Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2021 September 28

= September 28 =

Mahatma Gandhi
In our school books, Mahatma Gandhi is praised as a great man. And leaders all over the world support him. Always Mahatma Gandhi is praised as non-violent.

I came across these articles online, mentioning negative things about him.

Are these accusations true?

-- ZebraaaLounge
 * https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-46552614
 * https://www.vice.com/en/article/ezj3km/gandhi-was-a-racist-who-forced-young-girls-to-sleep-in-bed-with-him
 * https://time.com/4505357/university-ghana-racist-gandhi-statue/
 * https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-manchester-50062791
 * https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/oct/01/gandhi-celibacy-test-naked-women
 * https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/features/thrill-of-the-chaste-the-truth-about-gandhi-s-sex-life-b1912595.html
 * https://scroll.in/article/680616/even-gandhi-apostle-of-peace-wanted-indians-to-fight-in-world-war-i
 * https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-manchester-50062791
 * https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/oct/01/gandhi-celibacy-test-naked-women
 * https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/features/thrill-of-the-chaste-the-truth-about-gandhi-s-sex-life-b1912595.html
 * https://scroll.in/article/680616/even-gandhi-apostle-of-peace-wanted-indians-to-fight-in-world-war-i
 * https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/features/thrill-of-the-chaste-the-truth-about-gandhi-s-sex-life-b1912595.html
 * https://scroll.in/article/680616/even-gandhi-apostle-of-peace-wanted-indians-to-fight-in-world-war-i
 * https://scroll.in/article/680616/even-gandhi-apostle-of-peace-wanted-indians-to-fight-in-world-war-i
 * https://scroll.in/article/680616/even-gandhi-apostle-of-peace-wanted-indians-to-fight-in-world-war-i
 * I first heard these smears years ago. Nobody's perfect. ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 05:52, 28 September 2021 (UTC)
 * The BBC, the Guardian and the Independent are reliable news sources. They do not 'smear'. Fgf10 (talk) 06:35, 28 September 2021 (UTC)
 * Their word is gold. Even when publishing old gossip. ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 10:41, 28 September 2021 (UTC)
 * Don't be obtuse. Of course their word isn't gold. But they don't 'smear'. 'Smearing' (libel) is a serious legal offence in the UK (and rightly so). They reported discussion about well known historical facts, not gossip. Fgf10 (talk) 15:37, 28 September 2021 (UTC)
 * Ha. ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 19:45, 28 September 2021 (UTC)
 * These not-so-great aspects of the Mahatma have been reported in reliable sources, such as Since they can be found in reliable sources, you can also find them mentioned in the Wikipedia article Mahatma Gandhi.  --Lambiam 06:29, 28 September 2021 (UTC)
 * Most people have complex lives with different admirable and not-so-admirable aspects and deeds. Nobody is perfect, and if you expect perfection, you will be disappointed. Gandhi, for all his great qualities and insights, also was a man of his time. That being said: He may have had a weird sex live, but, through the course of the 19th and 20th century in the British Empire: Who hadn't? --Stephan Schulz (talk) 19:09, 29 September 2021 (UTC)
 * See, in our school text books, and in the speeches of our politicians he is regarded as some kind of saint. People bow to his samadhi on his death anniversary. Now other than sleeping nude with his grand niece and lady doctor, there are other accusations of racism also. There are accusation of asking Indian freedom fighters to show non-violence against British rule, while supporting British in war against South African blacks, and asking Indians to fight for British in World Wars.

Some sources and links I gave was removed by another person. So, not posting them again.

So,

First question- Was he really a racist?

Second- Did he ask Indians to join British and fight wars for them during World Wars?

Third- Did he support Britishers during Boer wars?

Fourth- Did he force his personal female doctor to sleep nude with him and sexually exploited young black girls in South Africa?

Fifth- Did British quit India due to Gandhi's non-violence, or they left, as they suffered heavy losses in two World Wars and had no energy left, to control of large country like India?

I am asking this as every second October, Gandhi Jayanti, I will have to listen how great he was from World leaders. And in school, we have to praise him regularly. ZebraaaLounge (talk) 06:10, 30 September 2021 (UTC)
 * Many of America's founding fathers were seriously flawed, but they were still great men. ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 17:50, 30 September 2021 (UTC)
 * Indeed. Jefferson was a slaveholding spendthrift, Franklin was a womanizer, Hamilton was a corrupt monarchist, Washington was somewhat stupid, only John Adams was perfect ;-). More seriously, Gandhi spend his childhood in India, but he developed his political awareness and ideology largely in South Africa. He only came back to India at age 45, and he kept evolving his position in reaction to world events until he was murdered 33 years later. --Stephan Schulz (talk) 20:12, 30 September 2021 (UTC)
 * "They say, best men are moulded out of faults;
 * And, for the most, become much more the better
 * For being a little bad" DuncanHill (talk) 15:46, 1 October 2021 (UTC)

Seeking informations
Hello. I recently ordered a package of TOOTHY™ toothpaste from yore web-site. However, when they arrived, I opened the box, and to my surprise there was a PlayStation 6. How may I return this and receive my toothpaste? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.74.200.55 (talk • contribs)
 * I suspect, based on your question, that you found one of our over 6.3 million articles and thought we were affiliated in some way with that subject. Please note that you are at Wikipedia, the free online encyclopedia that anyone can edit, and this page is for asking questions related to using or contributing to Wikipedia itself. Thus, we have no special knowledge about the subject of your question. You can, however, search our vast catalogue of articles by typing a subject into the search field on the upper right side of your screen. If you cannot find what you are looking for, we have a reference desk, divided into various subject areas, where asking knowledge questions is welcome. Best of luck. -- Jayron 32 17:37, 28 September 2021 (UTC)
 * Thank you. Are very nice. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.74.200.55 (talk • contribs)


 * Stop the presses! You got a PlayStation 6 that hasn't been released yet? Sell it to a gaming magazine for many, many tubes of toothpaste. Clarityfiend (talk) 04:34, 29 September 2021 (UTC)
 * I interpreted the question as trolling. Toothy Toothpaste can only be ordered in the SpongeBob Squarepants universe. In any case, the IP has been blocked. --Lambiam 08:00, 29 September 2021 (UTC)