[An Nahar] Pakistain teenager Malala Yousafzai vowed Friday not to be silenced by bully boyz in a powerful speech to the United Nations...aka the Oyster Bay Chowder and Marching Society...
on her first public appearance since being shot by the Taliban.
"They thought that the bullet would silence us, but they failed," Malala said on her 16th birthday in a presentation in which she called for books and pens to be used as weapons.
"The bully boyz thought that they would change my aims and stop my ambitions, but nothing changed in my life, except this: weakness, fear and hopelessness died. Strength, power and courage was born," she said.
Her 20 minute speech was given several standing ovations and was quickly hailed for her message of peace.
Malala, who wore a pink headscarf and a shawl that belonged to assassinated Pakistain leader Benazir Bhutto
... 11th Prime Minister of Pakistain in two non-consecutive terms from 1988 until 1990 and 1993 until 1996. She was the daughter of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, founder of the Pakistain People's Party, who was murdered at the instigation of General Ayub Khan. She was murdered in her turn by person or persons unknown while campaigning in late 2007. Suspects include, to note just a few, Baitullah Mehsud, General Pervez Musharraf, the ISI, al-Qaeda in Pakistain, and her husband, Asif Ali Zardari, who shows remarkably little curiosity about who done her in...
, insisted she did not want "personal Dire Revenge™" against the Taliban gunman who shot her on a bus in Pakistain's Swat
...a valley and an administrative district in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistain, located 99 mi from Islamabad. It is inhabited mostly by Pashto speakers. The place has gone steadily downhill since the days when Babe Ruth was the Sultan of Swat...
Valley on October 12 last year.
"I want education for the sons and daughters of the Taliban and all the bully boyz and myrmidons. I do not even hate the Talib who shot me. Even if there is a gun in my hand and he stands in front of me I would not shoot him."
But Malala said "the gunnies were and they are afraid of books and pens, the power of education. The power of education silenced them. They are afraid of women."
"Let us pick up our books and pens. They are our most powerful weapons. One child, one teacher, one pen and one book can change the world. Education is the only solution," she said.