Manal Alsharif was arrested for driving last month.
Saudi law forbids women this right. Manal, determined to have an impact, used social media to broadcast her act of civil disobedience. Saudi authorities quickly tracked her down and arrested her.
The Rosa Parks reference in President Obama's Arab Spring speech last month found new context in the conversation surrounding Manal's arrest via Twitter.
It took time for the Rosa/Manal comparison to make sense, let along catch. Once it did, however, it stuck.
On June 17th, a brave handful of Saudi Arabian women claimed their right to drive by ... driving.
One of the Rosa Parks/ Manal Alsharif connectors was Cairo based journalist, Lamia Hassan. Shortly after we began corresponding, she agreed to author a Women2Drive Politiku on the topic.
Lamia Hassan is an Egyptian journalist and aspiring film maker. She writes about human interest, politics, culture & business. Her blog is titled: A Voice From Cairo.
Hena Zuberi, Editor-in-Chief of Muslimmatters also authored a Women2Drive Politiku about Rosa and Manal.
From Jun 3, 2011
How Obama's Rosa Parks reference found its way to Manal Alsharif
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