Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi is one of the most famous leaders and champions for justice in the world. Gandhi led the fight for Indian independence from the British Empire. He organised several non-violent civil disobedience campaigns.”
I know, I know, it’s not Republic Day or Independence Day. So why am I writing about Gandhiji? Well, I got a homework handout for saocial studies last week, and it was all about the Father of the Nation. For the first time ever, doing homework left me feeling inspired. Asking people to stay at home, not go to work, or just sit in the streets to protest seems like such a great idea! So much better than yelling and screaming and fighting.
I wondered what would happen if I decided to follow in the footsteps of the Mahatma and tried my hand at civil disobedience.
Trying my hand
On Monday, we had to run ten laps around the cricket field to warm up. It was so hot, it was more of a fry up. So I decided to protest such inhuman treatment, and stayed exactly where I was, in the scorekeeper’s pavilion. I was pretty sure that all my team mates would join in. But no. They decided to go ahead and run anyway. Coach M saw me sitting in the pavilion and asked me if I wasn’t feeling well. When I explained what I was doing, he said if I didn’t start running now, I was going to have to run an extra ten laps!
I’m not one to give up easily. So I decided I’d keep at my civil disobedience. After running the ten laps. In maths class, P Ma’am wanted us to solve crazy sums about toffee and boxes and multiply five digit numbers by three digit numbers. I was pretty sure this was against basic civil liberties, so I decided to not pick up my pencil. P Ma’am kept asking me what was wrong, and if I didn’t understand the question. Now I have to explain to my parents why my math teacher wants me to have my hearing tested.
I know that it wasn’t all smooth sailing for Gandhiji and that even though he kept getting sent to jail (in my case the Principal’s office) he never stopped fighting for what he believed in. So on Friday evening I said that I wouldn’t have a bath the entire weekend. Pesky Brother decided to join in. My parents said “Fine, but don’t come near us”. I realised on Sunday morning that while you might not be able to smell the stink on yourself, if you share a bed with your brother and wake up with his arm pit shoved in your face, you can smell plenty. The first thing I did on Sunday was have a bath.
Civil disobedience still seems like a great idea, but if you don’t have enough friends (or soap) on hand, it’s not as easy as it looks. See you next week! Off to get my ears tested.
