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Community => Politics and Government => Topic started by: Zygarde on February 19, 2013, 12:08:49 am

Title: Woman running for president in Afghanistan
Post by: Zygarde on February 19, 2013, 12:08:49 am
So I recently heard about this woman named Fawzia Koofi who is running for president in Afghanistan what do you guys think about it heres a bit from an article about her on CNN.

Quote
The mother with an important but dangerous job sat down to write a goodbye letter to her two young daughters. Just in case, she thought. The Taliban could get lucky this time and finally kill her.
Fawzia Koofi, who is campaigning for the presidency of Afghanistan, began by writing this to her 10- and 12-year-old.
"Today I am going on political business to Faizabad and Darwaz. I hope I will come back soon and see you again, but I have to say that perhaps I will not."
If she didn't come home, she wrote little Shuhra and Shaharzad, they should take their mother's advice on how to get on without her.
"First," she wrote, "don't forget me."
Finish school, live independently, stay with your aunt, study abroad. All the money their mother has in the bank, it's all theirs. Spend it wisely, on school.
"A girl needs an education if she is to excel in this man's world."

http://www.cnn.com/2012/06/17/world/fawzia-koofi-afghanistan-president

I think this is great I just hope the Taliban does not kill her.
Title: Re: Woman running for president in Afghanistan
Post by: Witchyjoshy on February 19, 2013, 12:11:32 am
I wish I could buy an armed guard to protect her.  Best of luck to her.
Title: Re: Woman running for president in Afghanistan
Post by: Rabbit of Caerbannog on February 19, 2013, 12:13:10 am
Good luck to her. That takes serious friggin' guts.
Title: Re: Woman running for president in Afghanistan
Post by: Lt. Fred on February 19, 2013, 12:15:01 am
She's got to be one of the bravest people alive, surely. I don't care about policy, I'd vote for her pure courage alone. And the symbol it'd be.
Title: Re: Woman running for president in Afghanistan
Post by: Zygarde on February 19, 2013, 12:24:51 am
Yeah it takes a lot of guts to essentially make yourself a walking talking target for a bunch of religious nut jobs who would sooner kill you than talk to you, but I think that if she were to die (goddess forbid) she would most likely hurt their cause than help it since she would probably become a martyr in the eyes of millions of Afghan women.
Title: Re: Woman running for president in Afghanistan
Post by: ironbite on February 19, 2013, 12:31:58 am
BINGO!

Ironbite-and that's exactly why the Taliban will kill her...and then be ripped apart by thousands of angry women.
Title: Re: Woman running for president in Afghanistan
Post by: Jack Mann on February 19, 2013, 01:31:47 am
She's going to die, I think.  And I'm sure she knows it.  That takes tremendous courage.
Title: Re: Woman running for president in Afghanistan
Post by: Sylvana on February 19, 2013, 01:47:19 am
Yeah it takes a lot of guts to essentially make yourself a walking talking target for a bunch of religious nut jobs who would sooner kill you than talk to you, but I think that if she were to die (goddess forbid) she would most likely hurt their cause than help it since she would probably become a martyr in the eyes of millions of Afghan women.

I actually doubt that.
While the taliban are the small minority that would actually bother to go so far as to kill her, the majority of the men in those countries are strongly against women in politics in general. Most would see it as her getting her just reward for daring to step into the role of a man.

I respect her for her bravery and willingness to stand up for the rights of women. If she manages to survive it will be only one part of her success. She will have to fight for respect and to even have just her voice heard in a world dominated by men. I do not envy her. I do not think I would have the strength to withstand the level of abuse she is setting herself up for.
Title: Re: Woman running for president in Afghanistan
Post by: Askold on February 19, 2013, 02:13:44 am
I saw her on the Daily show, she seems brave and has already survived assasination attempts.

