Obama's Gandhi Mojo

Many of my friends, formerly thrilled with the election of Barack Obama, are now grumbling about his being too nice. They feel he should be fighting back, not compromising his agenda, and that he should play by the rules of the opposition in which anything goes. These same folks were a little irritated with him when he was handling Hilary with kid gloves during the campaign, but at least that worked out well for him (and us). However, they have grown tired of his playing by cricket rules in a Mad Max arena. They feel that the time for diplomacy is over and what we need now is a warrior, not a diplomat.

I sit on the fence with this. As a longtime student of Gandhian principles, I know that history has plenty of cases wherein intelligence, education, and kindness prevail over ignorance, fear, and cruelty. However, I also know there are many moments in history where the bad guys just had to be stopped by whatever means. I have never resolved this question in myself (does one ever give up on conversation and get out the big guns; and if so, when?). But I have noticed that when success comes through diplomacy I feel a lot more confident in the sticking power of that success. And I feel a lot more hopeful about humanity.

 

 

Comments

[legoat]

Thank you Catherine. In the Footsteps of Gandhi is a great book, as is Passionate Presence. Your presence on this site brings a much needed perspective.

[Daniel Brooks]

Gandhi was anything but a pacifist. Gandhi was a formidable opponent who confronted, resolved and won numerous conflicts. He realized conflict is usually an error of either perception or intention. He acted on the idea violence compounds the error while truth clarifies it and offers a way toward a mutually satisfying resolution that renders violence irrelevent.

[amyhasopinions]

I feel the same way about Obama: I LIKE the calm, mature, good leader qualities. I don't want another faux cowboy strutting around the White House letting his neo-con cronies make all the calls. And yet when I see those neo-con types doing and saying all kinds of morally reprehensible things, I just want Obama to punch them in their stupid private parts. But then I stop, and I think: What would Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. have said to me about that? *sigh* This is why I so deeply agree with your last 2 sentences.

But this is all most likely due to the fact I have inner struggles with the same issues: I'm deeply committed to peace and healing, but I bet I have to take deep, cleansing, belly breaths about 100 times a day at work while repeating "Be the change, Be. The. Change." Sometimes at home, too. And on the internet. And in the comment sections of this website.

Man. It's really HARD to be a human. (But I really, really loved your article. :-)

[ammidownb]

Dearest Catherine, How heartwarming and brain stimulating to read your words. Yes strength with strength and knowing how to manifest that appropriately. Thank you. Also hope you will be speaking here in LA again. Ler me know. , with love and light, Bea Ammidown
verizon.netverizon.net.
www.yogability.org

[Lexalee]

Obama's tactic takes us all to higher ground, uncomfortable as it may be to some who think boxing gloves are the way to go since it requires patience. Ms Ingram's point about the sticking power of his diplomacy hits the target...we need to maneuver with finesse instead of force as that represents an upgrade in consciousness. Thank you for saying it better than I could.

[allonfla]

You all need to be careful what you ask for. This aggressiveness you so desire can go towards the right or the Left, to those countries we consider our enemies and those we consider our friends.

And since so many of the advice and criticisms that were given during the campaign was WRONG, I'll stick with Obama's way.

[customgreen]

Obama needs to mix his gift of oratory with more assertiveness. The world is not the same world when Ghandi was alive. It is nice to want to strive for his stlye of activism, but the reality of today dials that back quite a bit. I think Obama is wading the international waters very skillfully right now.