Real freedom fighter Veena Malik takes bold stand in Pakistan

Screen snip of MEMRI video showing exchange between Pakistani actress Veena Malik and a cleric.Until this morning I’d never heard the name Veena Malik. I watched a video created by MEMRI. Malik exchanged remarks with Mufti Abdul Qavi about her actions in India during filming of a program titled Big Boss. MEMRI said the show is similar to the Indian version of Big Brother.

Malik risked her life to defend her actions which run counter to the role of women as interpreted by male clerics in power in Pakistan and elsewhere.

Malik is the bravest freedom fighter I have seen because she risked all to stand up for liberty. It is not likely our president would voluntarily praise her. It is less likely many in her own country will praise her because that would be dangerous, especially for women.

MEMRI said Mufti Abdul is a “renowned Pakistani cleric.” So he isn’t a fringe cleric; he’s mainstream.

Here’s a telling excerpt spurred by the swimsuit we call a bikini. Malik said:

 "I did not wear a two-piece at all; at best I wore shorts. By the way I want to tell the people – many of whom here misunderstood the situation – that many things were the part of the task, as it was the part of the task that we had to go to the swimming pool wearing shorts… And also that I and Ashmit Patel were sitting together at night was part of the task too. I did not do anything by my own liking." [Veena Malik and Ashmit Patel, an Indian/Hindu actor, were accused of cuddling by the Pakistani media.]”

Although Abdul attacked Malik in the rapid fire hysterical fundamentalist speech common among his fellow clerics in the Middle East, he accused the actress of getting emotional.

Big Hollywood posted the video of the exchange; MEMRI TV has the video and a transcript available.

Americans know little about life in Islamic countries. At the moment most information comes from Washington and as is often the case with socialist-progressives, the messaging uses reverse psychology. Islam doesn’t have a problem, America does.

Fact is there is a vast cultural and social divide between East and West. I recall a Muslim friend whose husband could not look at me—he was so uncomfortable in my presence I taught myself on those rare occasions when I was around him to completely ignore him.

Michael Nazir-Ali wrote a dynamic backgrounder for The Heritage Foundation, “The Challenges of Islamist Ideology to America’s Founding Principles.” The backgrounder should be required reading for members of Congress.

Nazir Ali pointed to “potential areas of friction in public life” as experienced by Western Europe and Great Britain. He wrote:

“Specifically of note are the following Islamist tenets as they relate to specific core principles of Western legal and social foundations: the challenge of Sharī^ca law to the rule of law; of the role of women to equality before the law; of alleged “defamation of religion” to religious liberty, freedom of speech, and academic freedom; and of Islamic financing to free enterprise.”

In other words, a number of key underpinnings in a Western society.

Americans should not rely on US media to provide objective coverage of cultures in Islamic countries. US media like the US government suffers from political correctness in the interest of politics rather than liberty.

Malik was accused of “cuddling.” She was accused of bringing “dishonor to the culture of Pakistan by going to India.” There was also the issue of the shorts. It didn’t help that Malik’s fellow actor was Hindu.

Malik brought out some heavy guns with a key statement:

 "Second, if you want to do something for the glory of Islam, you have plenty of opportunities. What are politicians doing?  Bribery, robbery, theft and killing in the name of Islam. There are many things to talk about. Why Veena Malik? Because Veena Malik is a woman? Because Veena Malik is a soft target for you? What has Veena Malik done? Did Veena Malik kiss? Did Veena Malik wear shorter clothes than Pakistani actresses wore in India in the past? Why Veena Malik, Mufti Sahab? There are many others things for you to deal with. There are Islamic clerics who rape the same children they teach in their mosques and so much more.”

The bravest freedom  fighter in the East at the moment is actress Veena Malik. Whether blue chip media or pundits in the US will give her a nod is unknown, but I would say it is not likely.

After all, Malik is a female and she has delivered a message that clashes with the fiction coming out of the mouths and from the pens of the Washington elite.

Source/Related Articles

MEMRI
The Middle East Research Institute

Pakistani actress bravely unloads on mullah and media
By John Nolte at Big Hollywood; includes MEMRI video

The Challenges of Islamist Ideology to America's Founding Principles
Backgrounder No. 2430 by Michael Nazir-Ali at The Heritage Foundation

(Commentary by Kay B. Day/March 29, 2011)

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