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Subscribe to RSSSoosan Firooz rhymes about Afghanistan and the many crises its people have faced. In a country where public performance by women is frowned upon, this is no easy feat. NBC News' Tazeen Ahmad reports.
KABUL, Afghanistan -- Odds are, if you are a female in Afghanistan, you have been forced to marry a man who has hurt you, denied access to an education and will die young. It takes extreme measures just to survive, let alone thrive, here.
There’s no denying the grim litany of evidence. But beyond the bombs and burqas that often define this country is a light shining through the darkness. It turns out some of the bravest women in the world live here. These are the stories of three women in Kabul who dared to defy the odds.
Soosan Firooz: Afghanistan's first female rapper
Demure, sweet and soft-spoken are not usually words one would choose to describe a rapper, but Afghanistan's first female rap artist gives a disarming first impression.
"Rap does not have to be angry," Soosan Firooz said. She uses it to express painful childhood memories of being a civil war refugee and sees rap as a medium through which she can defy the repression of women.
In her first music video recently released on YouTube, Firooz appeared in Western style clothing and jewelry – headscarf notably absent.
But pushing the envelope and breaking from Afghanistan's conservative cultural norms does not come without a price. Some members of her family have disowned her and she has faced numerous death threats. Her father quit his job so that he can protect her around the clock.
But in the safety of her living room wearing stonewashed jeans and a sweatshirt, she smiled and seemed relaxed as she talked about how she loves Shakira.
Buzkashi: World's toughest sport or source of hope?
"I am worried about it but refuse to just stay inside my house," she said. "I receive threats on phone...but I don't surrender to those risks."
Firooz explained that her creative expressions are not just for personal gratification because she bears the heavy burden of being the family's primary breadwinner. Firooz also works as a soap opera actress to bring in more income, but she hopes to make it big with her music.
"I am not only the oldest daughter of the family but also a son of the family and my family needs me. I need to do this job," she said.
Although she dreams of performing in other countries, Firooz takes pride in being an Afghan.
"Afghanistan is not a jungle where there are lions everywhere that scare people, there are human beings living in this country," she said.
"The people of Afghanistan are braver than the rest of the world."
According to government officials, a suicide bomber blew himself up outside a mosque in northern Afghanistan, killing 40 people and wounding more than 50. NBCNews.com's Dara Brown reports.
Performer takes on 'Wall of Death' during Eid al-Adha celebrations
Col. Latifa Nabizada: Afghanistan's first female Air Force pilot
Grit, determination and profound love of country led Col. Latifa Nabizada down the unlikely road to becoming the Afghan Air Force's first female helicopter pilot.
As a little girl growing up in Kabul, she would stare at the sky for hours on end and dream of flying, Nabizada, 40, said. She hung on to the dream for years and at 17, applied for flight school.
Tech. Sgt. Quinton Russ / U.S. Air Force photo
Col. Latifa Nabizada stands with her daughter, Malalai, next to a helicopter at Kabul's international airport.
"As a female, when you want to become anything here, you face so many problems," she said, recalling the scrutiny and rejection she first faced. So she vowed simply to out-work and out-smart her classmates so that no one could question her capabilities.
"I graduated number one in the class of 72," she said with a grin.
In the years since, Nabizada earned the respect of her fellow pilots, many of whom she now considers to be her "brothers." The dangerous anti-Taliban missions they have flown together have further strengthened their bonds.
As she strolled around the Afghan Air Force base in Kabul, flight engineers, technicians and pilots all treated her with a reverence that seemed alien for Afghanistan. "I know many of them would die for me," she said.
Nabizada pointed to a neighborhood just beyond the vast tarmac of the runway. "My house is right over there. But this is my home," she said, heading toward the MI-17 helicopter she flies.
Click here for more NBC News stories on Afghanistan
Despite her extraordinary job, Nabizada is still like so many other women around the world, struggling to juggle the demands of work and family life – except that her particular challenges are less mundane.
