Mortenson has antidote to ways of war
By Mark Trahant, P-I Page Editor
A phenomenon hit
A week ago at Town Hall the lines started two hours before
the event. It was the same at
What is this message that we're so ready to hear? It's the
antidote to the ways of war.
Think about the way we fight terrorism. We are at war. We
fear what they will do. Fear is the key word.
But there's an alternative. "If you promote peace,
that's based on hope," Mortenson said at his Bainbridge talk. "The
real enemy is ignorance because it's based on hatred."
Mortenson's book, "Three Cups of Tea," tells the story about how building schools -- mostly girls' schools -- is the surest way to change the world.
He said when he first wrote the book the publishers sent him
a mock-up cover with the subtitle: "One Man's Mission to Fight Terrorism
and Build Nations...
But the publishers were firm. This was a first book -- and
the odds against it were great because most nonfiction titles don't make money.
So the hard cover came out and it didn't sell well.
So when the paperback was published the peace subtitle
surfaced. Something worked because "Three Cups of Tea" has been on
The New York Times' bestseller list for 34 weeks. This occurred because book
clubs, women's groups, schools and ordinary Americans would read a copy and
then buy another for someone else.
I know how this for a fact. I've known Greg for a few years
and was on a committee that gave him an award for his work. A few months ago,
he sent me a dozen copies of the paperback. I gave them away -- and many of the
people I gave copies to, told me they read it, went out and bought more copies
to pass along. It was a network of hope.
It's the same with Pennies for Peace. That started with Mortenson's first promise to build a school in a remote
"It wasn't adults. It was children, reaching out to
children half-way around the world," he said. "What can a penny buy?
You can buy a pencil with a penny. And that gives a child hope. If you have
hope, you can do anything." Soon after he raised enough
for the first school, some $12,000.
Mortenson's premise starts with an
African proverb: "If you educate a boy, you educate an individual, but if
you educate a girl, you educate a community."
When a boy goes to school, it's assumed he will leave his
village and work. But a girl stays. She grows into a woman, bears healthier
children, and encourages them to be educated.
Consider the word "jihad." We know about that word
in one context -- a violent quest. But the word has other meanings --
reflecting other pursuits. But before beginning a jihad, you ask permission
from your mother, Mortenson said. If she is educated -- she's less likely to
give approval for a violent mission.
Those who dismiss education say that many of the 9/11
hijackers were educated -- and that's true, Mortenson said. "But none of
their mothers were educated."
There is an urgent need to do more, to build more schools.
"There are 145 million children without education -- and the numbers are
going up -- because of slavery, gender discrimination, religious intolerance
and corrupt governments. It only costs $1 per month, per child to change that,
roughly $6 to $8 billion per year.
Last week the Bush administration asked Congress for another
$190 billion to fund the wars in
Which plan is more cost effective?
On the other hand, the schooling of
The people who stood in lines to hear Mortenson already know
this. We are a nation with a generous people. We could make this world better
by doubling our efforts to build schools. We even know where to find the money:
Spend a few billions less on war.
________________________________________
Mark Trahant is editor of the
editorial page.
E-mail: marktrahant@seattlepi.com
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