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All about it my guy tonight. She's an advocate for girls access to education worldwide. Is the youngest person ever to be nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize. Her new book is called I Am Malala, The Girl who stood up for Education and was shot by the Taliban. Please, welcome to the program, Malalai.
Nice to see you.
Thank you for being here.
Thank you so much. It's an honor for me.
It is an honor for us. I know me. This is by the way, we talked a little bit before the show. Nothing feels better than making you laugh that. I enjoyed that very much. I am a Malala. It's honestly humbling to meet you. You are sixteen. Where did your love for education come from?
We are human beings and this is the part of our human nature that we don't learn the importance of.
Anything until it snatched from our hands. And when in Pakistan.
When we were stopped from going to school at that time, I realized that education is very important and education is the power for women. And that's why the terrorists are afraid of education. They do not want women to get education because then women would become more powerful.
Exactly exactly right. When did the when did the Taliban come to Swat Valley, because before then you describe it as a paradise of sorts.
Taliban came in two thousand and four, but at that time they were quite good. They did not show the terrorism and they did not blast any school at that time. But they started the real terrorism in two thousand and seven. They have blasted more than four hundred schools in Swath. They have slaughtered people, and in the month of January two thousand and nine they used to slaughter even two
three people every night, and they have flogged women. We have seen the barbaric situation of the twenty first century, and we have seen the cruelty, and we have seen harsh days in our life, and those we regard it as the darkest days of our life.
So it was really hard for us at that.
Time you describe in the book. Still, no matter what, they took the signs off of schools, they went underground, but they continued in the face of You spoke out publicly against the Taliban. What gave you the courage to continue this?
You know, my father was a great encouragement for me because he spoke out for women's rights.
He spoke out for girls'.
Education, and at that time, I said that why shall I wait for someone else, Why shall I be looking to the government, to the army that they would help us. Why don't I raise my voice? Why don't we speak for our rights? The girls of Swath they spoke of
for their rights. I started writing diary. I spoke on every media channel that I could, and I raised my voice on every platform that I could, and I said, I need to tell the world what is happening in Swad, and I need to tell the world that Swath is suffering from terrorism and we need to fight against terrorism.
When did you realize the Taliban had made you a target?
When in twenty twelve we were I was with my father and someone came and she told us that have you seen on Google that if you search your name and the Taliban have threatened you? And I just could not believe it. I said, no, it's not true. And even after the thread when we saw it, I was not worried about myself that much. I was worried about my father because we thought that the Taliban are not that much cruel that they would kill a child. Because
I was fourteen at that time. But then later on I used to like started, I started thinking about that, and I used to think, I think that the Talib would come and.
He would just kill me.
But then I said, if he comes, what would you do, Malala? Then I would reply myself that Malala just take a shoe and hit him. But then I said, but then I said, if you hit a Talib with your shoe, then there would be no difference between you.
And the Talib.
You must not treat others that much with cruelty and that much harshly. You must fight others but through peace and through dialogue and through education. Then I said, I'll tell him how important education is and that I even't want education for your children as well.
And I will tell him that's what I want to tell you. Now, do what you want.
I ask you.
You know, I know your father is backstage and he's very proud of you. But would he be mad if I adopted you? Because you sure are Swell.
We're back.
We're talking to Malala. The book I Am Malala is on shelves right now. Your love of school reminds me so much of my children. Okay, maybe not the people of Swat valley. When the talib first came, they thought they're bringing order, they're bringing services. They established a court that was faster than Pakistani courts, and the people responded, when did that begin to turn?
When the Taliban came, they were trying to convince people and they were just misusing the name of Islam, and they were telling people that we would just set up another court for you and we would provide you justice on time. Because usually in courts in Pakistan, people dies and their case is not yet resolved in.
The courts. So there's what is happening in the courts of Pakistan.
So people just said, like, if the Taliban are doing it, why don't we support them.
But then they were that much cruel.
That they started slaughtering people, and they even blasted a generator of electricity. And it was the month of Ramadan, in which we keep fast, in which we don't eat on the day, in which we don't drink for the whole day. They blasted the electricity generators which was providing electricity to the whole city of Mingora, and we could not have water because it is electricity is related to water supply as well. And people were sitting in the dark.
People could not buy electricity generators. People were just sitting in the in the light of candles, and people were just dying of thirst at that time.
But my father is a great father because he.
Bought a generator for the school to to create electricity and to provide water to the to the street and to that community. But still many people were suffering from that heart situation. And other than that, our freedom was taken from us, yes, the women's freedom. We could not go to market, we were not allowed to go to school. We were just kept imprisoned. We were just limited to the four walls of our house. Women's rights were denied
at that time. And that's why I spoke because I believe in equality, and I believe that there is no difference between a man and a woman. I even believe that a woman is more powerful than men.
