We are all of the Gandhi-jii generation probably because the 80s film (of his name) cast him as a charismatic figure and portrayed him as being instrumental in the anti-colonialist movement. There can be no doubt of his charisma and of his large popular following; however does the one necessarily follow from the other.
Jinnah has never had a fair hearing precisely because the Gandhi film portrays him in a poor light. The "Jinnah" film goes someway to redress that imbalance. However it does not portray Jinnah charismatically, but it portrays him as a realist, someone who cared deeply for his people and most importantly as a man of principle and honour.
The End of the Jewel in the Crown.
It is interesting to note several facts that become evident during the film. And facts they must be because they are portrayed as such and because the film is the work of an English Oxford Scholar.
1. That the Congress Party was existent and extremely active even before the appearance of Gandhi-jii on the scene.
2. That Jinnah played to the contradictions that appeared within the colonialist agenda and imagination. Our imagined (by them obviously) dependence on them both for civilization and rationalization, and their ongoing agenda being the increasing needs for more manpower following on from 2 (essentially) disastrous European Wars.
3. That Britain was increasingly becoming aware of the detrimental nature of its relationship with India.
And given all of these "facts", the independence of India from colonial rule seemed inevitable even, that is, if we forget completely about Gandhi-jii.
Gandhi-jii's Influence and Pertinent Questions.
The question of Gandhi's influence then tends to one of speed and not force of acceleration.
Did Gandhi make the inevitable sooner?
Was his non-violent policy effective in the quicker removal of the British Raj?
These are pertinent questions for OUR World wracked with injustice, persecution and victimization.
What differentiated Gandhi's non-violence from the non-violent policy of Mandela or King's was the utopian other-worldly acceptance and even encouragement of violence done against him and his people. Both Mandela and King never said per se "We will never use violence, period!" Gandhi did just that. Mandela went so far as to rule out "ruling out violence". Did Mandela and King learn from the error of Gandhi's ways? Probably not. However the backbone of their respective ideologies has more of an impact on what was visible to them than most of us care to believe, even about ourselves.
What is Divine?
The Hindu ideology of the Brahmin classes is more eschatological, whereas the Abrahamic faiths are worldlier. For the Hindu divinity is an extreme of forgivingness. Whereas for the Muslim forgivingness has its' place, time and circumstance and to stretch these is to border on oppression. "GOD is Just and loves those who are just" and sometimes forgiveness is an injustice, precisely because forgiveness can be a veritable cause for further injustice.
When man is wronged is it GODLY to accept and forgive as Gandhi did, or is GODLY to revenge and be done with your injustice? To be free of guilt that you did nothing, and allowed things to be done to you, nay against you! Is it not GODLY to be free from such guilt?
But if all men revenge will we not have rancour, mischief and pollution on the Earth? And so the LAW!
That we might be free of guilt in allowing people to act unjustly against us, and that we might have a clean Earth free from the pollution of vice, mischief and every other ill!
And where there is no moral law, than man needs must refer back to the ancient law. Revenge that what is done against you, so that it is not done again, until we as people enact LAW and make all people small before it!
Muhammad (saw) said that even if Fatima (his beloved daughter and of his blessed household) were to steal then her hand would be forfeit. The LAW should be blind and all men should be small before it.
So I do not accept that Gandhi's position was, nor is, a moral position. And if you discount like me the moral superiority of Gandhi, then necessarily you must deny his effectiveness in the removal of the British Raj from India in every manner.
And this idea of mine is made still more concrete in my mind by all that I know of the victimization of individuals. And groups of people are made of individuals.
Victimisation.
My first encounter was that of being bullied by an older and consequently bigger person in my comprehensive school. It was a small thing and at first I paid no heed to it, but then it continued and I took a stand. I did not win, nor could I have probably ever won through. But by my continued un-acceptance of what was happening I won the respect of my one-time bully and also the esteem of my friends. I know that today bullying in school is probably a lot worse.
A year later and the bully held a flick-knife to my throat, while I was seated at a desk. However, I was not phased and laughed it off. And from that day my colleagues erroneously assumed that I was tougher than the bully! Silly.. but true story!
Many people probably have similar stories to tell, that the only way to end victimization is not by bowing your head, nor by turning the other cheek but by making your hand into a fist.
Victimization is the cornerstone of policy in Israel, in Guantanamo Bay and in many prisons.
It's goal as policy is one of de-humanisation.
They will do everything to break you, to make you appear in-human (un-capable of laughter, happiness, fear, hatred and the whole melee of human emotion (including hell-bent revenge)) so that they do not feel guilty when they do it to you again.
Your acceptance of your in-humanity is for them a justification of their action.
But by it, GOD's curse rebounds on them and they become themselves in-human, un-capable off all that is good.
The Pianist and the Palestinians.
Ever seen the film the Pianist?
It is about the Jewish Pogroms in Hitler's Eastern European Countries.
What sticks in my head from that film is the Old Jewish Man being told to walk in the gutter and complying. In the end the Jewish People, to their credit, learnt not to accept such treatment and fought for their liberation.
The Palestinian People have been victimized a million fold more. For 38 years of Occupation means that more than 2 generations of Palestinian Children have been targeted, killed and victimized. Some ignorant fools might think that I lie, that Israel only targets Terrorists. Israel wantonly murders children on their way to school and while they are at play. Ever visited an Israeli Check-Point, ever seen them pointing guns at children, humiliating and victimizing them?
May GOD shower HIS blessings on Khalid Sulaiman Mahdi, 15 years old. Israeli Soldiers admitted killing him for sport whilst he worked on his father's farm. 7 bullets pierced his head.
May GOD shower HIS blessings on Iman Al-Hams, a 13 year old Palestinian Girl killed on her way to school. 5 Bullets found in her head and 15 through-out the rest of her body.
May GOD shower HIS blessings on Rania Aram, a 9 year old Palestinian Girl killed outside her house in the Khan Yunus Refugee Camp. 1 Shot to her neck from Israeli positions.
And May GOD shower HIS blessings on all those others who have died, posing no threat... as children, being children.. Ameen.
In the face of such victimization the Palestinian people have not and will not lose their humanity.
They still fight for their honour and dignity, their right to live and smile and laugh without fear of murder.
That they do so with the very thing that makes them human; emotion; can we blame them?
But where NO LAW exists to guarantee to them safety to live in Peace and Harmony, such a fight can and often does descend into the quagmire that is revenge. That they have to resort to that ancient way is a pity. Because revenge can destroy the very humanity that they have sought do hard to preserve.
However, it is Israel that holds all the powerful cards. It is Israel that has the most powerful ally. It is Israel that has the gun-ship and the tanks. And it is Israel that has the power to end such a conflict, even if it means enshrining "the right of return". It is Israel that has the power to stop the wholesale victimization of a people and their children.
And it is true that many Palestinian Terrorists have succumbed to the use of victimization in their own right, by their targeting of civilians. But that is more of a reflection on the inhuman victimization that is Israel.
ISRAEL is not a Victim, unable to do or act. ISRAEL is the Victimizer.
And by all that I have said, would you deny the Palestinian People (Victims of Terror and Hatred for over 38 years) the right to fight against oppression and victimization?
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