Gandhi, King, Kennedy

Gandhi Gandhi’s ideas came from: while he was studying as a lawyer he first read the Bible and the Bhagavad Gita, his spiritual dictionary: 1- Force of truth and love 2- Non violence to all living things His weapons were fasting, prayer and non-violence. Episodes: Gandhi burnt the Indus passes even with the menaces of the English police. In this way he wanted to abolish the Indus discrimination showing his determination and his persistence/perseverance. Other two episodes of no reaction to English violence: 1- Indus people passing in front of the soldiers beating or hitting them. 2- Soldiers arrive on their horses and when they saw Indus people laid on the floor, their horses stopped. Talking about economy: Gandhi believed that their poverty came also from the dependence on foreign market  (Episode: burning of all the English clothes as a protest). Support: he created the ASHRAM where everybody helps each other and is given the same rights. They were Christians, Buddhist and Induists. MUSLIMS vs HINDUS Call out for no violence and reaction, stop eating until the end of this civil war. Respect the law. Lose the support of Muslims. Roots: different culture out respect can make people live together. We are trying to make a nation, Gandhi and the British keep trying to break us up into religious and principalities and “provinces”.

Martin Luther King Strategy Boycott: Montgomery bus boycott as a reaction to the episode of Rosa Parks. Giving speeches in which he preached love and compassion. Through civil disobedience and non-violence: effort to end segregation and racial discrimination. Protest, marches to obtain rights. Roots He was influenced by Gandhi, Thoreau, Rosa Parks, Bayard Rustin, Jesus. Supports Negroes, “big six” civil rights organization.

Bob Kennedy Principles Nonviolent reaction, not revenge. Efforts to understand the others (broad-minded). No division in USA, need for love and wisdom (patriotism). Need to fight for a better world. Faith in God (prayer). Strategy Direct and informal speech.

He addressed to citizens and fellows. Think about the future as one nation. He identified with negroes, tried to understand how they felt. Showed them the possibility (freedom to choose) stressing the right choice. Reference to God, to King, to make America a united nation. Reference to first Greek democracy.