Gandhi, Snowden, and DWB

I'm sorry to have been gone the past couple days, but that's just the chaos of life, I suppose.

Imagine with me that what is happening in Gandhi is now.  How do the British view him?  Is he a hero?  Is he a terrorist?  It seems like most of the British view him as a terrorist; some kind of threat - at least to the empire.  He claims no less - he openly admits that he believes the British Empire to be evil, and that he wants India to be governed by Indians.  But should this - nonviolent noncooperation against evil - be considered terroristic? ...Maybe it is too much of a jump, because now I'm asking you to presuppose that the British Empire is evil - and most British - at the time - would have disagreed.

And there's a scene where Gandhi had just documented much evil the British were perpetuating against the Indians: forcing them to work without pay, denying them water, raising rent on the starving in order to finance hunting expeditions, etc...  ...And the one British man says to the governor, "You've turned him into some kind of hero.  Back home children are writing essays about him."

I'm getting to my point: whenever/whatever we're studying and learning, we each bring out own thoughts to the process.  And I couldn't help but think of something/someone we'd studied about not too long ago.  Did you make this connection too?...  Edward Snowden.

The British in the 1930s and 40s were having the same discussions about Gandhi that we're having about Snowden today.  Is he a hero?  Is he a terrorist?  Is he a traitor?  And whatever he is, what does that make me?  If he's a hero, does that make me/us wrong?  And how should I as a person respond?  How should we as a nation respond?

Education is all about making connections.  We do this in Language Arts when we read - we insert ourselves into the book.  When the actions of the protagonist remind us of the times we've quarreled with our brother.  The time we had to make a sacrifice we didn't feel like we could make.

Here's another connection I made in Gandhi: remember that scene where the British tell him to leave, or they'll arrest him?






Gandhi asks about the charge.  He says, "I'm an Indian travelling in my own country, I see no reason for trouble."  ...Essentially Gandhi was saying he was about to be put under arrest for being an Indian in India.  Here's the connection I made:






Maybe you're unfamiliar with the term DWB.  It refers to real (or perceived) instances of racial profiling: Driving While Black.  The issues we are struggling with at our point in history, here in the United States, are the same issues with which previous generations have had to deal.  In the past (maybe this year) questions have arisen over the shooting of Trayvon Martin, the laws in Arizona where police could ask for immigration papers even if the driver hadn't broken any laws, the stop and frisk policy in New York.

Today, I'm not writing about whether any of these events or policies in our own culture are good or evil, right or wrong; I'm only saying that everything should be viewed through the lens of history.  Neither am I saying that these events are the same and therefore interchangeable: they're not.

But it would benefit us to look at their similarities, and their outcomes.  Who was the moral force in the past?  How has history judged each side?  What does that teach us about ourselves and who we want to be?


If you're reading this for extra credit, discuss it with an adult and then write a 3 or 4 sentence response.  Do you think the historical connections and similarities that I made are valid? If you can think of any other connections between Gandhi or the Indian independence movement and our own culture, please include them.

Have the adult sign the paper, and turn it in on Monday.

If you happened across this blog some other way, feel free to leave a comment.  (Students, you may always leave comments on here as well.)

Grades and Things

I've been busy with grades and things.  I'll be back to normal posting tomorrow.  If you stopped by the blog today, let me know tomorrow.

A Simple Problem

Hey, thanks for stopping by.

To get the credit for the blog today, discuss the following question with an adult:

Which is more important, the problem or the solution?  Or, which is more important, the question or the answer?

After you're done discussing, write down some thoughts about the conversation on a piece of paper.  Have the adult you discussed it with sign, and turn it in tomorrow.

And hey, none of this, "they're both important" nonsense.  Seriously.  Be brave.  Choose a side.

(Adults, just to mess with your kid, it might be fun to pick the opposite of whatever it is they choose.)

New Marking Period

I'll tell you what I'll do: I'll start you all off with a point of extra credit - just for existing.

You're welcome.

But I'm not offering extra credit on the first day - mostly because I just spent a lot of time making comments on your Gandhi pictures, and putting in grades.

Check them.  If something looks off to you, you'd better bring it to my attention rather quickly.

If you're missing anything, the official deadline to turn it in was today.  But if you're good at begging I might take it on Monday.

You can print off almost anything you're missing from this class HERE.

See you Monday.

Isn't Gandhi Afraid?

We started watching Gandhi today.

As students watch, they write out ideas, thoughts and questions that come to them.

One question I received today that I hadn't before (that I recall) was:

"Isn't Gandhi afraid?"

Throughout his life, Gandhi showed tremendous courage in the face of persecution - it may have been his greatest strength, although one could argue for his patience and endurance, his understanding, or any number of his other positive attributes.

It's still a good question.  Isn't he afraid?  He knew he was going to get hit in the face with a baton, yet he kept burning passes and accepted the unjust punishment of breaking an unjust law.

He walked past the racist kids on the sidewalk - kids who were ready to beat him up.  (Beat him down?)  Wasn't he afraid?

I don't know.  I imagine he had some fear.

But there's also a calm in preparedness.  When we can face our fears head on, with a clear mind, I think we're less likely to be frightened than when we're caught off guard.

Because Gandhi knew his purpose and role - because he was prepared, he was able to face his obstacles with clarity and precision.  He knew he could give into fear, but prepared himself and avoided it.

That's my take, anyway.

Thoughts?  Anyone else?

If you're in my class, write your thoughts on a scrap of paper, and discuss them with an adult.  Have the adult sign the scrap, then turn it in tomorrow.