Terrorism Times

"Unless we change our own habits, we will never see peace in the world," Arun Gandhi charged an audience seeking wisdom and inspiration in commemoration of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Arun Gandhi, the keynote speaker for the 2009 Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration, presented his speech, "Lessons from Grandfather," to about 500 people in Eisenhower Auditorium Wednesday night.

For Arun Gandhi, "Grandfather" just happens to be the pacifist leader Mahatma Gandhi. Though never meeting in person, King was inspired by Mahatma Gandhi's practices of nonviolence, Arun Gandhi said.

"What happened in D.C. -- the inauguration of President Obama -- is an indication of the power of nonviolence," Gandhi said.

He said that 60 years after King's nonviolent approach to the Civil Rights Movement, "hearts have changed," whereas after 60 years of bombing in Israel and Palestine, "they are no better off than the day they started." Continuing to discuss his grandfather's wisdom, Arun Gandhi described that the necessity to harness anger was the first lesson he learned from his grandfather.

"Anger is like electricity. It is as powerful and useful if channeled positively. But it is as deadly and destructive if it is abused," Arun Gandhi said, remembering his grandfather's words.

Arun Gandhi learned his second lesson when he discarded a 3-inch-long pencil alongside the road, sure his grandfather would give him a new one. However, the pacifist simply gave the 12-year-old Arun Gandhi a flashlight and told him to go find the writing utensil.

"Even in the making of a pencil, we waste natural resources. Doing so is an act of violence against nature. In an affluent economy, we over consume while others live in poverty, and this is violence against humanity," Arun Gandhi said, recollecting his grandfather's explanations.

Arun Gandhi said this caused him to realize the "depth and breadth" of his grandfather's knowledge of nonviolence. The last lesson Arun Gandhi detailed was the importance of relationships.

"Relationships need to be built on the principles of respect, understanding, acceptance, and appreciation," Gandhi said.

Students had mixed feelings about the address.

"I don't really agree with the methods, but I can see the message. I got punished a lot as a child and I'm going to stick with that," said Adaia White (sophomore-crime, law, and justice).

Others took the lessons to heart. "I like that he took something so practical and made it into a life lesson," said Liz Demeusy (freshman-psychology).