Day Seventy-Six

6/16

The Book: Daughter of Destiny by Benazir Bhutto

ISBN: 0-06-167268-2

Suggested By: Sissy Vaughn

Where: Home

When: 8-8:20P

Music: None

Company: Alone

Pages: 319- 374 (55)

The Lead In: I have begun to question the actuality of Ms. Bhutto’s sainthood. She only focuses on the good in her family, and, to be honest, that is what troubles me. Even when her brother is an obvious terrorist, she glosses over his acts.

The 411 on the 55: Bhutto decided it is time to return to Pakistan from living abroad. Upon her return almost 3 million people rushed the airport to support her. 3 million people is a lot of people, I tried to imagine something that could bring out 3 million people in the US, couldn’t. Maybe living in a third world country leaves little options for entertainment?

And though she is allowed into her country, Zia still denied the right to run for office, delaying and canceling elections steadfastly. In this time of uncertainty, Bhutto decided to participate in an arranged marriage. And, contrary to her fears, was extremely happy with her family’s choice.

It is interesting to read her thoughts on arranged marriage. She was educated in the West and reading the emotions of a feminist-leaning-muslim (if there is such a thing) is fascinating. She was terribly worried that it would be misconstrued as her settling down and leaving politics, and so contradicted every report with statements and actions.

Line of the Day: “We didn’t love each other yet, though my mother assured me that love would come later. Instead there was a mental commitment between us, a realization that we were accepting each other as husband and wife totally and for always.

The Fact on the Fiction: While I still have one day’s worth of reading, I will leave the final day to consider Bhutto’s mark on Pakistan as well as the claims concerning her embezzlement (which are mentioned in today’s link). So today, let us consider her death, at the hand of either a gunman or bombed (there is some debate). “Benazir Bhutto died from a fractured skull caused by hitting her head on part of her car's sunroof as a bomb ripped through a crowd of her supporters, a spokesman for Pakistan's Interior Ministry said Friday.” CNN