On Oct. 1 at 10 a.m., some people committed to the philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi will honor him at his statue in Waikiki. Gandhiji was a great leader who professed peace, forgiveness and love for humanity, including his adversaries. He professed and practiced the words, “Love thy enemy.”
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born in Porbandar, a town in Gujarat on Oct. 2, 1869, a man of humble beginnings. He was a steadfast philosopher and spiritual leader who would not compromise his principles and was possibly the most influential person in ending British colonialism in India. He considered colonialism misguided and did not see the British as enemies. He was inspired by contemporaries like Leo Tolstoy and inspired the generations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela. For Indians, he has similar stature as Queen Liliuokalani for Hawaii.
On Aug. 7, his statue in Waikiki was vandalized. We seek forgiveness for the misguided, as Gandhiji would have done.
I request that all who espouse the principles of peace through love, please come and celebrate Gandhiji, who brought revolution through peace and love, while overlooking transgression.
Birendra Singh Huja
Waialae Iki
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