She flew training missions while pregnant with her now-six-year-old daughter Malalai, and when she was born, Nabizada had no choice but to bring the infant to work. "There was nobody to take care of her," she said.
At two months old, Malalai began accompanying her mother as she piloted training missions, cradled in the arms of Nabizada's engineer since there was no room for a crib on the flight deck. We joked that she should have put a "Baby on Board" sticker on the cockpit window.
"I want all girls here to know that anything is possible," Nabizada said.
Nabizada hopes that someday her own daughter will fly even higher than she has and become Afghanistan's first female astronaut.
'Mother' Laila: Rehabilitating Afghanistan's lost drug addicts
Last year, Laila Haidari found herself standing under a Kabul bridge, both heartbroken and horrified by what was before her: dozens of homeless drug addicts strung out on opiates, resigned to a hopeless life and certain death.
Jamieson Lesko / NBC News
Waitress and mother-of-two Masooma, 24, weeps as she recounts the deep depression that led to her opium addiction.
She was visiting Afghanistan from Iran for a film festival and to see some in-laws, but this fateful sighting changed everything.
"No one was helping them," she said. "They were going to die there. I couldn't leave." Haidari, now 34, decided to move to Kabul. She didn't even go home to pack up her belongings.
With the help of a loan from friends, Haidari opened a free shelter for addicts and their families. She also established a café and staffed it with volunteers recovering at the shelter – a step toward reintegrating into the work force. She named it Taj Begum, which means "Women's Crown" in Dari.
There was an oasis-like feel to the cafe when NBC News visited, with flowers and day beds sprawled across the outdoor space. Two white rabbits hopped around the grass freely, munching on dried rose petals in between the tables.
On a recent evening, middle-class Afghans and ex-pats sipped tea in the café's outdoor patio, their plates heaped with rice and meat. A local rock band played after dark, donating their ticket sales to the shelter.
NBC's Atia Abawai explains what's behind the worsening attacks on U.S. military personnel by Afghan security and military to NBC's Andrea Mitchell.
"I love working here," said Hussain, 30, who works in the kitchen. "Laila has saved my life in every way."
He was addicted to heroin when Haidari found him under the bridge, and said he was still haunted by memories of last year's brutal winter when he watched several friends freeze to death.
"I had tried many times to get help but no one would take me in," he said. "I thought that I was going to die, too, just like them."
Although the shelter is mostly full of men, there are four women here. Drug use poses a major problem for women in Afghanistan but it isn't commonly known or spoken about, since so few emerge from the shadows of shame to seek treatment.
Outrage at Afghan woman's execution on video
Waitress and mother-of-two Masooma, 24, wept as she recounted the deep depression that led to her opium addiction. In the course of six months, both her husband and brother died, she said. "I was broken. I lost everything. I just wanted to escape."
As her addiction clouded over her, Masooma began having serious trouble caring for her sons and realized that she needed a way out of the nightmare. "They are innocent. I didn't want to hurt them," she said.
Masooma said she will never be able to repay Haidari for taking her in. She -- and most of the recovering addicts at the shelter -- don't refer to her by name, but instead by "mother."
These are the bonds that keep Haidari going, despite the high personal price she has paid for walking this path in life. Her marriage dissolved and she misses the family she left behind in Iran. She said she has been getting death threats, but that she won't give up.
"These people are my family now," she says. "I will not leave them."
More world stories from NBC News:
- Analysis: Should next president treat Russia as friend or foe?
- Meet Afghan female rapper, colonel who defy the odds
- China considers ending unpopular one-child policy
- Expert: Tourists threaten Sistine Chapel's famous paintings
- Oasis of tolerance or 'Republic of Shame'? Two faces of gay life in Lebanon
- The secret to a perfect smile? Chopsticks, Chinese officials are told
- After decades of oppression, Kurds get taste of freedom in Syria
- Outrage after video shows Chinese teacher abusing kindergarteners
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The other news that bode very ill for any female or any rapper- Afghanistan's Independent Election Commission will allow any armed insurgent-whether Talibal or Hezb-i-Islami (the former PM Gulduddin Hekmatyar group) to run for the President of Afghanistan and vote in said election on April 5,2014- initial results on April 11,2014,final results May 24,2014 -run-off November 28,2014. IEC official Fazil Ahmad Manawi- elections matter- ME-Muslim Brotherhood and now in Afghanistan the Taliban and Hezb-i-Islami thanbks to Obama administration's latest gamble of 'concorde'.
