Criticisms

Gandhi recieved criticism when he suggested the Jews practice non-violence when dealing with the difficulties they faced in Germany.  He stated, "If I were a Jew and were born in Germany and earned my livelihood there, I would claim Germany as my home even as the tallest Gentile German might, and challenge him to shoot me or cast me in the dungeon; I would refuse to be expelled or to submit to discriminating treatment. And for doing this I should not wait for the fellow Jews to join me in civil resistance, but would have confidence that in the end the rest were bound to follow my example. If one Jew or all the Jews were to accept the prescription here offered, he or they cannot be worse off than now. And suffering voluntarily undergone will bring them an inner strength and joy...the calculated violence of Hitler may even result in a general massacre of the Jews by way of his first answer to the declaration of such hostilities. But if the Jewish mind could be prepared for voluntary suffering, even the massacre I have imagined could be turned into a day of thanksgiving and joy that Jehovah had wrought deliverance of the race even at the hands of the tyrant. For to the God-fearing, death has no terror." Some people felt his suggestions were innapropriate to the situation.

Gandhi had some other controverial quotes as well.  During his early years in South Africa he wrote in a Indian neswpaper, The Indian Opinion, "Kaffirs are as a rule uncivilised - the convicts even more so. They are troublesome, very dirty and live almost like animals." He was also quoted saying, "We believe as much in the purity of race as we think they do... We believe also that the white race in South Africa should be the predominating race."  Researchers believe that him comments were referencing African Criminals rather than African people, but his words are questionable.