Gandhi considered himself,
by choice, as one of the
‘untouchables’ or rejected ones

For some time now I have been interested in the life and work of Mahatma Gandhi, the father of India and inspirational leader of nonviolence. My interest became heighten when I made a Pilgrimage of Peace to India a few years ago with Gandhi followers and recently when my friend made a similar Pilgrimage of Peace in 2011.

The last few days a few things were sent to me by friends, Catholic Worker authors, about Mahatma Gandhi and his failures. One was today in a New York Times Book Review of March 24th in a review called ”How Gandhi became Gandhi”. Is a review of the book “GREAT SOUL, Mahatma Gandhi and His Struggle With India” by Joseph Lelyveld. The book is about how Gandhi’s “evolving sense of his constituency and social vision,” and his subsequent unsuccessful struggle to impose that vision on India. Gandhi is a great hero in India but he failed in getting Indians to follow his ways.

The other insight of Gandhi, his struggles and failures, came from a friend who is writing a book on the assassination of Gandhi and how we can learn from it. He writes: “Again, I think the heart of Gandhian nonviolence is the attitude one takes toward one’s opponent on a crucial issue. Gandhi was astounding in that way —as his (failed) effort, in order to avoid partition, to turn over the Indian government to Jimimah, who was perhaps his most crafty and ruthless opponent.” Gandhi even spoke well of those who eventually were involved in his assassination.

This thoughts on the rejection of Gandhi by his own people come on a day when I feel a little dejected about friends and opponents who I disagree with. If a great person like Gandhi can be rejected and still be positive to all, how can I feel sad about a little rejection. I think I will make Gandhi the patron saint of the ‘rejects’.

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