What? Did I just wander into Bizarro World? Wtf? Are any of these comments in English?
These women will be "female powerhouses" all the way up to about 30 seconds after we leave. They will next be filmed under a pile of rocks.
Huh?
You best rerun that through the English Translator because that makes little sense.
Too much of anything is bad.
Here extremism and violence in the name of religion and violent ideologies like communism are real bad or self destructive.
Here Islam has a very bad record since its birth.
Instead of reforming with times, I see many followers of Islam going backwards to their seventh century desert raping, stealing, killing and genocide days.
In many nations like Afghanistan, Pakistan, in addition to Islam, tribal conflicts, drug growing and addictions are complicating matters further.
So with elections or without them, I don’t see much hope! We can’t help them too much either.
And isn't that the truth for most of the Muslim world? Think of it, Islam was spread by the sword. For most of the Muslim world the first female Muslim was raped by the man who murdered her husband or father or brothers or all of them. Even today women and girls of other faiths are routinely kidnapped, forcefully converted to Islam and married to their rapist and kidnapper.
Now THERE is a war on women. Women in that culture get the short shrift when it comes to opportunity. The pilot must have lived a fairly priviledged life as a youth to have the education and toe in the door to flight school.
Kudos to these pioneering Afghan women. Their sisters are being killed for not bearing a male heir, not prostituting themselves and, in an oxymoronic turn, slain for "honor killings" for being attacked by men who have no consequences according to a millennia old Sharia law. As soon as the US leaves, these women better go with them.
myspellcheckerisbroken basically what mimi jacques is saying is that after the 2014 Afghanistan presidential election is said and done, females rights, anything resembling forward movement for female rights and activity that mimics the western world (such as rap music) among male or female will certainly not be tolerated by the new government. This is because the presidential elections are most likely going to place a former Taliban or a former warlord in power. Without the backing of NATO troops combined with a corrupt government the political system will implode thus allowing the Taliban power insurgency throughout Afghanistan and make it a dangerous place, even more dangerous for women. Right now, even with the Obama administration fully aware, Afghanistan has former warlords and Taliban members sitting in parliament.....
I guess there is a little light at the end of the tunnel for Afghanistan. It is good to remember how many women were burnt at the stake in medieval Europe or hung in Salem as witches; women have struggled and the Islamic archaic world is the new frontier. Let's hope for the best, although it will be blood, freedom is not free.
Wow I'm shocked. Islamic scholars like the Taliban are still targeting women who want freedom and equal rights in the modern world. What should I have for dinner?
Since all Muslim women's are being treated like servants and sex objects only, they should not allow the evil and beastly Muslim men (99.9991%) to have sex with them and eventually producing the future tormentors and terrorists from their own womb. That is very much necessary and the Muslim women's should stand up and revolt against their devilish Muslim men (99.9991%) for the discrimination they kept facing since the beginning of that evil cult called Islam. That is a must. Tunisian women's have already started the movement last week - why not the rest of the women's of the Muslim world? The civilized societies are suffering tremendously and the world will never be peaceful as long as those evil Muslims are not punished severely and their militant devilish cult are not eliminated.
