A resolution celebrating the 150th anniversary of the birth of Mahatma Gandhi.

III 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION S. RES. 357 Celebrating the 150th anniversary of the birth of Mahatma Gandhi. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES SEPTEMBER 26, 2019 Mr. MENENDEZ (for himself, Mr. CRUZ, Mr. WARNER, and Mr. CORNYN) sub- mitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary RESOLUTION Celebrating the 150th anniversary of the birth of Mahatma Gandhi. Whereas Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born on Octo- ber 2, 1869, in the modern-day state of Gujarat, India, and October 2, 2019, represents the 150th anniversary of his birth; Whereas, following his admission as a lawyer to the bar in England, Mohandas Gandhi moved to South Africa, where he experienced state-sanctioned racial discrimina- tion firsthand; Whereas that experience motivated Mohandas Gandhi to de- velop and teach the concept of ‘‘satyagraha,’’ meaning ‘‘truth-force,’’ which involves using methods of nonviolent dissent such as civil disobedience in the face of injustice; VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:45 Sep 27, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR357.IS SR357 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •SRES 357 IS Whereas Mohandas Gandhi would spend nearly 20 years in South Africa using the principles of satyagraha to speak out and organize against the injustices of racial segrega- tion; Whereas, in 1919, several years after his return to India, Mohandas Gandhi called for a campaign of satyagraha in response to British authorities issuing the Rowlatt Acts; Whereas Mohandas Gandhi began a decades-long movement of nonviolent dissent to gain self-rule for India, including campaigns to boycott British goods and develop the eco- nomic independence of India; Whereas Mohandas Gandhi persisted in his advocacy for self- rule for India despite multiple arrests; Whereas Mohandas Gandhi advocated for the rights of the lowest classes in India, whom he renamed the ‘‘Harijans,’’ or ‘‘children of God,’’ and thereby spurred reforms that improved the legal status of those individ- uals; Whereas the vision of Mohandas Gandhi for India was of a secular and pluralistic home for people of different reli- gions and backgrounds; Whereas the followers of Mohandas Gandhi named him ‘‘Ma- hatma,’’ meaning ‘‘great soul’’ in Sanskrit; Whereas the nonviolent dissent movement started by Ma- hatma Gandhi resulted in India gaining its independence from the British Empire; Whereas the principles of satyagraha inspired civil rights leaders and movements around the world, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in the United States; VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:45 Sep 27, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR357.IS SR357 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •SRES 357 IS Whereas Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., said that the philos- ophy of nonviolent dissent of Mahatma Gandhi is ‘‘the only morally and practically sound method open to op- pressed people in their struggle for freedom’’; and Whereas the teachings and work of Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., continue to inspire countless people worldwide: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Senate— 1 (1) celebrates the 150th anniversary of the 2 birth of Mahatma Gandhi; 3 (2) honors the accomplishments of Mahatma 4 Gandhi and the impact of his philosophy of 5 satyagraha, including its influence on civil rights 6 leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and on the civil 7 rights movement in the United States; 8 (3) recognizes that the principles of nonviolent 9 dissent in the face of injustice remain relevant and 10 necessary today; and 11 (4) continues to champion the principles of 12 peaceful protest and nonviolent dissent advanced by 13 Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 14 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:45 Sep 27, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\SR357.IS SR357 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS