Today I met several wonderful girls. They ranged in age from 13 to 16, were very lively, sweet, and intelligent. Call me stupid or delusional but I recognize a smart person when I see one. There's something in an individual's eyes. A spark of intelligence. There's something in a girl's mannerism and wittiness that screams "thoughtful and sharp."
Today I realized that all those talks of "lack of education" that had given me the impression that such thing only occurs in 3rd world nations had misguided me. This thing, this lack of education, this abhorring injustice, this ridiculous situation happens just next door to most of us, here in one of the most technologically and intellectually advanced nations in the world. (In the words of a dear friend, in Amurrrca.) For as long as I remember, I have known that Islam encourages scientific advancement and the strive for individual worldly progress and feminism (Yes, Islam promotes feminism. Don't be shocked.) And here I am, still shocked at the deprivation that these girls, born and raised in our nation, experience. In a nation were receiving higher education is much easier than probably any other nation in the world. I have no problems with those who home-school their child but if doing so strips that child of the opportunity to pursue higher education and live to his/her fullest intellectual potential, then I have a very big issue with those parents. Each person has been gifted with certain talents. The entity that suppresses those talents, strips an individual of an easily-acquired education, and considers such sheltering a favor to that individual, is committing an abominable injustice. Need I rant more?
Lastly, today I realized how lucky I am to have been born into the family into which I've been born.
[I'm bringing my blog back. Apologies for the rustiness. It'll get rolling again.]
