The left here claims that our democracy and freedom are at risk and on and on because trump is potus. Yeah, he's unpleasant and a liar and maybe borderline crazy, but we can remove him by impeachment or election. That's what having a secular constitution does for us no matter how hysterical the democrats and the left get. This poor woman has nothing but courage and moral certainty to protect her. Her own religion is the worst threat she faces and her government can't even protect itself much less her, yet she carries on. Amazing. I keep hoping someone in this country with a 1/10 of her guts will show up before we get one of the current batch of pozers next year.
20
I hope she stays safe. Very fascinating and sad culture.
4
Unfortunately this is less a show of female power and more a product of the lack of men. The country has been at war so long that many of the men have died or are in the army- there just aren’t any willing men left for many of the jobs. While it’s great for these women to take up these roles, we have to recognize that the lack of men due to war is a major cause of this phenomenon.
5
Men who fear women show their weakness.
33
this is what a hero looks like
39
It is all well to call this woman a hero but where are the comments denouncing the louts foisting heroism and maybe martyrdom on her?
9
I know the Qu'Ran better than the back of my hand. Let me tell you there is exactly zero zip zilch authority contained therein to justify the assassination of a female mayor for being female. I am so sick and tired of misogynistic males blaspheming ALLAH.
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Wow, the men in that village are really tough. True heroes. What a joke... pathetic excuses for humans. They should all go off to a cave for five years to read the Koran, and let the women run the place. When they get back they’ll realize what a bunch of losers they truly are.
16
Wow
4
What a powerful and inspiring woman.
14
I think she deserves the Nobel peace prize more than Greta !!!!!! Or some prize. This woman is amazing.
20
Thank you for your bravery Zharifa Ghafari! Inspiring work!
15
I served in Afghanistan for 10 months (2005-6). I saw and experienced firsthand the patriarchal, ultra-conservative society. "The Bookseller of Kabul" reinforced my views of their society. Idealism has its place, but not when the vast, vast majority of a community are against it. Real Politik. Quixotic. Those that 'volun-made' Ms. Ghafari for the job need to support her--stand by her...in numbers...with guns...and not leave her flapping in the wind waiting for her death. Which truly is a high probability in that society.
22
Zarifa Ghafari is a true hero. A shining light for Americans and the whole world in a dark time.
Well done, reporters and editors, to publish this. Please continue to follow her with more stories if you value her life. Your spotlight may well protect her from the rabid and murderous ignorance in which she swims.
28
As a Muslim woman raised in the relative comfort of North America, I am inspired by my sisters who face unimaginable challenges with moral courage. Zarifa, like Malala, like so many others, are facing misogyny head-on. A shining example to all. They continue the legacy of brave, principled Muslim women throughout history. Thank you Zarifa. May God Protect you and Reward you.
31
She is unquestionably courageous, but it will be terrible waste when she is killed. It seems like a terrible idea to put someone in a suicidal situation like this. I remember when Bhutto was campaigning in Pakistan and predictably blown up. I don’t see how it helps anything improve. Why couldn’t they have appointed her to be mayor of a less radical city?
3
Contrast this selfless and courageous woman willing to risk all for the good of her country with the spineless rich old GOPers terrified of a bully with a Twitter feed.
25
Dear Ms. Ghafari,
You might still be alive in the future had we not bungled our invasion with a plan for "nation building." Had we only carefully planned to get bin Laden, and nothing else, I think things would be better now for you.
I have little doubt our ill-planned invasion exacerbated your fate.
America: think harder.
4
I have been to the Middle East Many times and it is important to understand that this is what Islam looks like there. Women have no rights. This interpretation of the religion is similar to all extreme versions of religion. Seeing women in Burkas is shocking, until you realize that they are complicit in the process. They are also believers.
She is not wrong, she will be murdered, not because of who she is or what she’s believes, but because she is a woman. Great article, if Vegas gave her 1 year I would take the under.
5
Awed and humbled. You are a true hero ma’am. With you as an example before me, I will try my best to do more and be braver in my own community.
I wish I could help support her work - NYTimes, is there a way to do this?
30
Wow. Smart, gutsy, determined. The men think the goal is power, which they maintain through brute force. But if the goal is a better quality of life, everyone can contribute, and everyone benefits. May her successes,be many, and may her life be long.
53
There truly are heroes in our world, and Ms. Ghafari is one of them. May her life bring her many blessings.
