6.10.04
Gandhi's speech in South Africa
Few days ago I saw a Hollywood movie entitled “Gandhi”. I liked many of the Gandhi’s speeches there. But out of them the following speech which he gave in front of a gathering in South Africa I liked most…
Gandhi: “I want to welcome you all…everyone of you (facing at the English guards). We have no secrets. Let us begin by being clear about General Smart’s new law. All Indians must now be fingerprinted, like criminals: men and women. No marriage other than a Christian Marriage in considered valid. Under this act our wives and mothers are whores and every man here is a bastard. And a policeman passing an Indian dwelling… Ha, I will not call them homes, may enter and demand the card of any Indian woman whose dwelling it is. He does not have to stand at the door…he may enter.”
A man: “I swear to Allah I will kill that man who offers that insult to my home and my wife. And let them hang me.”
Another man: “I say those mean nothing. Kill all the officials before they disgrace one Indian woman. Then they may think twice about such laws.”
….
“…I will be willing to die”.
Gandhi: “I praise such courage. I need such courage. Because in this cause I too am prepared to die but my friend, there is no cause for which I am prepared to kill. Whatever they do to us, we will attack no one…kill no one… But we will not give our fingerprints. Not one of us.
They will imprison us… they will fine us… they will seize our possessions but they cannot take our self-respect if we do not give it to them.”
A listener: “Have you ever been to prison? They beat us… they torture us….”
Gandhi: “I am asking you to fight… to fight against their anger not to provoke it. We will not strike a blow. But we will receive them. And through our pains we will make them see their injustice and it will hurt as all fighting hurts. But we cannot lose… we cannot.
They may torture my body…break my bones. Even kill me. Then they will have my dead body. Not my obedience.”
Do you know what the British government used to call Mahatma Gandhi????
A terrorist.
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Gandhi: “I want to welcome you all…everyone of you (facing at the English guards). We have no secrets. Let us begin by being clear about General Smart’s new law. All Indians must now be fingerprinted, like criminals: men and women. No marriage other than a Christian Marriage in considered valid. Under this act our wives and mothers are whores and every man here is a bastard. And a policeman passing an Indian dwelling… Ha, I will not call them homes, may enter and demand the card of any Indian woman whose dwelling it is. He does not have to stand at the door…he may enter.”
A man: “I swear to Allah I will kill that man who offers that insult to my home and my wife. And let them hang me.”
Another man: “I say those mean nothing. Kill all the officials before they disgrace one Indian woman. Then they may think twice about such laws.”
….
“…I will be willing to die”.
Gandhi: “I praise such courage. I need such courage. Because in this cause I too am prepared to die but my friend, there is no cause for which I am prepared to kill. Whatever they do to us, we will attack no one…kill no one… But we will not give our fingerprints. Not one of us.
They will imprison us… they will fine us… they will seize our possessions but they cannot take our self-respect if we do not give it to them.”
A listener: “Have you ever been to prison? They beat us… they torture us….”
Gandhi: “I am asking you to fight… to fight against their anger not to provoke it. We will not strike a blow. But we will receive them. And through our pains we will make them see their injustice and it will hurt as all fighting hurts. But we cannot lose… we cannot.
They may torture my body…break my bones. Even kill me. Then they will have my dead body. Not my obedience.”
Do you know what the British government used to call Mahatma Gandhi????
A terrorist.
|
