October 21: “It remains to be seen if the so-called victors have won or whether they have not depressed themselves in seeking and trying to depress their enemies.” –Gandhi (Harijan, February 24, 1946) There’s a Zen story about a wise man whose refrain is a constant, “We’ll see.” The story goes that a young man… read more
Tag Archives: Nonviolence
“What can replace war?”–Daily Metta
October 20: “The warring nations are destroying themselves with such fury and ferocity that the end will be mutual exhaustion.” –Gandhi (Harijan, February 24, 1946) War is costly, on an economic, human and even spiritual scale. Contrary to any myths we might still cherish about the institution, when we inflict violence to make ourselves more… read more
“Public prayer as a tactic”–Daily Metta
October 19: “The prayers of peace-lovers cannot go in vain.” –Gandhi (Harijan, February 24, 1946) Public prayer can be a powerful form of nonviolent action when used with discernment within a broader nonviolent strategy. One of Gandhi’s first calls to action in India, for instance, was a hartal, or ‘strike’, but in his interpretation a… read more
“The importance of patience”–Daily Metta
October 18: “Patience and perseverance, if we have them, overcome mountains of difficulties.” –Gandhi (Harijan, May 16, 1935) Aside from la-onf, which literally means ‘non-violence,’ Arabic has two other common terms for it, sabr and sumud, which mean, interestingly enough, ‘patience’ and ‘endurance, perseverance.’ Gandhi here offers us a gentle reminder of the same two… read more
“What democracy looks like”–Daily Metta
October 16: “Every village has to become a self-sufficient republic.” –Gandhi (Harijan, January 18, 1922) For democracy to be possible and independence meaningful, Gandhi was sure that it had to start at the bottom, from the villages, and build its way up. With each village as a “self-sufficient republic,” there would need to be work… read more
The Socialization of the Nonviolent
I recently listened to an Invisibilia podcast called “Becoming the Batman,” in which the hosts discuss the concept that blindness is a social construction. They talk to the author of the book The Making of Blind Men, Robert Scott, who explains it simply: “The disability of blindness is a learned social role.” He goes on… read more
“A Syrian teacher’s Satyagraha”–Daily Metta
October 15: “That is the beauty of Satyagraha. It comes up to oneself, one has not to go out in search of it.” –Gandhi (Satyagraha in South Africa, p. xiv) It was the summer of 2013 when the Assad regime was forced out of the northeastern city of Raqqa, home of schoolteacher Souad Nofal. When… read more
“Syria’s White Helmets”–Daily Metta
October 13: “Satyagraha brigades can be organized in every village and in every block of buildings in the city.” –Gandhi (Harijan, March 17, 1946) We’ve all heard of the Blue Helmets — the United Nations armed peacekeeping wing. But have you heard about the White Helmets, the unarmed peacekeeping and first responders in Syria? It… read more
“Understanding Columbus”–Daily Metta
October 12: “True economics stands for social justice.” –Gandhi (Harijan, October 9, 1937) Columbus Day, a national holiday in the United States, seems to be a celebration of Christopher Columbus, the man, the adventurous, courageous Italian explorer who convinced the Spanish king to send him on a sea-mission. Though really, it is a subversive celebration–a… read more
“Our Humanity vs. Our Machines”–Daily Metta
October 11: “In this [vision] there is no room for machines that would displace human labour and that would concentrate power in a few hands.” –Gandhi (Harijan, July 28, 1946) It’s hard to understand the concept of Gandhian Economics (one of his most brilliant contributions) without the fundamental principle that upholds it: human beings need… read more