32
In many countries of the world men feel threatened by a strong woman. It hurts their ego to be "ruled" or dictated by women. A man may accept being dictated by another man and will make excuses about the ruler being more wealthy, more educated, more influential. But they have the comfort even then that however poor, uneducated they are, at least they are better than women-kind. And so the Ms Ghafaris of the world are unbearable to them.
Despite all the power that men have been granted by society and religion, so many of them are so insecure that the slightest change in the status quo arouses a fear of permanent loss of power and of extinction.
Stay strong and lead on, Ms. Ghafari.
47
This lady is a pioneer for women's rights. Men in Afghanistan do not want to share their power with women. I hope she will be mayor of Maidan Shar for years to come.
22
This is the courage we all need to have in the days that are here or coming. She is an inspiration.
25
That is one candid and chilling headline. Absolutely chilling.
46
I would love to see a lengthy investigative article exploring why men hate women so much. Why are they so opposed to women in leadership? Why so threatened, across every society and every culture, seemingly for as long as humans have been in existence. Why?
Why? Why?
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@Shiloh 2012
Fear & Insecurity. That we might be better. Smarter. That we can create life. That we might have power over them that they can't understand or escape.
Deep resentment at how much they need us & terror at the possibility we might not need them.
Add physical strength & you have patriarchy.
13
@Shiloh 2012
I certainly would like to see the investigative article you suggest.
In my experience growing up in rural Nebraska, patriarchal religion is the reason men use to oppress women. When my father's best friend and his son were killed in the crash of a small plane, his wife and daughter were forced off the ranch the family owned, not allowed to inherit because they were female.
My evangelical mother-in-law recalls being offended by the thought of women working as physicians, lawyers, etc.
14
Fear and religion. Men who believe women are less than are ignorant and pitiful.
6
I have always loved this quote from Shakespeare's Julius Caesar "A coward dies a thousand times before his death, but the valiant taste of death but once." Here in my safe little world in the suburbs of NYC, I wonder if I would have a thousandth of Ms. Ghafari's courage.
75
This woman is a hero.
42
Go, Zarifa, go! Stay strong, we love you!!
32
Stand for women in power all over the world. Stand for the courage to spend your life in service to your country's progress. Stand for Mayor Ghafari.
24
To know that a pre-mature death is almost certain, to be faced with hatred and disdain everyday, to take on a nearly thankless task, and to continue anyways...Wow.
91
And we think we have problems. Fearless.
42
Strong soul there.
19
A tremendous woman. But be careful, fellow Americans, with your judgements about the culture. We face similar abuses from men right here at home; they may not be carrying physical sticks, but the verbal, digital and behind the scenes abuses of a strong woman, or a woman who dares come forward to name an abuser is always met with same amount of barbarism.
98
Man, what a brave woman!
She is risking her life to work for women's rights in a male chauvinist's world. That's gutsy or rash, I don't know which.
I admire her fire, but I don't want to lose such a dedicated, fervent fighter for equal rights. We need more like her, but if I were there, I would encourage her to bide her time: Don't make yourself an easy target for those bloodthirsty animals pretending to be religious human beings.
Won't even provide her with the required bodyguards: Sheesh! What a world.
Ya gotta know when to fold 'em.
20
@Jim Muncy
But if she bides her time how will things change? If not now, when?
6
And you have to know when to risk it all. Read the Letter From Birmingham Jail.
7
@Jim Muncy Merely doing her job makes her the "easy target" you warn her about. If you truly admire and respect her work on behalf of women's rights, your energy would be better focused on changing the behavior of the men who threaten her life, not on persuading her to "bide her time." Telling Ms. Ghafari to keep a lower profile is akin to advising a woman to dress in a way that makes her less likely to be raped--in both cases, you are focused on the wrong party.
7
How telling that a capable woman fully expects to be assassinated for doing her job.
53
Perhaps a dozen young women will see Mayor Ghafari and realize they too could become mayors some day. Or governor. Or President. Why not? Women are people. Taliban, begone.
27
@Ricardito Resisting
Great comment.
2
The glib subheader that displayed with this headline on the homepage is really in poor taste. This woman deserves more respect than that --- the article itself really does honor her work, but that section of copy on the homepage is disrespectful and lazy.
4
Hats off to Ms. Ghaffari. She's an amazingly brave woman.
Ironically, I think the US invasion and occupation of Afghanistan, and its support of corrupt governments and warlords there, has made the Taliban stronger and more enduring overall (other than in certain small pockets) and has prolonged the challenges she and other women face in their quest for equality in that country.