Wait. Whoa wait, wait, you know this was going so well, you were doing so beautifully, and then suddenly it's this is the part that they began to say. You cannot dance, You cannot the women cannot do these things. You say that many people believe this is a wrong interpretation of Islam, of the Quran.
Do you.
Why have the Taliban and these more extreme groups been able to be successful. Is it the fear that they bring to these towns? Is that why the people have had a hard time throwing it off.
The first thing is that they were really cruel.
They had clash and gufs, They had guns in their hand, and if I have a gun in my hand and I tell you something, do this, you have to do that because it's for your life. So there was fear all around. That's why people could not say anything.
Then the second thing was that they were misusing the name of Islam.
They were telling people that we are doing this for Islam, you're doing this for a love, We're doing this for profit, please be upon him, so as well as they were using religion for their own personal benefits.
So that's also the reason.
But then later on people try to realize this and the girls are very brave and girls in our school like we were at that time, we were just eleven or twelve years old. But we spoke of for our rights to every media channel, to every newspaper that we could, and we did not know at the time that our small interview would have an impact or not, but it had because we were raising up our voice and we were speaking of for our rights and we were speaking for peace in Swat. We wanted to live a normal
life because Swath is like a paradise on Earth. I believe in two paradises, one one I'll get after death, but the other one that is on earth for me, that is Swath, because Swath is really beautiful and you would be you would be astonished when you see the lush green hills and when you see the tall mountains and the rivers that we have, the crystal clear water and you can.
Find trout, so it's really beautiful. Your love Swat.
Well, I'm from New Jersey, so I know a little something about paradise, the beaches.
It does.
It sounds magnificent and it's it is heartbreaking because you see what these children want, and what these people want is to just live in peace without having this imposed on them. And I think we don't know what to do to help. You know, there are passages in the book about the United States, UH and we come out great, but there there is you know, there are attacks in Swat and in those areas with drones, and they talk about a man, a CIA agent, who shot two men
in Lahore Raymond, David Davis. And this is is I think we have a common want and desire, but perhaps are not accomplishing it in the manner that shows the people how we how we feel. But in some ways we don't know what else to do. What is what is your thought on that.
I think that the people of America, the United States, they truly support peace and they say that we must.
Not fight against war through war.
They believe that dialogue is the best way and we must try to find a solution for it.
And in my opinion, the solution that.
Would work to fight all these wars and all these problems that people are facing is only education, because you can you can stop war for a second, but you don't know it would start again or not. We have seen First World War, we have seen Second World War, and I think Third World War is coming. But I believe that we must stop it now. I don't want to see a third World war in this world again. And the best way to fight against this war is education.
Because as we can see that children are suffering from terrorism, they are suffering from child labor and child trafficking. They're also suffering from the culture norms and tradition. These are There is not only one issue that we are facing through.
There are many others as well.
So I think education is the best way people would be thinking just going to school learning about chemistry and physics and maths. And that said, going to school is not only learning about different subjects. It teaches you communication, It teaches you how to live a life. It teaches you about history, it teaches you about how science is working. And other than that, you learn about equality. Because students are provided the same bench, is they sit equally.
It shows us equality.
It teaches students how to live with others together, how to accept each other's language, how to accept each other's traditions and each other's religion. It also teaches us justice. It also teaches us respect. It teaches us how to live together. So that's why I support they. I support the idea of sending children to school because it is the best way to fight terrorism. And I want people to support us in this cause. And through Malala Foundation, we want to work for education of girls in the
developing countries, especially in Syria. Now they are suffering, they're homeless. Now, we want to help children in Afghanistan because they have been suffering from terrorism for decades. We want to help the children of India as well because they are victims of child labor. So I think issues.
And problems are enormous. But solution is one and that is simple. That is education.
I I I am humbled, humbled to speak with you.
I will say this.
I don't know where you come from, but I am very glad you're here. Thank you for being bad to do wonderful. Please get the book. Donate to the Malala Fund by visiting www dot malalapun dot org. Malala use say.
My dad tonight.
She is the First Lady of the United States. She has written a book called American Grown Story the White House, Kitchen, Garden and gardens across America. Please welcome back to the program, First Lady Michelle Obama.
I want it. Nice to see her.
Good to be here, good to be back.
It's nice to see again. The book it's called American Grown. Look at this you as first Lady. Everybody has an issue and you decided I'm going to take on this idea of getting children to eat well. Wouldn't you have been more successful with let's say, colonization of Mars, Because as a parent, of two children, unless this garden sprouts cheeseburgers. Knew what gave you the idea to do this?
