Benedict XVI and Ghandi

Never thought you'd see those two names linked, eh?

There is a connection, drawn by a Catholic "non-violence" advocate, who was struck by the Pope's words:

“Freedom is not only a gift, but also a summons to personal responsibility. Americans know this from experience — almost every town in this country has its monuments honoring those who sacrificed their lives in defense of freedom, both at home and abroad.”

Hmmmm. "Personal responsibility." What a concept!!, abjured by certain "rightists" on this thread....

But that's another matter and a somewhat different plane.

Going back to our anti-war friend....he thought about this statement of the Pope, and then dug around in Ghandi's writings. Lo and behold! Ghandi addressed violence, too:

I have been repeating over and over again that he who cannot protect himself or his nearest and dearest or their honour by nonviolently facing death may and ought to do so by violently dealing with the oppressor. He who can do neither of the two is a burden. He has no business to be the head of a family. He must either hide himself, or must rest content to live for ever in helplessness and be prepared to crawl like a worm at the bidding of a bully.

Great minds...

HT: Grim