We already loved the 17-year-old Pakistani Nobel Peace Prize winner before she arrived in Philadelphia, but even more so now.

On Oct. 21, Malala Yousafzai accepted the 2014 Liberty Medal at the National Constitution Center and told the approximately 1,500 audience members that “liberty comes with a price.”

The teenager paid that price when the Taliban in northern Pakistan shot her for speaking out against their ban on education for girls. Since her recovery, she has been an even more outspoken advocate.

Beyond Malala’s personal and amazing bravery, Pennsylvanians could learn a lot from her about protecting the right to free speech. 

Even speech the standing government hates and feels should be silenced. 

The day before Malala received her medal, Gov. Tom Corbett signed into law The Revictimization Relief Act, prompted by convicted cop killer Mumia Abu-Jamal’s recorded commencement speech at Goddard College. The vaguely worded act preemptively stops inmates or former offenders from participation in anything that  might cause “mental anguish” to one victimized by the crime. Like Abu-Jamal’s commencement speech, according to the widow of the officer he was convicted of killing. 

Take Abu-Jamal out of the equation. Now really look at what the act, in principle, permits. Should a segment of society be able to silence those it doesn’t believe should be speaking? Now, ask Malala.