dered to be “colored” and therefore treated as second-class citizens. A perfect example of this is in the opening scene when Mahatma was on the train in South Africa, he was riding in a first class cabin when the officials threw him out for being colored. A colored man was not allowed in these cabins, they had to travel second or third class. A colored man could not walk on the sidewalk, or else they faced degrading remarks and bullying. This seemed atrocious to Ghandi who felt that everyone should “love thy neighbors as your self”. British rule on India brought forth discrimination and an infringement on the natives’ human rights. The people of India were simply demanding equal rights as citizens of Europe, they no longer wanted to be treated as contracted workers. Indians were fingerprinted like criminals. Laws were passes that made only Christian weddings recognized by law. This implied that all Indian mothers and wives were whores and all men were bastards. Policemen had free reign to enter an Indian’s home at any time. During one massacre, British forces killed women and children, and the wounded were not even offered provisions. Indians who lived in the country and relied on agriculture as means of income were driven to poverty because no one was buying their crops or cloth, they were buying British cloth and crops. “There is no beauty in the finest cloth if it makes hunger and unhappiness.” Ghandi urged his fellow countrymen to wear their one piece of homespun cloth with dignity. Ghandi introduced the world to non-violence strategy or non-cooperation. Mahatma always stressed the importance of being non-violent yet firm. He believed in fighting to change things, NOT to punish. He felt that punishment was to be left up to God. When a person does not strike back and shows courage, injustice will be clearly shown. During one of his many speeches Ghandi said, “We will not strike a ...