You know, it was really my experiences as a mother trying to get my kids to eat well. I mean, you know what most people don't know. We're seeing an epidemic of childhood obesity. One in three of our kids will be overweight or obese, and we are spending billions of dollars in healthcare costs for preventable illnesses. And in my life I saw how that was happening. You know, two busy parents don't have time to cook, eating out
two much. You know, activity is being eliminated from our schools, and in many ways, the average kid is spending seven point five hours a day in front of a screen. The average kid. That's that's on average.
And can I just very quickly, kids, if you're at home right now, Daddy says you can beat that. Daddy knows you're not average kids. I want to see ten hours from you today. My kids can be making making no making Oh did I get that wrong?
No?
No, all right, yeah, well we used it.
You know in the old days, they opened the back door, you went out and you ran but it is a different world. It's harder to get kids.
Yeah, yeah, you know, uh, and with modern life things are changing. Many kids are living in communities where their parents don't feel safe having them run outside, right, you know, fast food is uh the exception or the rule rather than the exception, I mean just cultural.
A lot of times it's cheaper though, you know it is. You know, you're trying to feed for people. You got a dollarman, it's got a lot of good food on. You know, it's very difficult. Is this for you more of a symbolic idea that they start to understand?
Well, the garden is a way to begin the conversation, because what I also learned in changing my kids' habits is that if kids are involved in the growth process of food and they get a better understanding of where their food comes from, and they're engaged there, tend they tend to be more likely to be excited about it. And the garden has been a really important catalyst for
that discussion. I mean, we've had hundreds of kids working with us in the garden to help plant and harvest, and usually with the harvest, we end with a vegetable feast and we've got kids who I'm very quickly vegetable feet.
The phrase vegetable feast.
It's a feast.
And there's the.
Cheese faucet for this vegetable feast.
We've we've served everything from flat bread veggie pizza that many kids have said is better than take out, you know, because the truth is is that vegetables that are grown fresh taste much better. I mean, I know when I was grown up, you got those store bought tomatoes in that plastic tin and they taste it like water.
Or the ones in the bag getting boiled, but they were filling that crazy yellow sauce that they said is like a butterish substance, you know.
Or what we grew up, you cook broccoli until you could cut it with a fork. You know, it's not supposed to be that way. But when you get kids to engage and pulling a tomato off the vine, it's really good.
So we start with that.
Engage your children.
Gauge your children and the process.
Talk to them, do not leave them outside you as first lady, you have an approval rating of like eighty five ninety's. It's a whirl the roof your your vendor. But it is you your your approval rating is like your ice cream. Your husband's approval rating, it's like astronaut ice cream. It's it's vegetables, vegetable. My point is, forget about politics, forget about any of that in just marital relationship and just arguing how do.
You not use that.
And and wielded it. If I had an eighty percent approval rating and my wife was a fifty percent, I'd be like, really, your restaurant because the people say.
No, no, I don't wield it over him because the truth is is that one of the things that I've seen over the last three and a half years, I've seen what it takes to be president. I kind of watched this thing pretty closely, and you know, the president is getting all the hard decisions where there's no easy answer. That's the kind of stuff that comes across his desk. And really, when it comes down to it, when you're making those judgment calls, all you have is your character,
your value, your vision for this country. And I see him being so consistent in you know, disregarding the chatter and the north and really moving forward towards a country where there's more equity, more fairness, where our kids will grow up in schools that educate them, whether they'll have opportunities.
I mean, do you see have you seen him change in his decision making as it goes on, as it's gotten, you know, as the gravity of it has just did it start out more dart boordish and then move you know what's right?
Exactly?
Never?
Never?
I mean, in fact, you know the harder decisions, you know. I think he's been so consistent. I mean, he's come in, he told America what he was going to do past health care, make sure that more people have access to healthcare, and that our kids can start their lives with insurance as opposed to graduating from college like so many without insurance. He's ended the war and brought our troops home, making or they get the benefits and the respect that they've earned.
Are you because what I didn't know that I was not I have not been following this. Let me ask you this. Are there people in the White House that you go like I could do that guy's job though.
No one Everybody's like glad, I don't have to do his job? And I'm right there?
What about like a I'm just gonna throw to Biden Joe everything, Like, Okay, I loved Joe. I loved Joe too. Is it a hard though to raise a kid around Biden? Because I would assume that there's a lot of like Joe language, or like he's like the uncle that comes over and like, oh you brought them guns, like you know that kind of thing, Like is he is that? To? No?
All right, No, he's a great vice president, a great friend. My kids hang around him and good with this.
Has he always been saying? You know, we're reading all these stories now about your husband as in high school and in college, and you know when you met him, was he doing what was he because you're little, like, what is that descript of a Cheech and Chong movie?
What the hell's what?
But then when you met him, did you put the kaibosh? Or had he already liked sown those and was done.