I really do believe the country would have been much farther along on this road, left to its own devices, and by long distance diplomatic and financial support.
There was no practical or moral reason for our 2001 invasion. What should have been a small "police" operation (which was later solved by taking out Bin Laden) turned into an ongoing, disastrous, multi-decades fiasco, another tragedy in the history of Afghanistan.
6
Sending you good wishes for your safety and continued courage, Ms. Ghafari. May we all be as brave and determined as you should we ever find ourselves in such a situation.
36
So deeply appreciative of Ms. Ghafari, and the emergence of fearless trailblazers. Their stories will be our destinies.
26
A brave and inspiring woman. Any parent would be proud to have raised such a daughter.
73
Ms. Ghafari is admirable for her courage.
Countries like Afghanistan would gain by being more stable, and working on improving women’s status would make those countries more stable and more just for all its citizens.
23
Hats off to Ms Ghafari, a courageous woman trying to show women's value in an all-macho religiously make-believe world. Do Afghans have any inkling how much they are losing, talents wasted, by belittling the better half of their citizenry, women? It's high time for Afghans to wake up to reality, and integrate women in their deliberations, and community life, and Strength in Unity, as solidarity is, finally, an urgent task. And social justice is smiling. The question posed, however, is dire: for how long can she endure, before some crazy loon finds it intolerable a woman can instill more common sense than men themselves?
23
May she live a long life and be the best mayor Afghanistan has ever seen. People are people. The whole male/female division thing is irrational.
50
This woman deserves a Wikipedia article, I'm thinking.
48
@Jason Galbraith
Great idea!
1
THIS is the country we are sending our brave young men and women to die for and get themselves blown up for??
THIS is the result of 18 years of our country being at war??
Would YOU give your life or your arms or legs or your sanity or even your nail clippings for that place? I would not.
Our leaders -- all of them from Bush forward -- have a lot to answer for.
10
Not trying to start an argument, but I think counterinsurgencies and nationbuilding are incredibly difficult, moreso if you don't commit atrocities or genocide.
I think your last sentence is especially poignant since every administration from Bush to Obama to Trump has grappled with this issue, and each time the answer has been to devote more blood and treasure to this longest war.
Smart and well-intentioned people have believed that the least worst outcome has been to prop up a corrupt, inept government, and dedicate more blood and treasure in the hopes of producing an acceptable negotiated settlement. They do so knowing full well that the Taliban will outlast the U.S. presence, and that the moderate Taliban elements have all been killed off.
The interesting question to me is the broader context for the decision-making process. Do they consider the fate of afghans like Ms. Ghafari?
Thank you for the illuminating profile on an amazing person Fatima & Rod.
8
We aren’t actually there to help the people of this country. We went there to get at Al Quaida whom the Taliban were providing support and safe haven to. We remain there generally to try to keep the place stable enough to keep the Taliban from regaining much power and providing such terrorists a safe haven again. That our presence may help some of the people in this country is more like a side effect than a cause. It’s not why we went. Just for the record. And my heart goes out to the women who are so horribly oppressed there. God speed to the new Mayor. She will need many blessings.
12
@MShan
Don't forget that we gave support to the mujaheddin, to fight the Russian occupation. The mujaheddin became the Taliban. And among them was a guy named Osama bin Laden.
8
true courage
36
Yes, Ms. Ghafari is an absolute HERO. But the rest of us can do more than just be inspired. We can stand up for her and global women's rights by regularly supporting international human rights organizations. And we should not take for granted that women's and other basic human rights are safe in this country either. A disturbing shift towards discrimination and intolerance is upon us right now. We need to fight for education and equality - and we need TO VOTE.
68
Ms. Gharari is heroic and an amazing example of courage in action. I am praying for her and her family!
51
This woman is absolutely heroic. I hope her friends and family support her from nearby. The rest of us can maybe only be inspired and offer moral support from afar, but hopefully it can mean something.
88
Thank you for continuing the worthy fight for women’s rights in Afghanistan. Your detractors forget that not long ago, women were able to work freely, and contribute to the success of that society. Remind them.
60
I am wishing you the best of luck, and I hope for your safety, Ms. Ghafari. Our generation can be the beacon of hope this world needs, thank you for doing what is right!
82
Ms. Ghafari, you make me proud and hopeful for our troubled era. Thank you and all the very best in your work there.
141