American person I feel inspired by Malala as, given the circumstances, I would most likely not be able to do any of what she is doing and has done. I feel that I would not be able to step up and speak out against a powerful group like the Taliban and applaud Malala for being able to do it.
Work Cited
"Biography." The Official Malcolm X. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Aug. 2014. <http://www.malcolmx.com/about/bio.html>.
"Quotes." The Official Malcolm X. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Aug. 2014. <http://www.malcolmx.com/about/quotes.html>.
"Ku Klux Klan." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 15 Aug. 2014. <http://www.history.com/topics/ku-klux-klan>.
"Martin Luther King Jr. Biography." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 16 Aug. 2014. <http://www.biography.com/people/martin-luther-king-jr-9365086>.
"Who Are the Taliban?." Infoplease. Infoplease, n.d. Web. 18 Aug. 2014. <http://www.infoplease.com/spot/taliban.html>.
Yousafzai, Malala. I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban. Park Avenue, New York: Little Brown & Co, 2013. Print.
"http://www.tufts.edu." Non-Discrimination Statement. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Aug. 2014. <http://oeo.tufts.edu/non-discrimination-statement/>.
"Background Overview & Summary." Brown Foundation. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Aug. 2014. <http://brownvboard.org/content/background-overview-summary>.
Malala Yousafzai is a girl who put up a fight against the Taliban at a very early age. I personally identify with this as a young person who has been given rights as a result of the American Civil Rights Movement. Although I was not alive during this powerful movement, I realize as an African American male, if the Civil Rights Movement had not occurred, I too would not have equal opportunity to education in America. I wonder if I presented the same circumstances as Malala would I be able to take the same actions as Civil Rights Movement leaders and Malala.
These two powerful movements have many differences and similarities. Malala’s struggle to gain female educational rights occurred in Pakistan between 2011 and 2014. She was attempting to break down a gender barrier between the men and women of her village of Swat, in Pakistan. This was such a hard wall for her tear down was …show more content…
misinterpretation of the Qur’an by the Taliban and other powerful groups. Much like in Malala’s case, the Civil Rights Movement was an equally difficult social movement for African Americans with regards to establishing equality in America for African American people. However, this movement took place in the United States approximately between the years of 1954 and 1968. Many leaders of this movement were trying to prove that all men and women were created equal despite skin complexion. This movement, due to the pervasive ignorance of basic human rights, continues into present day America. Malala, like most civil rights movement leaders, chose to oppose the Taliban in a non-violent way. As she says in I Am Malala, “I began to see that the pen and the words that came from it can be much more powerful that machine guns” (6). She also believed that education was the key to defeating the Taliban and decided to speak out against the Taliban in speeches.
Two of the greatest leaders the Civil Rights Movement were Martin Luther King and Malcolm X. These two men had very different approaches when it came to gaining freedom and equality for African Americans. Of the two, MLK’s approach was the most similar to Malala’s approach when it came to taking a stand against injustice. Martin Luther King believed in demonstrating in a strictly non-violent manner much like Malala. He also, much like Malala, spoke out against oppression and inequality in a series of speeches across the nation. Malcolm X, unlike King, believed that although non-violence as long as his opposition did the same. “We are nonviolent with people who are nonviolent with us" (2). He once said regarding his position on protesting. While both leaders did agree on non-violence there is discrepancy on the strictness of this rule.
With many great leaders there comes opposition and in Malala’s case her opposition was the Taliban. They used violence and fear to keep the women of Pakistan from retaliating against the oppression. The Taliban’s ideology was not well supported by the men and women of Pakistan. However, this lack of support did not slow down the growth of the Taliban membership. They used their weapons and power to force young men to enlist and changed these men’s understanding of the Qur’an’s teachings. Much like the Taliban, the Klu Klux Klan uses violence to strike fear into the civil rights movement leaders. However, unlike the Taliban the KKK did not want to be known publicly as a member. This is because in America what the KKK was doing is illegal. They were also, despite doing very illegal things, supported by the community and were even allowed to hold massive rallies to influence the thinking of Caucasian Americans in the civil rights movement. “After a period of decline, white Protestant nativist groups revived the Klan in the early 20th century, burning crosses and staging rallies, parades and marches denouncing immigrants, Catholics, Jews, blacks and organized labor” (3). There were many educational rights taken from African Americans and the women of Pakistan.
For example, in both cases, the chances of equal education were difficult due to segregation. There was also harassment due and violence due to this discrimination. “From the earliest times in American history, the U.S. educational system mandated separate schools for children based solely on race” (8). In many instances denial of rights effectively condemned the basic human rights of both African Americans and the women of Pakistan. There are also just as many differences in how rights were restricted in both of these cases. In Pakistan on women were discriminated against whereas in America men and women felt discrimination. Also murder while it did occur was not most common in the civil rights movement whereas in Pakistan the Taliban would kill anyone in their way. Also unlike in Pakistan Africans were allowed to be in public however in Pakistan women were “hidden away behind a curtain, their role in life simply to prepare food and give birth to children”
(6).
Malala’s struggle for female education is personally inspiring especially when I consider what I have been provided as a result of the Civil Rights Movement. Being a young African American person I feel inspired by Malala as, given the circumstances, I would most likely not be able to do any of what she is doing and has done. I feel that I would not be able to step up and speak out against a powerful group like the Taliban and applaud Malala for being able to do it.
Work Cited
"Biography." The Official Malcolm X. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Aug. 2014. <http://www.malcolmx.com/about/bio.html>.
"Quotes." The Official Malcolm X. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Aug. 2014. <http://www.malcolmx.com/about/quotes.html>.
"Ku Klux Klan." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 15 Aug. 2014. <http://www.history.com/topics/ku-klux-klan>.
"Martin Luther King Jr. Biography." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 16 Aug. 2014. <http://www.biography.com/people/martin-luther-king-jr-9365086>.
"Who Are the Taliban?." Infoplease. Infoplease, n.d. Web. 18 Aug. 2014. <http://www.infoplease.com/spot/taliban.html>.
Yousafzai, Malala. I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban. Park Avenue, New York: Little Brown & Co, 2013. Print.
"http://www.tufts.edu." Non-Discrimination Statement. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Aug. 2014. <http://oeo.tufts.edu/non-discrimination-statement/>.
"Background Overview & Summary." Brown Foundation. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Aug. 2014. <http://brownvboard.org/content/background-overview-summary>.