Assed Baig
Freelance print and broadcast journalist
Huffington Post - 13/07/2013
When Malala Yusufzai was shot in the head by Taliban gunmen simply
because she wanted to gain an education it sent shockwaves around the
world.
Straight away the Western media took up the issue. Western
politicians spoke out and soon she found herself in the UK. The way in
which the West reacted did make me question the reasons and motives
behind why Malala's case was taken up and not so many others.
There is no justifying the brutal actions of the Taliban or the
denial of the universal right to education, however there is a deeper
more historic narrative that is taking place here.
This is a story of a native girl being saved by the white man. Flown
to the UK, the Western world can feel good about itself as they save
the native woman from the savage men of her home nation. It is a
historic racist narrative that has been institutionalised. Journalists
and politicians were falling over themselves to report and comment on
the case. The story of an innocent brown child that was shot by savages
for demanding an education and along comes the knight in shining armour
to save her.
The actions of the West, the bombings, the occupations the wars all
seem justified now, "see, we told you, this is why we intervene to save
the natives."
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