Arun Gandhi visits university
Kyler, Colin
Issue date: 9/21/07 Section: Features
Arun Gandhi spoke about nonviolence in a world of terrorism Friday in his speech at the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts.
Students, faculty and staff filled the 321-seat theatre to capacity, and some had to be turned away, a Quick Center spokeswoman said.
Gandhi is the grandson of the late Mohandas Gandhi, the activist who was paramount in the liberation of India from British rule.
Gandhi began the evening with an experiment among the students, faculty, staff and community members in the audience.
"I want you to partner up with the person sitting next to you," he said. "I want one of you to make a tight fist and pretend you have the most precious diamond in the world in it. I want the other partner to try and open it."
After members of the audience attempted to pry their partners' fists open, Gandhi asked how many requested their partner to open their fist. The audience laughed. "See how violent we are?" Gandhi asked.
Gandhi said violence is as much a problem now as it was during his grandfather's campaign from the turn of the century to his assassination in 1948.
He discussed how the people of India responded to the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre in 1919, when British troops fired into a crowd of unarmed Indians.
"The people of India were furious with this indignity," he said. "If any leader had given them a spark, there may have been a war. However, we realized the British needed to be liberated from their imperialism as much as we from their colonization."
This example was not followed by America, Gandhi said.
"On 9/11, 2001, when that dreadful thing happened in New York City, I hoped we wouldn't seek revenge," he said. "I prayed we could channel our anger, but instead we've been plunged into war. We don't know how to save ourselves or our souls from destruction."
Gandhi asserted that non-violence is an active philosophy, despite common misconceptions to the contrary.
"I don't agree that (non-violence) is a negative philosophy," he said. "Love, respect and compassion need to dominate so we can practice it effectively."
Students, faculty and staff filled the 321-seat theatre to capacity, and some had to be turned away, a Quick Center spokeswoman said.
Gandhi is the grandson of the late Mohandas Gandhi, the activist who was paramount in the liberation of India from British rule.
Gandhi began the evening with an experiment among the students, faculty, staff and community members in the audience.
"I want you to partner up with the person sitting next to you," he said. "I want one of you to make a tight fist and pretend you have the most precious diamond in the world in it. I want the other partner to try and open it."
After members of the audience attempted to pry their partners' fists open, Gandhi asked how many requested their partner to open their fist. The audience laughed. "See how violent we are?" Gandhi asked.
Gandhi said violence is as much a problem now as it was during his grandfather's campaign from the turn of the century to his assassination in 1948.
He discussed how the people of India responded to the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre in 1919, when British troops fired into a crowd of unarmed Indians.
"The people of India were furious with this indignity," he said. "If any leader had given them a spark, there may have been a war. However, we realized the British needed to be liberated from their imperialism as much as we from their colonization."
This example was not followed by America, Gandhi said.
"On 9/11, 2001, when that dreadful thing happened in New York City, I hoped we wouldn't seek revenge," he said. "I prayed we could channel our anger, but instead we've been plunged into war. We don't know how to save ourselves or our souls from destruction."
Gandhi asserted that non-violence is an active philosophy, despite common misconceptions to the contrary.
"I don't agree that (non-violence) is a negative philosophy," he said. "Love, respect and compassion need to dominate so we can practice it effectively."
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Brian Coons
posted 1/17/08 @ 6:14 PM EST
Hi my name is Brian (Rajesh) and I am trying to contact Dr. Arun Gandhi personally. I met him several years back at LCSC in Lewiston,ID. I am planning on attending Washington State University and I would love for him to come to speak for the multicultural group, Indian Student Association on behalf of non-violence and peace. (Continued…)
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