Nelson MandelaFollow

I'm old, wrinkly & smelly enough to have lived through the times when both were the general opinion.

In the 1960's he sanctioned and almost certainly participated in lethally violent acts against civilians to make a political point. I suspect most of us are sympathetic to his hatred of Apartheid, but struggle to see this as justification of the notorious "bomb in the baby carriage" type attacks.

In the '90s, against all odds he managed to bring about a relatively bloodless transition (when mass slaughter was predicted) from minority White rule to a universal franchise, economic stability and an incredible level of respect for himself and his country on the international stage. His vision of amnesties for his former enemies in the "Truth & Reconciliation" process allowed a line to be drawn under a hideous period of history, encouraged the former 'villains' to confess without recrimination, and helped thousands of victims and aggressors to make their peace with each other.

So. . .

Are you implying that Bush and Bliar. . .


Ahh, OK

White and fluffy or yellow and waxy?

Why can't he be both a champion of sub-Saharan African freedom and Democracy and a dirty terrorist?

Dichotomy? yes.
False? Nope.

My own view? A former terrorist/freedom fighter (the term is relative) and a great statesman.

Sure, S.A. is still mostly black ghettos with whites holding most of the means of production of wealth, and he did hand the reins of power to Tabo "FUcking Nutter" Mbeki, but his leadership in office was inspirational.

George Washington was a 'terrorist' in King George's eyes, and a Freedom Fighter in the eyes of his supporters.

Ditto Yasser Arafat, Martin McGuinness and Fidel Castro.

Just curious that for most of my life, Mandela was an evil Pariah, and now I'm supposed to worship him.

It annoys me a bit that society in general is so simplistic that we can only remember people as absolutely good or absolutely evil. Not only that, but we expect it. I think we should hold ourselves up to a higher norm.

I think you mean, standard, idiot. Or in your case, perhaps, standard idiot.

huh, never really thought about that. You guys were the bad guys there. Here in 'Merica (at least in my memory) Nelson Mandela has always been hailed as a great this and a wonderful that, civil rights activist.. et cetera and so on.... put along side Martin Luther King Jr.

it may be because more of our population have such a background of slavery and racism that South Africa became a sort of microcosm of Black justice. I never really realized that most of the British population in this lifetime are still consciously affected by the old British(Common Wealth) Colonial Propaganda. intriguing.

What do Canadians think of this?

Mandela has always been admired by me. Then again; I'm a Kaffir lover.

Thats G.W's job.

I am just pointing out is going to happen. Solutions? there are none, it will happen.

Thats a great idea Kelvy do you think it would work in Israel aswell?

They have lots of sand, and bodies, lots and lots of bodies...