Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1949-06-10


in the physical world. lie has {
lie has done everything except
make friaada.
We have not wrought any mir
aelcs IN the physical world, We
have not ruled and We have not
eNtermlnated. We have done . lot
OF fighting under the white mans
leadership and at his orders, and
have even done some fighting on
our own To keep him from cr'lAh.
ing the life out Of W, but baaieally
We are not belhgeTant people.
am not claiming our noh-bol'
llgerency II = racial characteristic.
Our African ancestors fought
a. many bitter wars 10 extertnin-
ate other Africans, a. any other
people who ever went on the war
path. Our Ron.beIliGrrcney arises
out Of the historical and geograph-
teal accident Of our presence In tho
Americas aS an unarrmed, unor-
ganiaed. scattered. physically con-
splcioua minority set down among
q domlneortng. cohesive, fully
armed majority, Giving fun credit
for all the heroic individual acts
of violent resistance, and even tho
fun blown slave inaurTection be-
fore the Clvil War. our struggle In
the United states has been q his.
tory In the mass Of flexible, non
violent resistance.
Mass VIoIeAt resistance --- eA.
ccpt a. . spontaneous defensive
action, such a. coloFrd cam
munItiea defending themselves
by arms In case Of race riots $3.50
would have been aalridaI.
with all these handlcapa II has
been . matter Of life and death
with us 10 work out q non violent
means Of survival Playing dumb,
even "uncIe Tomming," IL part Of
this technique. our lawsuits over
the constitution, In which We take
pride. are really passive resistance,
The bulk Of the people obey until
the court declares the Law uncan'
stitutional.
Never having had power In our
hands We have not had an oppoF-
tunity 10 infiict wrongs on people
We would like them 90 forget We
have suffered and are atill suffer.
ing 10 much that we arc inHtlnr.
lively sympathetic with any per.
son or nation which In faced with
oppression.
We do mot rome with armies,
HaXtss, or planeaI Ne lock for
footholda rather than beaHh.
heads.
The result Ia that people par
ticulariy people who have never
wFonged us do not fear ua. We
have nothing to sell except friend
ship and understanding They can
accept what We say al face value.
one ~ the stories I cherish wAn
told mo by an BurAaian. BE said
Ralph Bunchs was about the only
man In the u. n. miasi0n whom
both the Arabs and the fRrAaila
would accept a. mediator after
Count BernRdotthH DEATH Ralph
had no pipelines excerpt 90 their
hearts.
had this RnhAe 8f imiBant dec.
tiny last week at Howard UniysF'
sity Commencement while Nine,
vIiaya LAbShTni Pahdit. Ambas-
sadoF Of India, wsS speaking, In.
diR had suffered ~ We have siif.
fersd. not only from the British.
but also from her own people who
were tools gr pawns ~ the British,
Out Of suffering had o0fHe e0nss.
Grafton 20 liberty and . spiritual
publication thru nOD.vioisnt re-
aistanos which carried her not only
10 freedom In spite Of British arm.
ansnta but also enabled her %
stSp impending catastrophe con
munaI warfare between india and
Takistan,
Nos free India. through her
Ambassador. was speaking 10 us
~ one deep undertaking friend
70 another. Mms. VIJsya LakShmi