mph-268198. Thank you for translating- I was in a real hurry to put the elections online- Reuters/Alertnet is carrying the same news now. Just that everyone understands this calamity- today Obama/US/NATO/ISAF are fighting Afghani and Pakistani Taliban and Hezb-i-Islami (former Afghanistan P.M. Gulduddin Hekmatyar's terrtorist group) as terrorists (so designated by US g'ment)- yet when the Afghanistan's Presidential elections occur in April 5,2014 and these terrorists can run for the Presidency and vote while US/NATO/ISAF soldiers are still on the ground- this is the utter hypocracy of Obama adm.- everybody will be in real harm's way-Afghani soldiers/police/western aid people/western soldiers-policemen since Taliban and Hezb-i-Islami legitimately under Afgfhani Independednt Elections Commission can run and vote. BTW-HRC just asked Algerians to go to Northern Mali to battle with Westerners against the Slafists and while in Bosnia-asked them to join EU and NATO. Psst.it's EU-HRC
Romney's church was referred to as "cult" by many before he ran. And I'd bet money you are voting for him anyway. Ah - America..... land of hypocrisy!!!
Mimi - this is the same problem we see over and over again. We want to "free" people and bring them under the umbrella of "democracy" - but if the majority of the population elects leaders that the west doesn't approve of - we light our hair on fire.
What are you suggesting is a better approach? Only allowed candidates that are hand-picked by ISAF? Denying large parts of the population the right to vote? Neither sounds like democracy to me.
I'm not being glib: I don't think there IS a simple answer - other than to learn from our mistakes as we move forward. Imposing democracy on a population that isn't ready for it just won't work. We either end up with governments that are worse (or no different) than we replaced (like in Libya), or we just appoint or back up a dictator that we find more palatable (eg: Kuwait).
RE: "Hey Tyler, You forgot, or don't realize, I am also Sonar Guy, and Radar Guy, Mind Games, Zipperthecat, Vermillian Sky, and about 30 others"
Why don't you make your next screen name be Multiple Personality Disorder Dude or Psycho Boy?
Either way you are one SICK POS SOB.
I may not be a fan of Fiesty since she is so far over the top for my taste but your comment just smacks of pure evil. Whats the difference between you and the Taliban or al-Qaeda? Maybe your place of birth but otherwise not much. People like you give good honest Republicans a bad name. That is if you even are one and not just a raging Sociopath.
From,
A Registered Democrat with conservative values
When a camel just won't due; ride the white horse.
Or the old bolony pony.
If we don't defeat Islamic fascism just like we finally defeated Christian fascism in World War II, then it will one day lead to World War III. If we had gone after Christian fascism before World War II, then our world would have been spared the tragedy of World War II and the loss of approximately 100 million lives. World War III promises to be at least 100 times worse than World War II, thanks to the advent of WMDs and long range ballistic missile technologies. - RC
Having said that, we still need to do it in a smart Cold War way as much as possible, and we haven't even begun to explore the potential of doing it that way yet. How terribly sad! - RC
yeah Hitler would have never risen to power and Germany never would have went broke. If only we targeted christian fascism sooner. What about WW1?
4 posts in and the utterly insane have come out of the wood work.
Have a nice day emotional.
The theological basis for Christian fascism still exists, so we really haven't eliminated the threat, we have only temporarily suppressed it. I strongly suggest that we "kill two birds (actually more) with one stone" in the process of dealing with the theological basis for Islamic fascism, by creating a universal standard for all religion in our world which all religion has to be brought into conformity with. What is truly insane is promoting freedom of religion above all else, no matter how radical or extreme any particular religion might be. (I will explain WWI another time.) - RC
Sounds like you are too anxious to wait. See you on the front lines.
Well, I can certainly see there is little hope in trying to reason with mankind. Have fun with your program "End Times", everyone! - RC
I truly believe that a WWIII 100X worse than WWII would be just the ticket for humanity, to purge it of all the ills associated with far too many people all vying for the exact same things such as money and power. It's finally reached the point to where there's not enough to go around and has created a dog eat dog existence for all of us. I truly yearn for the simple unobstructed life of 40 yrs ago when the worlds pop. was less than half what it is now. If you had been alive then you'd know what I mean. We all still chased the almighty dollar, but there was enough to go around without us gnawing each other to pieces in order to get at it. Modern humanity has turned completely animalistic as compared to then.
You make some sense.
Since the birth of organized religion, next stage was each religion making or trying to make an empire for a religion.
We got fascism in the name religions too at different times.
