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. . . . . the hundredth anniversary of satyagraha , Gandhiji's unique non-violent method for winning the freedom of India . The first satyagraha was launched in South Africa by Gandhiji on September 11th , 1906 .
Gandhi's 9/11
What happened on September 11 , 1906
Wiki on Satyagraha
The best part about Gandhian methods is that it resolves the situation without fostering enmity . There is no loser when a Gandhian struggle succeeds .
The assumption , however , is that the person who you are aiming the satyagraha at has a conscience , and can be made to feel ashamed of his actions , and that his humanity can be appealed to . It would not have worked had the Jews used it against Hitler , nor will it work against bin Laden and his cohorts .
But it can be used for many , many other things . For example - the Gandhian way for Iraqis to protest against the American occupation would be to simply sit outside the American military camps and refuse to eat any food until the Americans leave . When American soldiers see that a great mass of Iraqis are sitting and dying because of them , they will be completely and totally demoralised - they will begin to question their own humanity in a way their normal military duties , which could be justified by ideology , never would have forced them to . America will lose support in every forum , all over the world . Even FOX News won't be able to put a positive spin on protestors starving to death .
But that is not the culture of Iraq . The violence will continue there , unabated .
I sometimes wonder at the way different cultures can produce different men . The symbol of India in the West today is Gandhi - and the symbol of the larger Muslim world is Osama bin Laden . It is difficult to even hold the thought of the two of them in your mind at the same time .
I just thought it appropriate that , instead of posting the usual 9/11 thread , I post a thread symbolising something different , something positive .
Gandhi's 9/11
What happened on September 11 , 1906
Wiki on Satyagraha
The best part about Gandhian methods is that it resolves the situation without fostering enmity . There is no loser when a Gandhian struggle succeeds .
The assumption , however , is that the person who you are aiming the satyagraha at has a conscience , and can be made to feel ashamed of his actions , and that his humanity can be appealed to . It would not have worked had the Jews used it against Hitler , nor will it work against bin Laden and his cohorts .
But it can be used for many , many other things . For example - the Gandhian way for Iraqis to protest against the American occupation would be to simply sit outside the American military camps and refuse to eat any food until the Americans leave . When American soldiers see that a great mass of Iraqis are sitting and dying because of them , they will be completely and totally demoralised - they will begin to question their own humanity in a way their normal military duties , which could be justified by ideology , never would have forced them to . America will lose support in every forum , all over the world . Even FOX News won't be able to put a positive spin on protestors starving to death .
But that is not the culture of Iraq . The violence will continue there , unabated .
I sometimes wonder at the way different cultures can produce different men . The symbol of India in the West today is Gandhi - and the symbol of the larger Muslim world is Osama bin Laden . It is difficult to even hold the thought of the two of them in your mind at the same time .
I just thought it appropriate that , instead of posting the usual 9/11 thread , I post a thread symbolising something different , something positive .
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