The grandson of a world leader who inspired the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and 60s called for America to rethink its foreign policy and embrace a peaceful alternative to the “War on Terrorism” last Monday during a speech in the University Union.

Arun Ghandi–whose grandfather Mohandas K. Gandhi, engineered the non-violent protests that broke the Britain?s colonial rule of India after World War II and stirred leaders such as Martin Luther King, Jr.–noted that during the present crisis, peace movements are considered out-of-step with reality and “aredenounced as unpatriotic.”

“It does not mean that we are unpatriotic or against our country,” Ghandi said, speaking to 150 listeners in the Redwood Room. “It means we must change our attitudes toward each other and the (Middle East) conflicts.”

While Gandhi avoided discussing specific political issues, he did question America’s historical role in the Middle East.

“The accumulation of generations of wrong policies from the U.S. created a people willing to take their own lives to make a statement,” Ghandi said.”The U.S. created the great Frankenstein monster we are now fighting.”

Gandhi said that the deaths of innocent Afghanis would only strengthen anti-U.S. sentiments worldwide and that the issues leading to the War on Terrorism are complex.

“Even if we kill those responsible, will we be rid of the problem and will we be free of terrorism? The problem of terrorism is deeper than we think. Those terrorists didn’t just get up one day and decide to commit those acts,” Gandhi said.

Gandhi’s convictions are rooted values he learned from his father, who was an activist in the Indian independence movement. He recalled how his father was among those beaten by British soldiers in the historic march to liberate the Dharasana Salt Factory in 1930.

“The protesters never raised a hand to protect themselves,” he said. “Finally (the British officers) looked at themselves and said, ?What are we doing? We are beating these people and they are doing nothing back, so why are we beating them??”

“(Use) peace and your purpose will be successful,” Gandhi said as his audience stood and applauded.

India gained independence in 1947 after two centuries of British domination.

One listener asked Gandhi how he would handle U.S. foreign policy.

“If you were president–and I wish you were–how would you handle Sept. 11?” she asked.

Gandhi said that he would use a peacekeeping force to isolate bin Laden, and that he would not bomb the entire nation.”I wouldn?t let the U.S. practice politics without principles,” he said, prompting cheers and applause.

And were he president, Gandhi would pressure Israel to exchange land for peace.

“I would tell Israel to leave occupied Palestinian territory and go back to the borders of 1967 or they would receive no help from the U.S.,” he said.

Gandhi is the director of the M.K. Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence at Christian Brothers University in Memphis, Tenn. The Sac State Multi-Cultural Center sponsored the event.