Many religious empires degenerated at different rates. This gave birth to communism as a reaction too!
Islam's backward march has been too fast and fascism by followers of Islam in different nations (Muslims, as well as non-Muslims) have become intolerable.
Here Saudi Arabia and Pakistan are primarily guilty.
In this article itself, one can wonder whether Afghanistan is in 21st century or some centuries far behind.
There will tremendous reactions and WWIII is not far off!
I think it is wonderful that these women are exceeding their standard. Stop being so negative, its rediculous. Ecspecially coming from a country who has every reason to be happy. We as Americans dont have to put up with half the crap these women do. Learn a lesson from them......
RC - having the federal government dictate religious policy is frightening (and impractical) enough - you're suggesting a world-wide "standard" somehow be created and enforced?
oh yes WW3 is just what we need, to destroy the earth so the selfish have have a little more for themselves.After WW3 their won't be much of anything alive,those that are alive might just join the other's already dead.People talk like,oh just nuke a few countries,lower the population,so I can drive to work faster,crazy thinking.
Nazism was NOT Christian...Hitler was instituting his own religion in the place of ANY other religion and it was done over the course of his rise to power in Germany. Religion(any kind) is a man made attempt to worship himself, hence fascism is man worship which has, by the way, been done since the beginning of time. Man's refusal to accept the reality of God creates a need to worship something in place of Him. Atheism, defined as a rejection of God, is actually a religion which worships man.
The album name "$hithole $hizit" under the lable Death Row.
Wasn't "Koran Koran" on that record label?
Why is it so difficult to accept that there are still some remarkable people in that part of the world that just want to help those in need, to rise above the ordinary, and are able to do so. Kudos to the ladies mentioned in the article!
ED-navDoc: How is RAP going to help people in need?? Except give them a headache.
Tarzan7, she is still a performer, regardless of what she performs. If she provides an example for the younger generation that life does not have to be about hate and war, what's wrong with that. You may not like RAP but the younger generation does.
Better get out while you can.
Unfortunately there are parts of the world where 'women rising up' will not bode well- Afghanistan is such a place
I think that Rap Crap is a good idea, it will drive them all of them crazy. And to top it off we should send them some Old cars with BOOM BOXES, that should drive them over the edge. Dumbing Down is the goal here.
Boy and they think the Taliban has caused them problems! Wait till the Afghan peeps take over with their hip hop rapping, spray painting, pants down to their knees, tatas all over their asses, bitch having mo and mo babies, welfare sucking hos, grandma rasin, cell phone texting, AK-47 shooting, drug slinging, take over the country, they will need more than Allah to save them.
I feel it is better to keep away from Muslim nations like Pakistan, Afghanistan, Syria, Iran, Turkey and other ME nations for a few years.
In Afghanistan, Pakis have backstabbed the US and NATO forces big time. Half of NATO forces deaths are due to ungrateful and backstabbing Pakis.
When the NATO forces were entering Kandahar in 2001, Pakis airlifted key al-Qaida, Taliban, ISI and others militants by back door from Kandahar.
This includes Mullah Omar, Osama and many including Paki Haqqani militant network leaders.
Hope people remember about Pakis sheltering Osama.
These Paki Islamic religious Nazis don't bother about their people and they are into reckless killing games in the name of jihad.
Drone attacks are not enough. To reduce NATO forces losses, carpet bomb Paki militant areas just like 1991 Iraqi war.
Or else just get out right now.
Saudis too have backstabbed big time US and allies with Iraqi wars and now trying to outsource their dirty jobs in Syria, Iran and other places.
Are you suggesting somehow booting Turkey out of NATO?
Mifo: Sooner Turkey is out of NATO better it is for NATO and US and allies.
With Erdogan's like in Turkey, it is no use having backstabbing Islamic fundamentalists in the alliance!
Who gives @!$%#? Im sure Obama will send her some money and hget her a recording contract..hes seems to gravitate to LOSER RAPPERS!!!!
