Some of our fellow Afghans ask why we should be proud of Aisha Wahab’s success when she is an American and works for the interests of the United States.
I believe this is a fair question and worth discussing.
First, we need to make one thing clear. Aisha Wahab is an American politician. Her responsibility is to follow the U.S. Constitution and serve the people who elected her. No one expects her to put Afghanistan’s interests ahead of her responsibilities in America.
But does that mean Afghans should not be happy about her success?
Let me give you a simple example.
If a young Afghan American becomes a doctor in the United States and saves hundreds of American lives, shouldn’t we be proud of that person just because they are serving Americans?
If an Afghan American scientist works at NASA and helps make an important scientific discovery, should we say that their success means nothing to us because they work for an American organization?
Then why do we look at things differently when an Afghan American woman becomes part of an important political institution in the United States?
We need to understand the difference between two things.
Being proud of someone’s roots and background is one thing. Supporting every political decision they make is something completely different.
Being proud of Aisha Wahab’s success does not mean we agree with all her political views or decisions. Like any other politician, she should be judged by her work, honesty, and sense of responsibility.
For me, there is another important point. An Afghan American woman has been able to become part of a lawmaking institution in a country where people have the opportunity to compete in politics.
At the same time, millions of girls and women in Afghanistan are being denied even their basic rights to education and work.
This difference should make us think.
Why can an Afghan American woman help make laws in the United States while women in Afghanistan are denied many of their basic rights?
In my opinion, the real reason to be proud is not simply that Aisha Wahab has Afghan roots. What matters is that her success can be an example for Afghan girls and boys, showing them that with education, hard work, and equal opportunities, they too can achieve great things.
We can love Afghanistan, be proud of the achievements of people of Afghan origin around the world, and at the same time respect the laws and responsibilities of the countries where we live.
Being proud of our Afghan roots does not mean being against our second home. In the same way, serving America does not mean forgetting where we came from.
My main question is this: Instead of asking which country Aisha Wahab serves, why don’t we ask ourselves what we need to do so that one day girls in Afghanistan can also go to school freely, take part in elections, and help make the laws of their own country?
Noor Wodjouatt
