Not me. My granddaughters.
March 27 was Muslim Women’s Day. I posed this question to my three granddaughters:
If you were the first Muslim woman president of the US, what would you….?
In case you are wondering, they are ages 9, 11 and 17.
Their answers ranged from cute to thoughtful to me exclaiming, ‘Really!’
“I don’t want to be president.” That was my 9-year-old.
“Why not?”
“I would feel stressed.”
Being sheltered-in-place for over a year can teach a child a thing or two about stress.
“But let’s say you did become president. What would you do to make America better?”
“I would make the schools better.”
“How so?”
Not fair to ask a 9-year-old a policy question.
But wait! Listen to what she said.
“I want to have better schools everywhere; not just in some places.”
“What makes a school better?”
“The right teachers?”
“What makes a teacher a right teacher?”
“Teachers who know what they are doing and are smart.”
Well, well, well. This 9-year-old has picked up on the disparity in school districts. Think of all the problems she will be solving to get to her goal. Go girl! I want you for president.
Before I talk to my second granddaughter, allow me to celebrate Muslim woman heads of state of yesteryear from Asia, Europe, Africa and South America.
Megawati Sukarnoputri, President of Indonesia (2002 to 2004).
Roza Otunbayeva, President of Kyrgyzstan (2010-2011).
Atifete Jahjaga, President of Kosovo (2011-2016).
Sibel Siber, Prime Minister of Northern Cyprus (2013)
Aminata Touré, Prime Minister of Senegal (2013-2014)
Ameenah Gurib, President of Mauritius (2015-2018)
I asked my 11-year-old the same question.
“I am not sure I want to be president.”
Are my cutest and sweetest granddaughters low-ambition, or sensible?
“Why is that?”
“It’s a lot of responsibility. Even if you make one small decision, many people won’t like it. But I suppose it depends on what is happening in the world. If everything is fine, I don’t have to be president. But if things are going wrong, then I would like to be president.”
Miss fix-it.
“Why would you like to be president if things are going wrong?”
“Because some people don’t make best decisions.”
“Tell me. If you were president today–let’s say you are 50-year-old today—what would you do to make America better?”
I avoid ‘great again.’
“In science they are telling us about composting. Everyone should do it. We are 300 million—I think it’s 300—that is a lot of trash. If we all did compost, it would smell a bit, but we can put it out the front door.”
“Great idea! What else?”
“I will end all the protests. Before 2020, we didn’t have protests. Everyone should settle down. Just talk it out and forget about your differences. I don’t get it. I don’t get why people don’t understand that some people have never changed their minds and never will.”
Aha! She knows the mantra: ‘let’s agree to disagree, and move on.’
“But then what about people who feel that they have been wronged and are not being heard?” I say.
“They should make good speeches.”
“And Madame President, if you heard their speeches and were convinced, what will you do to help them put food on their tables?”
“Umm! Well, I can’t help them individually, but I can help them as a group. I can make sure they get jobs, and I can see to it that they don’t get fired for the wrong reason.”
I’ll vote for her.
Many female Muslim heads of state in Asia, Europe and Africa tried what my 11-year-old is aiming at.
Benazir Bhutto, Prime Minister of Pakistan. Twice elected (1988-1990 and 1993-1996), she was the first woman to head a democratic government in a Muslim majority country. Americans loved her.
Khaleda Zia, Prime Minister of Bangladesh, twice elected (1991-1996) and (2001-2006).
Tansu Çiller, Prime Minister of Turkey (1993-1996).
Mame Madior Boye, Prime Minister of Senegal (2001-2002)
Cissé Mariam Kaïdama Sidibé, Prime Minister of Mali (2011-2012)
My 17-year-old got me going.
“I will get Congress to close the wage-gap.”
Right on!
“Would you want to be president?”
“Yes and No. Yes, because I get to make these decisions. No, because you cannot do what you want to do because there are so many hoops to go through.”
A member of the UN Model Congress, she has her thoughts on international relations. She wants to reassess the our Middle-East policy.
“Yemen is being destroyed,” she says passionately.
One would think that she is headed for a career in international relations. No, she wants to be a change agent for Climate Change. Environmental Science, as she puts it.
“Did you know that yesterday was Muslim Women’s Day?” I asked.
“I did.”
She is paying attention.
“Do you know that currently, there are three Muslim women heads of state?”
Saima Suluhu Hassan, President of Tanzania, since March 2021.
Sheikh Hasina Wazed, Prime Minister of Bangladesh since 2009, she is the longest serving PM of Bangladesh.
Halimah Yacob, President of Singapore, since 2017.
Let’s celebrate these Muslim women leaders of our times. One day soon, we will be celebrating a Muslim woman as POTUS. InshAllah.
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