Obama should be impeached for killing Americans and destroying our country!!!
http://theulstermanreport.com/2012/10/28/mr-president-they-know/
Funny how ALL the liberals want to deflect!!! The real issues are this scumbag Obama lied to our country and allowed innocent AMERICANS to die!!!!
I have to admit though he is hanging out with some important drug dealers...Jazee and all the other really important people of the world...Did I mention Madonna? He really keep s great company!
Oh I almost forgot..Michelle she does such an amazing job as first lady...huh? What has she done..oh wait she said we should have more grocery shopping stores in the Ghetto...Ha ha great idea!!!
To..chris""""
So twisted ..how do you live with yourself
Lybia Should not be a POLITICAL ISSSUE...The TRUTH
Dear Senator McCain " Old Soldiers never Die they just Fade away" I am surprised you would put such a spin on this tragic event? Its time to retire. You did a great service for our country.
You dishonor all the good you have done to start telling Blantant lies about this tragic situation.
It may need to be looked into, but to blame the President of Wrong doing is absurd, it would be the same if anyone said you deliberately downed your Air Craft in Vietnam? I am A LIBERAL and have always Respected you as a person. But the GOP is falling apart don't let it take you down with it.
Oh just crawl under a rock or go back to your job at fox news chris, Only a conservative would turn a article about a foriegn nation into a domestic political one. You want to know who dropped the ball? Obama may have let four people die oh my god such a big number compared to close to 3,000 dead when Bush was president! Second, Michelle Obama has done alot for Unicef, Cancer Research, and basic women't rights and needs.
The argument that this is because of Obama is questionable considering that 2 of the 3 women in this article had been doing their work in Afghanistan even before we invaded in 2001-2002. What are the years Chris? Was Obama president then? I don't believe so.
To return to a more serious note anyone find the pilots story a little odd. Last thing I knew was since the Russians left Afghanistan was thrown into a civil war that didn't end until we invaded and kicked the Taliban out of power so what government existed in 72 with an air-force that she was able to join? Was she helping the Russians kill her own people? Or maybe she was in Syria or Pakistan or some other country any one have any input on this?
You Can Do It!!!
Anyone find the pilots story a little odd. Last thing I knew was since the Russians left Afghanistan was thrown into a civil war that didn't end until we invaded and kicked the Taliban out of power so what government existed in 72 with an air-force that she was able to join? Was she helping the Russians kill her own people? Or maybe she was in Syria or Pakistan or some other country any one have any input on this?
Confusing the year '72 with the number of trainees where she was first in her class? Nothing odd about that, other than she was able to get as far as she did - I find that remarkable and inspiring.
oh thank you Redondo I was confused about that so thanks for helping out.
One can wish so many things; one can imagine more; and be too optimistic. There are limits to everything.
Sunni Islamic religious madness has gone too far and they have declared war or jihad on girls and women trying to assert, minority sects (Shiites, Sufis, Ahmedias, Hazars and others) and minority tribes!
Who will blow up mosques on Fridays during prayers and the hospitals where injured are treated?
Who with a little sense will blow Shiites' pilgrims going to their holy place during Eid?
What can one do except watching (some times with pain)?
Ok, I know this is off topic but that Afghan rapper is a hottie!! Plus she has more courage than many of us do!
pretty sad that rap garbage is being used in other countries .....I wonder if she knows how rap music ridicules woman....inner city garbage!!
You obviously have not listened to all forms of rap or someone like Talib Kweli, just to name one.
Saying all rap does that is like saying all priests rape altar boys.
Those are things you only think if you are not educated.
Rap is way more than what the musically uneducated people think it is. I'm a 66 year old guy that, although I don't listen to much myself, realizes that the depth of it is more than saggy pants and misogynistic lyrics. It is the music of the younger generation and the most common musical genre' worldwide. Poetry set to beats is a more apt description of it. It's been around for over 20 years so it's not surprising that it's made it around the world. My sons listened to it when they were growing up so I made it a point to listen it to see what they were up to.
They gotz the country an' western singers too! We all know where women fit in there, too.