Would you continue your political career if someone had shown up and tried to shoot you?
Title: Re: Woman running for president in Afghanistan
Post by: Kain on February 19, 2013, 02:21:27 am
Good luck to her. That takes serious friggin' guts.
Title: Re: Woman running for president in Afghanistan
Post by: Meshakhad on February 19, 2013, 02:39:06 am
She has my vote.
Title: Re: Woman running for president in Afghanistan
Post by: kefkaownsall on February 19, 2013, 07:07:46 am
Best of luck to her.  Also is it strange I see misogyny as a natural byproduct of anarchy
Title: Re: Woman running for president in Afghanistan
Post by: Lt. Fred on February 19, 2013, 07:24:08 am
*twitch*. Not... anarchy. *twitch*
Title: Re: Woman running for president in Afghanistan
Post by: Art Vandelay on February 19, 2013, 07:28:55 am
She won't last a month.
Title: Re: Woman running for president in Afghanistan
Post by: kefkaownsall on February 19, 2013, 07:33:18 am
That was actually in response to the evil muslim comments (not here).  I view Afganistan at the moment (thanks to us funding the Taliban) as anarchic
Title: Re: Woman running for president in Afghanistan
Post by: Material Defender on February 19, 2013, 08:58:29 am
HRm. On one hand, I respect such bravery... on the other hand I just don't know what can be accomplished by one person in this case.
Title: Re: Woman running for president in Afghanistan
Post by: Distind on February 19, 2013, 10:56:14 am
Anyone interested in the attempted derail can consult the "Not again damnit" thread in the locked box.

That said I've got to say it takes one person to stand up in the first place. She's aware she's painting a target on herself, but if no one tells these idiots to fuck off they'll never get the message.
Title: Re: Woman running for president in Afghanistan
Post by: Rabbit of Caerbannog on February 19, 2013, 11:08:11 am
Anyone interested in the attempted derail can consult the "Not again damnit" thread in the locked box.
I looked. I'll be fair and rate that as "Medium Trolling."
Title: Re: Woman running for president in Afghanistan
Post by: Askold on February 19, 2013, 11:10:35 am
Sorry about the derail.

HRm. On one hand, I respect such bravery... on the other hand I just don't know what can be accomplished by one person in this case.

Actually I think that being one of the first female politicians in Afghanistan she is already an example to young Afghani women, by running for president she is a proof that women are willing to use the rights they have. I believe she can be a proof of changing Afghanistan wether she wins or not.
Title: Re: Woman running for president in Afghanistan
Post by: Distind on February 19, 2013, 11:41:12 am
Anyone interested in the attempted derail can consult the "Not again damnit" thread in the locked box.
I looked. I'll be fair and rate that as "Medium Trolling."
It's a quantity thing, plus I'm cranky as I'm running a fuck ton of tests right now. God it's boring.
Title: Re: Woman running for president in Afghanistan
Post by: ironbite on February 19, 2013, 12:00:51 pm
Oh did DD shit his pants again at the thought of a muslim woman actually attaining political power and I missed it?

Ironbite-I haz a sad.
Title: Re: Woman running for president in Afghanistan
Post by: Scotsgit on February 19, 2013, 12:14:03 pm
I don't know how well she'll do, but I truly wish her the best of luck.
Title: Re: Woman running for president in Afghanistan
Post by: Stormwarden on February 19, 2013, 01:46:53 pm
*snaps into a salute for the woman* Imagine that, a woman with more guts than the entire Taliban combined.
Title: Re: Woman running for president in Afghanistan
Post by: Meshakhad on February 19, 2013, 04:39:57 pm
Also, can we get a ninja death squad to ensure that anyone who so much as looks at her funny goes up in a fountain of finely minced body parts?
Title: Re: Woman running for president in Afghanistan
Post by: Jack Mann on February 19, 2013, 04:44:39 pm
HRm. On one hand, I respect such bravery... on the other hand I just don't know what can be accomplished by one person in this case.

The basic unit of a political/social movement is the single person, motivated to action.
Title: Re: Woman running for president in Afghanistan
Post by: Barbarella on February 19, 2013, 07:58:00 pm
I hope she succeeds & I hope she doesn't get assassinated.
Title: Re: Woman running for president in Afghanistan
Post by: Cerim Treascair on February 19, 2013, 07:59:10 pm
This woman has officially elevated herself up to where Sandman (may he be making Oberon miserable) resides in my respect level.  Holy hell, that's awesome.
Title: Re: Woman running for president in Afghanistan
Post by: ThunderWulf on February 19, 2013, 09:19:46 pm
That takes guts like I can't even imagine.  More power to her.
Title: Re: Woman running for president in Afghanistan
Post by: D Laurier on February 20, 2013, 10:05:42 am
In the 19th and early 20th centurys afghani women often led their tribes, and fought several british invasions to  standstill. They organized a number of short lived talibans that defnded afghani rights over british colonial interests.
It is only since the late 1980s that the whabbi have reduced afghani women to breeding stock, creating a taliban of their own.