November 7: “It is an unshakable faith with me that a cause suffers exactly to the extent that it is supported by violence.” –Gandhi (Young India, February 26, 1931) Here’s a question that Gandhi must have had posed many times: What should a person, a movement, institution or society do when they are confronted by… read more
Tag Archives: gandhi
“Nonviolence, the only short-cut”–Daily Metta
November 6: “I do not believe in short-violent-cuts to success.” –Gandhi (Harijan, December 11, 1924) The Global War on Terror tries to sell us the false idea that we can effectively fight terrorism by killing “terrorists,” instead of addressing the conditions that led to terrorism in the first place. A “short-violent-cut to success,” instead of… read more
“The opposite of love”–Daily Metta
November 5: “I am trying every moment of my life to be guided by ahimsa, by love.” –Gandhi (Harijan, January 12, 1934) Hafiz asked Rabia, “O Daughter of God, is hate the opposite of love?” She replied, “No. Love has no opposite.” Rabi’a, the 7th Century mystic from Basra (not yet Iraq) and founder of… read more
“What a smile did”–Daily Metta
November 4: “Not an ounce of nonviolent energy is ever wasted.” –Gandhi (Harijan, January 11, 1948) Mrs. Hartsough (the mother of one of my nonviolence mentors, David Hartsough) stood day after day in front of Hanford WA nuclear plant, to try to reach the conscience of those who worked there with a group of other… read more
“A Successful Strike”–Daily Metta
November 3: “The conditions of a successful strike are simple. And when they are fulfilled, a strike need never fail.” –Gandhi (Young India, February 16, 1921) Would it be a surprise to learn that Gandhi was in favor of laborers and was on the side of strikers throughout his life? Of course not. He knew,… read more
“Gandhi and Mother Cow”–Daily Metta
November 2: “Cow protection to me is one of the most wonderful phenomena in human evolution.” –Gandhi (Harijan, January 1, 1925) Cow protection. Why would Gandhi be concerned about this ancient duty to “Mother Cow”? Hint: it was about more than the cows. The practice, which he said he would “defend against the whole world,”… read more
“What’s the strategy here?”–Daily Metta
November 1: “We often make terrible mistakes by copying bad examples.” –Gandhi (Young India, February 16, 1921) There, he said it and I’m glad. People, especially if they’re new to activism, have a tendency to copy tactics that they see others have used, but it’s harder to look beneath those tactics to the strategy they… read more
“The art of nonviolence”–Daily Metta
October 31: “Just as one must learn the art of killing in the training for violence, so one must learn the art of dying in the training for nonviolence.” –Gandhi (Harijan, September 9, 1940) Gandhi expected that those who were totally committed to nonviolence would be willing to face death when necessary while at the… read more
“A question of life and Death”–Daily Metta
October 30: “I know that death is inevitable, no matter what precautions man deludes himself with.” –Gandhi (Young India, July 2, 1931) There is a story from the Middle East about a man who runs right into Death in the marketplace, and Death backs away from him, clearly startled. The man doesn’t take the time… read more
“Enlightened Anarchy”–Daily Metta
October 29: “If national life becomes so perfect as to become self-regulated, no representation becomes necessary.” –Gandhi (Young India, July 2, 1931) Gandhi’s ideal political system? Two words: Enlightened anarchy. (If you are like me, you will need a minute to take that in. But hold on to your seat, because it gets better…) It… read more
