Deseret News | Educating girls the key to peace, author says

Reader comments
Educating girls the key to peace, author says

B. | 10:40 p.m. Oct. 27, 2009

Great, but why not focus on educating all? Is it more urgent to educate girls than boys?

geoffhiker | 11:02 p.m. Oct. 27, 2009

Great article! The title is misleading though - it should read "Educate All For Peace." About 90% of the Afghan police force can't read or write (that's men), and that's part of why it's so difficult to fix things there. At the end of the docudrama movie "Charlie Wilson's War," Charlie Wilson requested money for Afghan schools after the afghans repulsed the russian invasion and the Taliban was destroying schools. His request was denied. What a shame! We wouldn't be in this situation if Congress had listened to Charlie Wilson.

Anonymous | 11:39 p.m. Oct. 27, 2009

As he explained, and you'd know if you read his book, it's the girls who are wholesale shut out of school, and who have the most influence for change if they're educated. But absolutely, of course, the boys must also be educated and not at the hands of radical mullahs. Charlie Wilson and Greg Mortensen are right. We will never bomb our way to peace in Afghaniston or Pakistan. Schools are the major answer.

Comments continue below

Ann | 1:40 a.m. Oct. 28, 2009

Greg Mortensen said, "The real enemy we all face is ignorance."

I'm so glad our military leaders are reading his book about his experiences building schools in Afghanistan.

What a fantastic effort this is, and thanks for the link to the Central Asia Institute charity.

Broader theory | 5:58 a.m. Oct. 28, 2009

There's a broader theory for developing countries in Africa and Asia that has received much empirical support in academia that when women are educated, because they are the major caregivers in the household, they provide better care and encourage education for both their sons and daughters, and that can carry on to future generations. Men, often absent from the household due to work, do not provide the same level of commitment to their children. Thus, from a tactical perspective, it is targeting education to women.

Educated women know more about birth control and can limit the number of children they have, so it allows for less poverty. Education also provides greater opportunity for women, so some can become part of dual income families as well.

Anonymous | 6:06 a.m. Oct. 28, 2009

Agreed that all need an education, but you have to start somewhere. Greg has started and not given up hope where many others have only thought about helping or have given up hope.
THANK YOU Greg! You are a true hero.
Elizabeth

schools | 6:36 a.m. Oct. 28, 2009

Education is always an answer to the problems we face, and that is why we pay our teachers top dollar!!

ha ha ha ha ahah

Peter | 10:37 a.m. Oct. 28, 2009

"Three Cups of Tea" is a great book. It's written, not by a journalist or a military person (the most common sources for our current information about these areas for most of us), but by and about someone who has lived as an integrated civilian in rural Pakistan on and off since the 1990s. It helps meld our Western perspective (which is valuable) with the often misunderstood perspective of the people there.

One of my favorite books because it's real. So motivating.

Anonymous | 12:18 p.m. Oct. 28, 2009

I heard his talk at BYU, it was very informative and inspiring. The audience was filled with students from many schools, not just BYU, many high school kids who had read the book as well as college students. His point on educating women is spot on.

Not Asleep | 12:19 p.m. Oct. 28, 2009

(S)he who rocks the cradle, rules the world.

CHERYL | 2:28 p.m. Oct. 28, 2009

Has any of the warfare damaged any of the schools or students?

Where's the gals? | 4:42 p.m. Oct. 28, 2009

How come there isn't a single woman on the stand in the picture accompanying this article? Oh, men telling women what they already know!

Read | 9:15 p.m. Oct. 28, 2009

the book and loved it. Fighting the extremists on their own turf, with nothing but the power of education. The key is indeed knowledge. I wished I would have known of his coming to Utah to speak at BYU. I would have loved to attend. Thanks for all that you do Mr. Mortenson.....

Anonymous | 11:49 a.m. Oct. 29, 2009

CHERYL,

The answer to your question is YES.

KentAve | 6:41 p.m. Oct. 29, 2009

I loved 'Three Cups of Tea'. It opened up that part of the world to me and made the people real. That was the whole point, right? If the fanatics would bury themselves under a rock more Americans would realize that we all want the same things for our children.

Greg Skinner | 10:09 a.m. Oct. 30, 2009

Why has this man not won the Nobel for peace?????????

Thinking like Greg Skinner | 9:28 p.m. Oct. 30, 2009

I was going to ask the same question. Why not him and why Obama???

wonderful photo | 6:32 a.m. Oct. 31, 2009

all men in the photo.
as Pogo said...

MerlinII | 9:43 p.m. Nov. 1, 2009

With all the violence in Afghanistan and Pakistan, have any of Greg's schools been damaged and what about the villagers?

Linda | 4:13 p.m. Nov. 2, 2009

I am a big fan of Mr. Mortensen, but I have noticed he hasn't built any schools in Kandahar, Helmund province, or Farah province. I can assume this is because of the insecurity in those places. Can Mr. Mortensen get together with Malalai Joya and see if something can be worked out, at least in Farah?

Anonymous | 2:08 p.m. Nov. 9, 2009

@MerlinII

Yes, and there have been many civilian deaths as well.

Gregissuper-man! | 10:58 a.m. Nov. 10, 2009

Tara, Greg's wife, cannot get enough recognition for her love and support. Without her, Greg probably would not have been able to make this all work.

Mme B | 4:05 p.m. Nov. 10, 2009

I read the book and my eigth grade English students are going to read the "young readers'" addition. I am so inspired and I too believe that Mr. Mortenson should have won the Nobel. Grass roots is the only way to go!

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