by Julie R Butler

Created on: November 13, 2008   Last Updated: November 29, 2008

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi, is the most admired, honored, and respected human being that ever lived. Not only can his visage be found on all rupee currency notes circulating in India since 1996, but his birthday is celebrated every October 2 as an Indian national holiday. India is home to about 1.13 billion people, which is a whopping one sixth of the entire world's population. That's a lot of admirers! But wait, there's more. For Gandhi achieved his status as "The Father of the Nation" of India in such a remarkable way, that he has been an inspiration to all subsequent non-violent civil rights activists and advocates throughout the world. Martin Luther King Jr. was a student of his ideas, using them to bring about dignified change here in the United States, as was Nelson Mandela in South Africa. Anyone who advocates changing social wrongs through non-violent actions is greatly indebted to Mahatma Gandhi for showing the world how humble and gentle action can overcome violence, prejudice, and power, and all who admire, honor, and respect them also indirectly admire, honor, and respect Mahatma Gandhi. From artists such as John Lennon to advocates of environmentalism such as Al Gore, Gandhi's message is spoken of and passed around. The Dalai Lama, Lech Walesa of Poland, Cesar Chavez, the migrant workers advocate, Aung San Suu Kyi in Burma, Benigno Aquino Jr. of the Philippines, Desmond Tutu of South Africa, and many many lesser known heroes have honored Mahatma Gandhi with their peaceful protests and by speaking truth to power.

The people of this nation have just elected the first black man to become the president of the United States of America. This man, Barack Hussein Obama, has inspired the entire world with his strength of character and his gentle dignity. In fact, he may qualify as the most admired, honored, and respected human being that is alive right now. But even he is only mirroring what Mahatma Gandhi did, and surely, Mr. Obama was inspired by him when he went to work as a community organizer, for that was exactly what Gandhi did. He was a lawyer and a community organizer, and he changed not only the way that India functioned, but the way that people go about initiating change, without resorting to armed insurrections or hatred, but instead by showing that humans can learn to respect each other, despite our differences. That is Obama's message, but it is not a new one. It is a message whose time has finally come. Everyone

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