Humanity welcomes back ‘daughter of the world’

I join the moral world and the international humanistic community in welcoming Malala Yousafzai back to us. This brave young Pakistani girl has been discharged from the hospital after recuperating from gunshot wounds.

Bravo to this courageous child!

She stood against the tyranny, the sexism, intolerance, madness and the fanatical views of the Taliban. The whole world knows how she passionately struggled and fought firmly for her inherent right to education, to improve herself, to develop her knowledge for purposes of ultimately cultivating herself. She did this not just for herself but for all Pakistani children like her, especially young girls.

The evil forces of hate and violence, mortal enemies of equality, humanity and enlightenment, responded in the only nefarious fashion they knew: first they threatened Malala repeatedly; when they saw that she won’t relent fighting for her cause, they shot her!

They thought that by killing her, the clamor for education as a basic right, the demand for equality and the march of reason would stop. The Taliban by virtue of this dastardly act have  clearly shown to the world the depravity, barbarity and idiocy of their minds and needs.

Those animals may kill a person, but they can never ever kill an idea!

In the immortal words of Kahlil Gibran, “Keep me away from the wisdom which does not cry, the philosophy which does not laugh and the greatness which does not bow before children.” Our angelic Malala saw it through, she cheated death and shamed the Taliban big! It is in this sense that Malala’s boldness, her defiant act of standing up against the Taliban earned her the love, respect and admiration of the world.

As Malala herself said in envisioning a confrontation with the Taliban: “I think of it often and imagine the scene clearly. Even if they come to kill me, I will tell them that what they are trying to do is wrong, that education is our basic right.”

Not only has she triumphed against terrorists, she has also shown completely the bankruptcy and abnormality of Taliban’s “philosophy.”

She taught a lot of people, opened not only their eyes, but most importantly their hearts and minds with regard to the harrowing and horrible plight of children, such as those living under the blood-curdling shadow of the Taliban. Indeed, her gentle, yet utterly strong, fortitude has shaken and awakened the world.

The whole international community wept when it learnt of the barbaric act committed against her. The people of the world united and prayed, in solidarity with her loved ones, for her prompt recovery.

Hail to this brave daughter of the world! Bravo to this courageous little warrior for education, equality and enlightenment!

Welcome back Malala, keep it up, we all love you and will always be with you in your noble quest and cause to serve mankind and humanity.

—JOSE MARIO DOLOR DE VEGA,

lecturer, College of Arts,

Department of Philosophy,

Polytechnic University of the Philippines,

[email protected]