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I just read a news item in Hindustan Times which I am posting on my comment wall in my page and as a blogpost for all members of the network to read:

Hindustan Times
'Mahatma Gandhi is my hero', says Obama

Lalit K Jha, Press Trust Of India
Washington, September 09, 2009
First Published: 10:33 IST(9/9/2009)
Last Updated: 10:52 IST(9/9/2009)

US President Barack Obama has said given a chance he would like to have dinner with Mahatma Gandhi, whom he considered a real hero.

Obama expressed his desire in response to a question from a student Lilly during his discussion with 9th graders at Wakefield High School in Arlington Virginia where he accompanied with the Education Secretary gave a national speech welcoming students back to school.

Obama called for students to take responsibility and to learn from their failures so that they succeed in the end.

"Hi. I'm Lilly. And if you could have dinner with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be?," Obama was asked by one of the students.

"Dinner with anyone dead or alive? Well, you know, dead or alive, that's a pretty big list," Obama responded amidst laughter. The next moment he was serious.

"You know, I think that it might be Gandhi, who is a real hero of mine," Obama said. "Now, it would probably be a really small meal because he didn't eat a lot," he said amidst laughter. But Mahatma Gandhi is someone who has inspired people across the world for the past several generations, he said.

Terming the iconic figure as the source of inspiration for many, Obama said "he (Mahatma Gandhi) is somebody whom I find a lot of inspiration in. He inspired Dr King (Martin Luther), so if it hadn't been for the non-violent movement in India, you might not have seen the same non-violent movement for civil rights here in the United States." said. Delete Comment No comments yet!

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Comment by Ravi on September 13, 2009 at 10:31am
President Obama has unique opportunity to do good and build on the legacy of great souls of Ghandiji and Martin Luther King.My late mother Saraswati took part in satya grah and missed her studies at Raj Kumar college in rajkot(princes college like Eton and Oxford of India at the time) and joined the cause of freedom and no doubt had some lathis on her back and she supported the ashram of vinobaji,first Hindu Brahmin saint to macrh with Ghandiji.In the same way,I was inspired when in 1963 came to England and saw civil rights marchers in Montogomery and Martin Luther King making a speech at the head of a million folks: I have a dream and to see that dream shattered by his assasination and to be despondent and now seeing Obama in white house,some how makes one feel that change has come about in folks attitude through education and sacrifice of great Souls of Ghandiji and Martin Luther King who have impacted our lives and who fought on for justice,equity,freedom and respect for all regardless of race,colour,sex,class or creed and have left us an enduring legacy and hence President Obama has been elected by the whole cross section and spectrum of community.So as a quid pro quo,President Obama ought to make the study of the great martyrs for justice and equity as part of USA curriculum and also bring legislation that USA media doesnt corrupt the world by violence and pornography but helps to build on Ghandiji and Martin luther Kings legacy and makes programmes which are ethical and not corrupting by licensing laws and also makes teaching of vegetarianism a compulsory subject in USA schools,collegs and Univeristies and just like peace corps send one million American youngsters on an exchange programme to third world as well as europe programme on cultural and educational exchanges and gives a billion dollars to Ghandi-King foundation each year so the good Gospel cn be preached with centres all over the world as prevention is better then cure and instead of spending a trillion dollars on wars why not give a few billion for peace and prosperity and humanity.I rest my case.Thanks be to God and Goddess for such noble souls who have left us a legacy to build on-Martin Luther King and Ghandiji for encouraging more saints to take up the mantle of goodness and piety where they left off just like the relay race where batons are handed on to the net racer.

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