The rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated

Mukhtar Mai should be an inspiration to people the world over. In 2002, her younger brother was accused of bringing "dishonor" upon her family. A court of tribal elders decided to punish Ms. Mai for her brother’s alleged crime by sentencing her to a brutal gang-raping. Somehow the village elders felt that this supreme act of violence and violation would restore the honor to the family and to their community.

Ms. Mai’s reaction to this horrific act was nothing short of heroic. In a country where freedom of expression is not a right, where women are subjugated and forced to live as second class citizens, and where the vast majority of rapes and beatings go unreported and unpunished, Ms. Mai stood up for herself. In doing so, she stood up for women the world over.

Ms. Mai fought back via the legal system of Pakistan even though there she already held a disadvantage, first as a woman, and second as someone with little to no influence or money. She testified against her attackers and successfully won. (Sadly, in Pakistan it was a shock that she was victorious, despite the appalling nature of the crimes committed against her.) That she managed to proceed thus far was in itself a heroic act to be highly commended, but Ms. Mai did not stop there. She used the money she received as compensation to set up a school in her village – her rationale being that education was the key to preventing a repeat of such a horrifying crime. And in a final act of incredible generosity and forgiveness, she even sought out the children of her attackers and enrolled them in the school.

Unfortunately, instead of celebrating the actions of a woman who has received praise from everyone from Laura Bush to fashion magazine Glamour, Pakistan has done nothing but attempt to stifle her voice and her actions. Last year, the government placed her under house arrest upon hearing of her plans to travel to the United States on a speaking tour. After some pressure, the government finally relented and allowed her to leave the country for a short while, resulting in her current journey to this country. However, the Pakistani government continues to fear this young woman and pulled every string it could to keep her from recording an interview for the U.N. before she leaves after her tour of the US. For its part, the UN has created excuses for not allowing Ms. Mai’s voice to be heard after bowing to the pressure placed upon it by the government. The UN's implausibly weak reasoning for backing out of providing Ms. Mai a forum in which she could tell her story was a slap in the face, adding insult to an already ghastly injury.

It is a sad fact that some regimes, such as that of Pakistan, will do everything possible in order to keep their citizens quiet. But when the United Nations, an institution whose role it should be to champion the cause of people like Ms. Mai, effectively chooses to silence her in order to appease a regime with a deplorable human rights record, it is truly a depressing day for the human race. The UN ostensibly exists to highlight violations of basic rights and to promote diplomacy and democracy. By kowtowing to a dictatorial government who allows atrocious acts of violence to go unchecked, it only serves to undermine its own authority. In such a clear cut case, if the UN is unable to ascertain the difference between right and wrong, it is an impotent body, unable to help those who are most in need of its help.

This case is not just about Ms. Mai. This is about all of the women in South Asia and all over the world who suffer from such injustices everyday. It remains shocking and almost incomprehensible to those of us who live in democratic countries that women are still denied the basic rights we feel should be afforded to all people – equality and equal access to education; the ability to live and work in a world where their gender does not detract from their human rights; and to have the right to vote, to have a voice that is not stifled by a government that fears opposition. At the very least, women should be able to live without fear of abuse and have the ability to appeal to their government if they find themselves in such a position without fear of reprisal. The UN, in a supreme act of cowardice, muffled Ms. Mai’s voice at the behest of Pakistan’s government – an act as injurious as was once committed by a tribal council in Pakistan.

Posted by Sam Clemens at 11:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

In what marked an unceremonious end to a turbulent career at Virginia Tech, Marcus Vick, younger brother of NFL star Michael Vick, was dismissed from the Hokies program. Coach Frank Beamer delivered the news to Vick and his mother on Friday, following an incident at the Gator Bowl in which Vick appeared to stomp on the calf of an opposing player, Elvis Dumervil. The incident was merely the last in a series that marred Vick’s tenure at the university and included legal problems off the field (drug possession and license suspensions amongst these) and problems on the field (in a previous game, Vick gestured obscenely towards opposing fans). As a result of his past behavior, Vick had already endured a suspension in 2004. In the team’s official statement on Friday, January 6, 2006, the team and university explained that the cumulative effect of unsportsmanlike and unlawful conduct had resulted in the decision for dismissal.

Vick released a statement the following day in which he appeared to regret his Gator Bowl actions and their interpretation. He maintained that the stomping was unintentional and stated that he had apologized to the Dumervil following the incident. Both general apology to the university and the supposedly personal one to Dumervil appear to ring hollow as Dumervil has disputed the latter claim describing Vick as a “no-class individual”. Then, when confronted by a reporter of the Virginian Pilot at a restaurant immediately following the dismissal, Vick appeared unconcerned by the university’s decision, responding, “It’s not a big deal. I’ll just move on to the next level, baby.”

His immediate reaction to the dismissal from Virginia Tech speaks volumes about his character, one that no formulaic, written statement can cover up. Although Vick later professed to have apologized to Dumervil and to regret both his actions and the punishment meted out by the school, he appeared less than conciliatory in the immediate aftermath of the situation. His cavalier attitude towards the dismissal prompts one to believe that when he does “take it to the next level”, i.e. the NFL, he will unlikely be the upstanding citizen coaches increasingly require their quarterbacks to be. While Vince Young and Matt Leinart are being considered for the top spot in this year’s draft, Vick’s name doesn’t make the list of top five potential draftees.

The past several years have seen an upturn in unsportsmanlike conduct in the professional athletic leagues, be it within the confines of the athletic arena or in the larger world beyond. The NFL quarterbacks who most consistently receive high praise are not those who simply perform at a level above the rest, but those who display strength of character that seems, increasingly, to be lacking in so many. The quarterback is often the center of the team’s soul, not just the center of the offense; the player the others turn to to provide some guidance, either vocally or through the example they set.

Brett Favre is one such athlete; the consummate quarterback—a gifted athlete, a hard worker, and someone who’s well respected by his peers in the league. Peyton Manning is another; someone who has proven himself to be not only one of the most accurate passers around, but also someone who truly cares about his community—his efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina will not soon be forgotten. The same cannot be said for Marcus Vick and the others (e.g. Terrell Owens) in the league whose narcissism has overtaken their ability to be effective athletes. Terrell Owens himself was dismissed for conduct detrimental to the team when the Philadelphia Eagles felt he had taken his self-serving attitude one step too far. Marcus Vick should take note.

Since the initial publication of this article, Marcus Vick was arrested for brandishing a weapon when he allegedly pulled a gun on three teenagers in a parking lot.

Posted by Sam Clemens at 11:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)