The leader example of Gandhi and how he handled the onslaught of colonization and imperialism to win back India connects to the Black Lives Matter movement through peaceful resistance in order to end the discrimination against people of color. Gandhi used peaceful resistance to spread the idea of “de-occupation”, cultural pride, and economic freedom. He noticed that people of color, more specifically Indians, in South Africa were being discriminated against by the British government and police. British forces marginalized the colored population by gaining geographical, political, and economic control. Therefore, Gandhi led multiple protests and strikes, demanding civil rights and equality for everyone, including Indians. However, in some cases, he was brutally beaten and even arrested for simply standing in civil disobedience. Similarly, the recent uproar of Black Lives Matter protests has implemented this same concept of peaceful resistance. Many people have noticed a rise in police brutality recently, especially with access to technology. Police officers across the country, who are predominantly white, have caused the deaths of many innocent people of color, including children. As a result, not only Americans but people across the world have been holding large peaceful protests, advocating for police reform. But like Gandhi, many of these protestors are being battered and pepper-sprayed by police for simply fighting for justice. Furthermore, the Gandhi approach is even seen in Hawaiʻi’s modern-day society. What Gandhi referred to as peaceful resistance, Native Hawaiians refer to as a kapu aloha. Kapu aloha is the concept of acting with love, respect, awareness, honor, and humility. More recently, Hawaiians have applied kapu aloha on Mauna a Wākea, or more commonly known as Mauna Kea. The California Institute of Technology, University of California, National Institutes of Natural Sciences of Japan, National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Department of Science and Technology of India, and National Research Council (Canada) collectively make up the TMT International Observatory (TIO). This partnership is trying to build the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT), a class of large and advanced telescopes whose purpose is to look deeper into space, on Mauna Kea. However, many Hawaiians do not want it built in Hawaiʻi as it is both a threat to the Hawaiian culture and Hawaiʻi’s environment. Therefore, they have blocked access to the summit, held numerous protests, and spoken with government officials to halt the immediate construction of the TMT, all while demonstrating kapu aloha and civil disobedience. Akana, H. (2020, June 18). Gandhi - Discussion & Viewing Guide. Lecture presented at
Kamehameha Kapālama Summer School 2020. Retrieved June 25, 2020, from https://drive.google.com/file/d/1AvCBVZ2XgvziWt6dY7u4QkERLwVlBeeH/view Kealoha, D. (2020, June 18). Google Docs - create and edit documents online, for free. Retrieved June 25, 2020, from accounts.google.com website: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vH62ojfFHNTnNEBbo7XDHZy3_924KWm0OfW205ZKCjM/edit Kim, C. (2020, May 31). Images of police using violence against peaceful protesters are going viral. Retrieved June 25, 2020, from Vox website: https://www.vox.com/2020/5/31/21275994/police-violence-peaceful-protesters-images Peeples, L. (2020). What the data say about police brutality and racial bias — and which reforms might work. Nature. https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-020-01846-z Protect Mauna Kea. (n.d.). Protect Mauna Kea. Retrieved June 25, 2020, from protect-mauna-kea website: https://www.protectmaunakea.net/ Shah, K. (2020, June 11). Mothers of black Americans killed by police speak out: ‘Nothing’s changed.’ The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jun/11/mothers-black-children-killed-by-police-speak-out Slolan, S., Pritchard, J., & Foreman, T. (2020, June 7). Massive, Largely Peaceful, Protests Against Police Brutality Continue Across the Nation. Retrieved June 25, 2020, from Time website: https://time.com/5849649/george-floyd-memorial-protests-police-brutality/ TMT International Observatory. (2009). TMT International Observatory. Retrieved from TIO website: https://www.tmt.org/page/about Touré, & Touré. (2017, December 7). A Year Inside the Black Lives Matter Movement. Retrieved from Rolling Stone website: https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/a-year-inside-the-black-lives-matter-movement-204982/ George, T. (2019). Now we know Mahatma Gandhi was a fraud. Retrieved July 10, 2020, from The New Indian Express website: https://www.newindianexpress.com/opinions/columns/t-j-s-george/2019/oct/06/now-we-know-mahatma-gandhi-was-a-fraud-2043765.html Hurley, B. T., & July 16, 2015. (2015, July 16). Mauna Kea protesters file complaint over access. Retrieved July 10, 2020, from Honolulu Star-Advertiser website: https://www.staradvertiser.com/2015/07/16/hawaii-news/mauna-kea-protesters-file-complaint-over-access/
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