Schoolgirls humble me

I posted about this story not too long ago, and have come across news that these young ladies from Afghanistan who had been assaulted with acid are returning to their lessons. To me, they epitomize strength and I am proud of them, because they will do things with their education that their attackers could not ever do. With their education, they can more capably fill roles to help their communities, but the sort of person who would bring harm to young women like this only knows how to destroy, and does not appreciate the value of women, or of learning. I also respect the parents who, even having faced the possibility of their children being harmed, nonetheless want to see their daughters get ahead in spite of the risk. And it is a risk, even in neighboring Pakistan. These "militants" are cowards to target women and children, and they are also stupid not to realize the great need for education and the advantage in giving young women the support they need to become independent self-supporting adults. I can think of no practical reason to effectively want half of one's country's population to be ignorant and helpless, and can still less think of any effective religious argument that would justify bringing physical harm on people who simply wish to be educated--except to imagine that keeping anyone ignorant is a form of control.

All the more reason to support the education of these young women. And the young men, too.