There are a lot of really good choices this year such as Stephen Colbert (his work with those SuperPAC's was invaluable), Hillary Clinton (Duh!), and President Obama (Double duh!)
There also some, in my opinion, stupid choices. Such as Kim Jong Un (WTF?), Paul Ryan (Seriously?), and Karl Rove, (I just thew up in my mouth a little.)
However after much deliberation I think the choice should be clear.
Here is how Time magazine makes her case:
At first, the Pakistani girl blogged anonymously about her desire to go to school without fear in a part of the country where the Taliban had once imposed strict Shari'a law. Then, with the surprising encouragement of her devout Muslim father, Malala Yousafzai wrote in her own name and revealed her face to the world, a symbol of young women around the world seeking empowerment. She became the subject of a documentary and a celebrity of sorts in the world of nonprofit organizations. Who knew that such prominence would put her life at risk? On Oct. 9, 2012, Taliban gunmen boarded her school bus, sought her out and shot her in the head. Eventually airlifted to a hospital in Britain, she survived her severe wounds. In the meantime, Malala, now 15, has become an inspiration not only in her native Pakistan — where the culture wars over women's rights and religious diversity have taken many violent turns — but all around the globe. Malala is now a first name that hundreds of thousands of people know. But in a way, hers is an even more moving story, because the saga is not just of a brave young girl but also of a father willing to risk local opprobrium to raise his daughter — not a son — as a proud example for the world. It is among the tenderest of stories in the world of conservative Islam.
Now this is only my opinion, and of course you are welcome to disagree, but personally I cannot think of a more deserving recipient of this honor. Nor can I think of a more profound message to send to those who felt they had the right to snuff out her life, and quiet her voice, simply because it did not agree with their fundamentalist from of religion.
P.S. I lied really DO think there is a more profound message to send and that would be by honoring her with the Nobel Prize for Peace. And trust me I will be advocating for that as well.
I think this lady deserves due consideration
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What's with the blank cover? Does that represent their brains at Time?
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info on this brave young woman. Somehow the story slipped past me with just a slight awareness, and I need to go back and read about her.
It's blank because they haven't chosen yet.
DeleteI agree with her choice for Peace Prize, but the person of the year award should go to Nate Silver. He was THE topic of conversation for months, by everyone.
ReplyDeleteNate Silver should have been the topic of conversation for months by everyone. It's pretty clear that the Romney staff never looked at his numbers or took him seriously-- or they wouldn't have been so surprised. I don't think that Fox looked at Nate Silver, either. Well, they did when it came to call him names that had nothing to do with his ability to accurately predict the election. The major networks didn't take Nate Silver seriously enough, either, because they kept calling it a horse race and too close to call-- when it wasn't.
DeleteI like Nate Silver, and I admire how accurate his methods are (were). But, the MSM and the Romney team didn't pay enough attention to him. I did, though, and it kept me sane.
I think Malala is a terrific kid. I doubt she understood the risk she was taking in speaking out although perhaps that isn't necessary to be the person with the greatest impact on the world. And even if she did, I've also heard little about the effect she has had on the education of girls. She has strummed our heart strings and we wish her the very very very best, but I'm not sure quite how she has changed the world - at least not yet.
ReplyDeleteNate Silver hasn't really changed the world either.
Not sure how Paul Ryan or Karl Rove changed the world either - they did more to fail to change the world. I don't think that counts.
Perhaps Anonymous. I like Hilary. Maybe the Obama campaign (Obama, the GOTV, the decision-makers for campaign decisions about how to use money). MAYBE John Roberts for changing his vote on OBAMAcare, although that's more America than world-wide influence.
I'm not aware of the impact of Malala on education for girls.
Karl Rove, Paul Ryan and Mitt Romney are so far in the No Way votes there is NO WAY they will be chosen. Not if Time wants to maintain any credibility.
DeleteI think Malala knew exactly what danger she was in, just not the form it would take. And while we may not be that aware in this country of her impact, she had made a huge impact in other parts of the world, especially Muslim countries and where the education of women is suppressed.
I'm surprised Nate Silver wasn't on the list. He deserved to be on it more than some others.
I believe Anonymous was nominated last year or a few years ago.
Malala is a child. I know children can understand death and danger. But I can't imagine she really understood the political reality of what she was saying, particularly with her father, the person who loves and protects her, is there with her. I used to think my father could stop bullets too.
DeleteBut like I said, perhaps her knowledge is irrelevant to any impact she has had. Could you be more specific about the impact Malala has had in Muslim countries - how have opportunities for girls opened up?
I'm also curious how Nate Silver changed the world (although I like him very much). He did a better job than any on predicting the world (or at least the campaign, and perhaps baseball), but that's not change or influence on the world events. His predictions didn't even change Romney's campaign - nor Obama's.
I couldn't lodge my vote against Kim Jong Un. I tried twice and it wouldn't show. When I got to the end I saw that he is 2 to 1 in the definite column. Something is fishy there.
ReplyDeleteMalala is still winning at 79%. I hope they do the right thing and pick her.
I think Stephen Colbert is going to be upset if he loses to the Mars Rover or the Higgs Boson. At least he's beating Jon Stewart. That's probably all he cares about.
I'm for Jimmy Carter's grandson who took that video of Mitt Romney citing the 47% losers in the American population.
ReplyDeleteI have nothing against the brave little girl from Pakistan, whose father has been giving her wonderful publicity. Girls in Afghanistan have had acid thrown in their faces for leaving the house and going to school. They just haven't had the same public attention. I hope that the girl from Pakistan is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, where the money can be put to good use in her campaign to gain opportunities in the Muslim community for girls' education. (I didn't say equal opportunities, just opportunities).
ReplyDeleteTime Magazine's Person of the Year can be a person who influences world opinion, and the magazine has chosen both evil dictators and great politicians. It has also made some lame choices. This year, the unknown person who provided the 47% video which revealed Mitt Romney for the snob that he is deserves the honor, since that video changed the course of the election. After that moment, Romney's chances went downhill. If Romney was elected (oh, horrors) there would be fresh wars in the Middle East and the girl from Pakistan would have no influence. Obama's election is the more significant event.
I think Malala deserves both honors, and then some. We take so very much for granted and think WE have it bad. This girl wants to go to school and can't, just because of her sex.
ReplyDeleteGryph, this is the best post on earth! I totally agree with you, this young girl should get both rewards. There is not another person that I see this past year that deserves more recognition than this girl. She stands for humanity in the world.
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