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We Need a Leader Like Gandhi Today
Especially today when we are surrounded by the forces of darkness, we need a leader like Gandhi, a man of rare courage, character, and charisma, who dares to tell the truth, who can overcome violence with nonviolence, and who shows us the way to light. Gandhi and his twin principles of satya (truth) and ahimsa (nonviolence) are more relevant today than any other time in human history, and the Gandhian style of satyagraha seems to be the only potent and pragmatic, moral equivalent of war in these troubled times. Gandhi not only said but showed us the way that, “nonviolence is infinitely superior to violence,” and the soul-force is far more potent than the brute-force.
“Out of my ashes, many more Gandhis will rise,” said Mahatma Gandhi. Today, his prophetic words have proven true. Many a leader around the globe have successfully launched their satyagrahas against tyrannical governments, against racial, religious and economic injustice, and fought for human rights. The followers of Gandhi in the twentieth century are: Martin Luther King, Jr. (America), Chief Lithuli (Africa), Nelson Mandela (South Africa), Lech Walesa (Poland), Vaclav Havel (Czechoslovakia), Adolfo Perez Esquivel (Argentina), Benigno Aquino (Philippines), Cesar Chevaz (Latin America), Sulak Sivarsaka (Thailand), Aung San Suu Kyi (Burma), and many more.
The only way to create a safer world for our children is to teach them the Gandhian methods of conflict resolution through dialogue and negotiation, through compromise and conciliation, through love and forgiveness rather than through hatred, revenge, violence, revenge, and physical retaliation. As Martin Luther King put it, “the choice today is no longer between violence and nonviolence; it is either nonviolence or nonexistence.”
Uma Majmudar, Ph. D., Atlanta GA
(Dr Majmudar has a doctorate on Gandhi from Emory University. She currently teaches at the Emory Religion department, and her book,
'Gandhi's Pilgrimage of Faith: From Darkness to Light', will be published by the State University of New York Press (SUNY) in April
2005.)
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Defense Is The Best Offense
I think that by now, military power has been proven to be a failure against global terrorist activities. People don't even refrain from committing suicide any more, just to prove their point.
I see that even compulsory security examinations at airports, comparatively much gentler as a measure, seems to work better.
Although the most nonviolent of Americans feel that we cannot give up today, and that we cannot let go of female Iraqi prisoners just to save the lives of two or three hostages, I think the time has come to rethink our position and go from believing that offense is the best defense to believing that defense can be the best offense. That was Gandhi's philosophy. Unfortunately the world today lacks a truly great leader who can interpret such a philosophy for common good under present day conditions. I think about it often, and fail to see how a purely defensive way of living could control terrorism, the way it is now. But, in the face of all this violence, I would like to see the national leaders try a few nonviolent methods without considering it a defeat. And if I were a leader, I would definitely not allow my countrymen to go to work in Iraq for the money. After all, is it not our (American and British mostly) greed that the terrorists hold against us? Gandhism would work, I believe, but first we have to find a true Gandhian leader.
Dr. Indrani Dutta-Gupta, Roswell GA
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Peace Begets Peace
Ahimsa, an ancient Hindu principal and later Buddhist doctrine advocates non-violence as a way of life. Satyagraha (an off shoot of
ahimsa) on the other hand is primarily rebellion, through peaceful means.
One of the significant reasons for the success of these principles is the fact that the movement was spearheaded by Mahatma Gandhi himself. Any means to achieve peace in today’s nuclear world, (not only through Ahimsa / Satyagraha) will be successful if there a Gandhi to spearhead the movement. The absence on the international horizon of a personality of this
caliber leads us to wonder if ahimsa, Satyagraha or any other method would succeed in today’s materialistic world.
World terrorism today has reached dimensions hitherto unknown. If Hitler seemed a manic in the 1930’s, the
Global world has many maniacs to boast of today. The 9/11 tragedy is but one of the many examples.
Satyagraha was (in the hands of Mahatma Gandhi) an effective tool in the face of British Imperialism. The Satyhagrahi’s were extremely dedicated, disciplined bearers of the torch of Ahimsa. They were willing to lay down their lives for the better of many. Today’s terrorist human bombs
indoctrinated from inception, lay their lives down for annihilation.
Violence and terrorism are ideas understood even by a kindergarten child these days. Non-violence has become a term relegated to the history books, and those who wish to
practice it may have to wait until they ascend to heaven!
The use of military firepower by the richer nations has instead of resolving existing conflicts, created a fresh crop of them. Conflicts multiply each time with additional doses of military and nuclear firepower. So military firepower remains the singularly most ineffective technique to wipe out world terrorism.
So this leads us to the question of how Satyagraha can be considered superior to the use of force. One way of looking at it is to consider the track records of the use of force. The results have been nothing but bloodshed. Satyagraha can succeed to a greater degree than most other techniques, on the day we are able to impress upon the idiots holding the remote controls, not to press the buttons and wipe out the world, but instead to listen to the language of peace.
Peace begets peace. To achieve world peace, we have to employ peaceful methods. The effectiveness of these methods (Satyagraha) will depend on the extent to which the masses are taught these concepts, the extent to which the awareness of technique and consequence are
publicized, and the extent to which discipline and dedication are incorporated into
practicing these techniques.
Gandhian principles may not bring world peace today, but the world
tomorrow can be a better place.
Ramachandra Raju, Dubai, UAE
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Iraq Was a Lost Opportunity
Gandhiji’s principles of ahimsa and Satyagraha are of everlasting value and significance. So they are applicable at all times and seem to be the only solution to terrorism. How can you fight fire with fire? The fire of violence can be put out only by the cooling waters of non-violent solutions.
I think the struggles against apartheid, which were fought largely in a non-violent manner by the black Africans is an example of the success of a non-military solution to a problem of social oppression. I think Iraq was a lost opportunity in this regard. Nuclear/military power, in my view, is the least effective way to resolve conflicts. Grassroots education and awareness building is the best way to resolve conflicts. Yes, if carried out with conviction, ‘satyagraha’ is indeed superior to the use of force.
I think the best way to educate our children on Gandhian methods would be to explain the reasons for violence in the world, which is intolerance of people that look/speak/behave differently from us. Educating them about the oneness of all humans, regardless of race and religious diversity. Also, we should educate our children about the real message of world religions, and explain how religion has been historically (and is currently being) exploited for selfish political and terrorist agendas.
Sam Naik, Atlanta GA
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