Mohandas K. Gandhi

“When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants and murderers and for a time they seem invincible but in the end, they always fall… Think of it, always.”

Gandhi strived to free his fellow Muslims and Hindus, using only his mind; not his hands and body for fighting and destroying, but his mind for preaching and thinking. The movie Gandhi depicted this style of battling quite perfectly. The movie showed what happened throughout Gandhi’s lifetime. It showed all the hardships he and his family had to go through, how many sacrifices were needed to be made, all for the Independence of India.

“Non-violence is the greatest force at the disposal of mankind. It is mightier than the mightiest weapon of destruction devised by the ingenuity of man.” Gandhi preached this to many people, who automatically became followers. They didn’t become followers of a man or a leader. They became followers of an idea. They followed the path of peace in order to achieve their dream of Independence.

No fighting was meant to be ensued from attacks from the British and their soldiers. Fighting was never meant to be a weapon in any of Gandhi’s missions or tasks. Non-violence was the ultimate weapon. Gandhi understood that killing, murdering, and torturing people were not proper efforts in order to get what someone wants.

He realized that no matter how many people are killed, there are always going to be people that replace them. He realized that humans should not be killed by one another, because we are all brothers. He used this realization when he battled the British, and he used this realization when he united the Hindus and Muslims and all the other religions into one main, peaceful force. No matter how much damage the British attempted to inflict upon the Indian people, Gandhi held his head up high, encouraged his followers to do the same, and did not retaliate in any way that was not peaceful. However, a few times Indian people who had not listened to Gandhi did retaliate in a violent way.

When the British came and committed unspeakable crimes against them, and when they did fight back, and they did kill, they achieved nothing. Gandhi punished them severely. Gandhi punished them non-violently. He used the idea of non-violence in all aspects of his campaign. When he punished his followers, he showed everyone that he will suffer for all the horrifying crimes that his own people commit. His non-violence worked in every way possible. Soon enough, the violence on the Indians side faded and non-violence took over, unifying the entire nation, and manifesting his ultimate weapon.

“Non-violence is not a weapon of the weak. It is a weapon of the strongest and bravest.” The people of India became as one, and forced the British out of their land peacefully. They all had one common goal, and it was achieved. Each and every one of them became an equal hero, because no physical effort was needed to battle the British, only mental effort. Non-violence worked for Gandhi and his people. If only it was used today instead of all the wars and murdering we have to endure. Imagine what would happen if only non-violence, patience, and commitment were used instead.