"Show them to me, set them puppies free" - that would go over big!
Rural horse pellets.
It's the end of the world as we know it, ( in fact, Thee can't wait ) and Thee feels Fine....;)
Whatever, it's somewhat a start for female rights. It took America awhile on allowing our females to vote, as if they were second class people. Time is what is needed for some of these countries. These things don't happen over-night.
deb, In America we didn't have a radical religious army that threatens to slaughter hundreds of thousands of people just to make a point about women's rights. Plus the first place to give women the right to vote was my home state of Wyoming and we did it before we were even a state but you know why we did it? Just because we needed a bigger population of voters and particularly one to strenghthen the conservative power in the region.
It's refreshing to read about stories like this in Afghanistan. Not the usual carnage and beheadings. Yes, they have a long way to go, but this is a great start. Hopefully their efforts won't be derailed. Best of luck to them.
And for this it took an invasion?
Like everything else in Afghanistan except the killing, social advances are made in inches. 6 years for flight school? Too bad that didn't happen with the 9/11 'flyers', Afghan might have been a very different place to-day. But when you're trying to teach 'foreigners' how to 'do it the white way', it just takes longer. We have to be patient with our 'burdens', they just don't know.
And that's why we're still losing after 13 years.
You know I read the articles on hear and sometimes close the page nauseaus because of the monstrosity in the world. However, the news is usually bad but the comments from my fellow americans are worse. When did we just spew hate?????????? Hate women, men, muslim, christian, republic, democrat, white, black, hispanic??????? WTF.....when will people wake up and realize that we are human. These women who have been brutally and forcefully held back for centuries have FINALLY found enough courage to stand up to the bastards who oppress them and we as Americans should applaud that. The only way these countries will change is from within, not from us forcing our belief system down there throat. For the record I am a white christian democratic female. I work, pay taxes, raise my kids the right way, go to church and kiss my mom daily. I have no desire to change my belief system, but I'm okay with others believing in what makes them happy and productive members of society. Racism and hate will never solve these problems, only perpetuate them. All of you should be ashamed and you need to grow up.....otherwise I hold you in the same sterotypical regard as the nasty muslim men who are opressing the people in their own country.
Sarah by calling them nasty muslim men you just joined the club. I'm glad that women are finally standing but it is only three so I'm not going to get my hopes up. Plus you look at our country and women still need men to okay their rights. It was a man who gave the vote and it was a man who gave them equality. Afghanistan is going to be different unfortunately they will have the men fighting men who want to opress and when those men die and are defeated if a women wants anything as we have given them the hope for they will have to fight and die and die and die and die against these men who want to opress them. This has never happened before where women actually give up thier blood for rights so it will be interesting to see if women have the spirit to overcome opression. My vote goes for the women. It will take a long time and alot of lives but the Taliban will be defeated and it will be the Afghan women and men united that will do it not us and our some what dwindling military might. The point is women cannot do it themselves they still rely on men no matter what someone says. So equality is just a dream it will never happen between the sexes even though it would be nice.
You GO girls!
Way to go! I am a huge fan of strong women.Live,work ,and was raised with 'em.I realize this is probably a great medium for her,but what a @!$%# "art' form. Rap has made people rich and glorifies a lifestyle that is misogyny lite compared to what she's used to.It still extends the notion that women need men.It also is the music of a culture that empowers men who have no power themselves,but what is given them.
These stories are so touching. Please tax me more so I can feel like we're helping those who will blow the hell out of us as soon as we stop sending money.
She is kinda cute... Never knew as I never saw an AFGAN woman's face before they always wear towels, robs, whatever that is..... Funny how you read something that is supposed to be uplifting like this but if the word AFGAN is in it anywhere so are words and statements like DEATH, Death Threat, killing, bomb strapped on, etc... I don't want to read this crap... I hope she makes something of her self.. but that entire area over there needs more help than exists on the planet.. They are trained to kill from birth. That region has been blowing @!$%# up since it came into existence (thousands of years ago) and they will never stop.