Sally Armstrong

I just got back from a potluck dinner for Women Breaking Bread for Women. The organization has these events all over Canada to raise money for the salaries of teachers in Afghanistan.

Last year I organized one in St. Marys featuring Deborah Ellis, author of The Breadwinner.

Four women’s group in Stratford put this year’s together. The guest speaker was Sally Armstrong.

Armstrong is a compelling writer. It was an article in our teachers’ magazine that made me plan my dinner. She is a member of the Order of Canada. She was the founder and editor of Homemaker’s Magazine. She has authored a few books, produced documentaries and many other things. Her focus is women’s issues.

She told stories of the terrible things that happened to women under the Taliban. The situation has improved in recent years, yet women are still treated badly in Afghanistan.

One message that came across very clear in her talk was that the Canadian military is doing a wonderful job there. While we hear reports that the inhabitants of the country don’t want us there, she says the opposite is true. The only people who want our military to leave are the bad guys. The ordinary citizen fears what might happen if they are deserted.

What concerns me is that the impression that I get from the Canadian media is that we should be out of there.

Her bottom line is that she hopes that Canadians feel strongly enough about the lack of rights for women in Afghanistan that they will do whatever it takes to make sure that the injustice doesn’t continue. Simply pulling out, which is what many want us to do, would plunge the women back to the restrictions experienced during the reign of the Taliban.

Why is her story so different than what I read? Is it because the ordinary reporters really don’t plunge deeply into the story? Are they just feeding off each other and news releases put out by the military?

Whatever is happening, it was refreshing to get a different viewpoint tonight.