A young Saudi woman was recently walking through a park with a young man. A member of the Hai’a, the religious police, stopped the pair to ask for proof of their relationship as it’s illegal for a woman to be alone with a man she’s not related to. The man apparently fainted after being confronted by the police officer. So the woman attacked the police officer, sending him to the hospital. The unidentified woman could now possibly face a prison term and lashings for what she did.

I know that according to MLK Jr., Gandhi, and, most significantly, Jesus, violence is not the answer. But can you imagine how this woman must feel, living in Saudi Arabia, being told she can’t dress the way she wants to, drive herself, or spend time with the people of her choosing? Can you imagine how she must feel to be told every day, by her country’s leaders and their interpretation of religious law, that she’s not as smart or valuable as her male contemporaries? Can you imagine the catharsis she got from wailing on that religious cop? I think she’s awesome, and I hope she doesn’t have to suffer for her bravery.