What does the kidnapping of almost 300 schoolgirls by Nigerian Islamists have in common with an inspiring Facebook campaign in which Iranian women display themselves without headscarves?
Nothing directly, but both go to the heart of what's wrong with religious zealots and why ultimately they must fail: Their attempt to deprive women choice ultimately cannot coexist with rising levels of education.
The Iranian Facebook page is extraordinarily touching. It was begun by a journalist who posted a photograph of herself without a headscarf. She invited other Iranian women to share their own "stealthy freedom" moments. And so they did, posting pictures in which they defied the law to take off their headscarves, often in remote areas where they couldn't be seen. The page now has 150,000 likes.