School as a Capital Offense

Imagine a place where simply attending school is an offense punishable by death - not just for you, but your family as well.  This is the reality of young girls in Afghanistan under the Taliban and their form of Islamist extremism. Whether or not the one Soviet and two US wars there had any positive impact on it remains to be seen (there is no evidence of this - in fact it seems to be getting worse).  However, as can be seen from this Ted Talk, some of the people are taking matters into their own hands.  

This makes one appreciate universal public education all the more...and wonder at the arrogance and short-sightedness of any American (girl or boy) who takes it for granted...or drops out.  Listen to this young woman's story -- and her passion and thirst for an education...for all Afghan girls.  It will make you see things differently, and provides yet another reason to be grateful that through birth location or naturalization...you are in the US and not any number of other countries in the world.