Final answer:
The author's response to the police is influenced by her background in non-violent political activism, leading to confusion when an officer is unexpectedly cordial.
Step-by-step explanation:
In "The Light of Gandhi's Lamp" by Hilary Kromberg Inglis, the statement that best explains how the author’s cultural background and personal history influence her response to the police who are holding her sister is that because she knows that the authorities engage in unlawful and immoral behavior, she is confused when the man she meets is cordial and pleasant. This response is shaped by her understanding of Gandhi's principles of non-violence and civil disobedience, elements strongly present throughout her cultural history, as her family valued pacifism and participated in non-violent political protests. Additionally, the historical context of Gandhi's influence on political activism, as seen in figures like Rosa Parks and the Civil Rights Movement, reflects how oppressions and injustices can be countered through peaceful means, a method likely ingrained in the author's perspective.