Yeah. By the time he was in college, you know, like so many young people, he you know, realized that you know, he he could do more with his life. You know, you know, he had a mother that was always saying, you're so gifted, you're so talented. Slap in the back of the head, get yourself together. And I think when he lost his father. That was one of
those click in moments and he really bubbled down. I think he transferred schools, went to Columbia, and then that's when he got really serious about really thinking about how would he use his life to the fullest.
And it's interesting that was before me other president, you know, this President George W. Bush sort of went through his times where he was a little bit out there. I really related to that. It's the turnaround. That's the part where I was like.
I'm trying to I'm not taking any baits.
Don't worry.
It's organic.
We did very well. He did very well.
I see what this man sees in you.
You're very good.
American grown is on the bookshelves. Now you're just saying eat a little healthier, get out there. It's not a dictator and plant garden.
You know, it's a good way to start.
That would be very nice. First, Lady wh Show Obama, thank you so much for talking about She is the president of Planned Parented and president of Planned Parented Action Fund. Please welcome in the programs to.
See a Richards. How are you fantast You know I've been.
Watching the news recently. Yeah, there is a tremendous discussion going on in this country right now on women's health issues, contraception, mainly amongst I guess you'd call them penist Americans. So we thought, why not bring in someone without a penis to discuss the how it affects the people that it actually are being talked about.
That's big of you, and it's great.
Let me say this. Well, you're welcome.
Now has that been odd to watch?
That?
That is incredible? It's absolutely incredible to see. Now. Well, first that birth control itself is a topic of political debate in this presidential election religious liberty, Well, I mean, actually it's just yeah, I mean for women. Obviously, birth control is not a it's not a religious topic. It's a health topic. And ninety nine women in America use it and at Planned Parented we provide birth control to
millions of women every single year. So yeah, I think they're kind of mystified by what the controversy is all about.
Are you does this put you know?
What is this?
Are do you fear that you are going back into a place where we have to have the contraception conversation all over again, that that was a battle that was fought.
Well, you would think so again, since everyone uses it now, And actually the exciting thing is, for the first time, we think women actually will get finally get birth control covered by their insurance plans, which is a great health it's great advance for women's health. It's a great economic
issue for women. But again, I think we're seeing in this presidential primary this sort of like race to the bottom, where every presidential candidate on the Republican side is trying to say I would be absolutely the worst for women, including being opposed to birth control coverage. I think the last time we actually that birth control is probably a controversial topic was during Prohibition.
So the sixties and seventies it was an issue. I mean, that's when when when Griswold was decided. Isn't that the whole that.
Was actually when yes, actually for the first time, married couples could use birth control legally.
And now I guess what they're saying is The interesting thing to me is how it's been changed to be an issue about women wanting someone to pay for them to have sex, or money coming out of other people's pockets so that women can have sex. It strikes me as a very interesting direction to take the conversation.
Yeah, it's actually really hard to I don't even know if I can respond to that. Yes, yeah I can. I did, no, And thanks for covering this issue. This issue no for women. Look at planned parented. We see one in five women in America at some point in their lifetime, and this last year, I think I've heard from every single one of them because they are absolutely astounded that we are now redbate issues that I think have been settled for a long.
The caricature of planned parenthood, and the one that I think criticis is this idea of an abortion factory, where it's the ideas that's how you make your money, and you're going to set up a drive through, and there's no there's no thoughtfulness, there's no morality to it. It is you know, that is the type of evil place that it is. What's what's the reality of the place, what's the mandate?
The reality is we're the largest family planning provider in America and we do more to prevent unintended pregnancy and the need for abortion than any organization in this country.
What would what.
Will be something?
What would be something that you think maybe your critics would be very surprised to know about that.
More than ninety percent of our services are preventive care. We provide not only more than two million folks with birth control each year, but we do more than seven hundred and fifty thousand PAP smears every year. Breast exams for women on different people.
I mean that, I mean that wouldn't be right to do to one.
Yeah, that's right.
No, Actually, I mean the great thing about Planned parented. We're all across the country, and what's for many women we are their only medical provider. We are their doctor, the one doctor visit they get a year. Is it planned parented? And that's why I get I think there's just been this sort of groundswell of concern when politicians are saying we're going to end not only planned parenthood but all family planning in America.
What do you think if plan here was one of those things that was put to a vote in America? I get the sense that it would be maybe we'd win a pretty popular place in local communities. It seems like people understand it better than they do on the national state.
Absolutely right, John. In fact, as I said, you know, one of five women have been to Planned parentis so they actually know what we do. And I just not that I'm competitive, but I did just see some national polling of sixty nine percent of the American people not only support Plan Parented, but believe that we should get public funding to provide the services that we do. Congress is congress approval rating hovering around ten percent. I think so.
I think if it really came down to who do you think is on your side as a woman, as a family, I think folks would vote for Planned Parented.
Yeah, who who would you be running against?
A guest.
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