Gandhi would have been proud

On January 29, 2010, a fundamentalist church picketed Gunn High School in Palo Alto. They told the children that the reason that there had been a number of highly publicized suicide among Gunn High children was because the children had bad parents, and the community supported homosexuals.

The church (to its credit, I suppose) got the necessary permissions to picket the school ahead of time. So the kids knew beforehand that they would be picketed. In a response that was amazing and admirable, the kids staged a counter protest. I was so moved by their reaction that I sent this letter to the editors:

Community proud of Gunn students

I was filled with admiration as I read your report (Page 1A, Jan. 30) on the response of the Gunn High students to the demonstration by the Westboro Baptist Church. They were astoundingly mature and wise. They make me proud and happy to live in the Bay Area.

Jan. 30 was the day that Gandhi was assassinated. He would have been proud. They should be proud. Their parents should be proud. Their community is proud.

Anant Mithal
San Jose

My kids’ godmother has a quote from Gandhi on her wall

I like your Christ. I don’t like your Christians. They are so unlike your Christ.