Mandela Dead?

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/06/world/africa/nelson-mandela.html?hp&_r=0

http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/africa/9485450/Nelson-Mandela-dead-Zuma

Old and sick for a long time. I'm not too surprised to hear it.

Rest in peace, good man. You have changed the world.

The world lost a great man.

BBC _Nelson Mandela Dead

A long and fruitful life for a truly great man. May we -never- need another man like him

Sad

Was he driving a Carrera GT?

In reply to mndsm:

too soon, junior.

couldn't resist.

I'm not surprised given his age, but it's still a huge loss. Truly one of the greatest people in modern history.

Rufledt wrote: In reply to mndsm: too soon, junior. couldn't resist. I'm not surprised given his age, but it's still a huge loss. Truly one of the greatest people in modern history.

I wouldn't have thrown it if I didn't expect someone to swing at it.

As far as Mandela ACTUALLY goes- the world truly DID lose one of the last great humanitarians.

mndsm wrote: Was he driving a Carrera GT?

...no but they both blew a hose.

I am reminded of the 1984 song by The Specials:
Free Nelson Mandela

Which also reminds me of the song that included anyone who was anyone in 1985.
(Not gonna play) Sun City

Mandela was the right man at the right time. Thanks for your sacrifices sir, and may you live forever in history.

27 years in prison for what he believed was right. A dedication and commitment the world may not see again.

"Let the strivings of us all prove Martin Luther King Jr. to have been correct, when he said that humanity can no longer be tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war. Let the efforts of us all prove that he was not a mere dreamer when he spoke of the beauty of genuine brotherhood and peace being more precious than diamonds or silver or gold. Let a new age dawn."

--December 1993, Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech

6 posts until we troll one of the greatest human's in history.

I am now sad for 2 reasons.

Godspeed to a great man. Were Nelson is now there is no Racism.

How do you spend 27 years in prison ready to forgive the people who put you there?

Godspeed.

Appleseed wrote: How do you spend 27 years in prison ready to forgive the people who put you there? Godspeed.

I have some insight here. I listened to a keynote speaker who had a private audience with Mandela. He asked how he had endured those 27 years. Mandela's answer, which I am paraphrasing and horribly butchering no doubt: "I didn't believe I was enduring . . . I believed I had been given the time to plan how I would lead my country to forgiveness and reconciliation".

He was the only living person to be given an honourary Canadian citizenship.

Godspeed to a man who acknowledged his own humanity and failings and who therefore taught, modelled, and lived forgiveness and reconciliation. That is his legacy and gift for the entire world.

Rob

It's interesting to consider one man's impact on the world.

This was a man who was focued on his country, how it could be freed, how it could proceed. He took examples of people around the entire world, and throughout history- but the focus was on South Africa.

But the way he approached the change, most especially not looking for reporisals, but embracing those as more mistaken than evil. The humanity path that he took. That was noticed throughout the world, and will live on.

We can hope that the world will have more people like him, but there will never be another Nelson Mandela.

Sigh, had my ignorant-ass FIL ask why the flags were half-mast this morning when were walking into the club house at his sister's gated community. When I explained that it was likely due to Mandela dying, he asked why they did that since he was from Africa.

I responded that it was because Mandela was a great man.

He again asked again why, since this was America and he was from Africa and then blamed it on Obama (and yes he's a Republican, but he doesn't know why or even thinks about it, just goes with the flow.). I just muttered "you're such an ignorant ass" under my breath.

Why is it that so many people think only white-folks have the market cornered on being racists? Yeah, they don't. The above story brought to you by someone of Spanish and Asian ancestry.

I still don't know how their daughter turned out to be such a decent human being.

turboswede wrote: Sigh, had my ignorant-ass FIL ask why the flags were half-mast this morning when were walking into the club house at his sister's gated community. When I explained that it was likely due to Mandela dying, he asked why they did that since he was from Africa. I responded that it was because Mandela was a great man. He again asked again why, since this was America and he was from Africa and then blamed it on Obama (and yes he's a Republican, but he doesn't know why or even thinks about it, just goes with the flow.). I just muttered "you're such an ignorant ass" under my breath. Why is it that so many people think only white-folks have the market cornered on being racists? Yeah, they don't. The above story brought to you by someone of Spanish and Asian ancestry. I still don't know how their daughter turned out to be such a decent human being.

Welcome to America, we have a table for you over here.

And in response to all the dumbberkeleys posting pictures of Morgan Freeman (literally Morgan Freeman, probably because of Invictus)

I have no words great enough to discuss Mr Mandela, his spirit, or his impact on the world.

BTW, while Ms Hilton is one of my favorite rant targets, it appears the above tweet is false: http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/people/2013/12/05/paris-hilton-fake-tweet/3886187/

Which in no way excuses her other crimes against society.

Swank Force One wrote: Welcome to America, we have a table for you over here.

BTW- that was a hack. Paris is dumb as a box of rocks, but she can't take credit for that.

I was listening to some of the memorial service today on CBC. The South Africans like Obama. A lot.

Tons of people there. Every surviving Canadian Prime Minister, lots of big names.

In his book, ”Long Walk to Freedom”, Peace Laureate, Mandela writes that as a leading member of the ANC’s executive committee, he had “personally signed off” in approving these acts of terrorism : 1981 – 2 car bombs at Durban showrooms
1983 – Church Street Bomb (killed 19, wounded 217)
1984 – Durban car bomb (killed 5, wounded 27)
1985-1987 – At least 150 landmines on farm roads (killed 125)
1985 – Amanzimtoti Sanlam shopping centre bomb Dec 23 (killed 2 white women and 3 white children)
1986 – Magoo’s Bar bomb (killed 3, wounded 69)
1986 – Newcastle Court bomb (wounded 24)
1987 – Johannesburg Court bomb (killed 3, wounded 10)
1987 – Wits command centre car bomb (killed 1, wounded 68)
1988 – Johannesburg video arcade (killed 1 unborn baby, wounded 10)
1988 – Roodepoort bank bomb (killed 4, wounded 18)
1988 – Pretoria Police housing unit, 2 bombs (wounded 3)
1988 – Magistrate’s Court bomb (killed 3)
1988 – Benoni Wimpy Bar bomb (killed 1, wounded 56)
1988 – Witbank shopping centre bomb (killed 2, wounded 42)
1988 – Ellis Park Rugby Stadium car bomb (killed 2, wounded 37)
Late 1980s – numerous Wimpy Restaurant bombs (killed many, wounded many)

Freedom fighter - Revolutionary - Terrorist.... depends who you ask.

One wonders what the British thought of the American colonists....

http://www.wnd.com/2013/12/the-real-mandela-in-his-own-words/ said: I noticed over the weekend that lists of quotes from Nelson Mandela had gone viral on the Internet. None of the lists I saw included any of these – which say more about the man and the myth than you could have learned by reading all the reports in the international establishment press. 1) “If there is a country that has committed unspeakable atrocities in the world, it is the United States of America. They don’t care for human beings.” 2) “Long live the Cuban revolution. Long live comrade Fidel Castro … Cuban internationalists have done so much for African independence, freedom and justice. We admire the sacrifices of the Cuban people in maintaining their independence and sovereignty in the face of a vicious imperialist campaign designed to destroy the advances of the Cuban revolution. We too want to control our destiny. … There can be no surrender. It is a case of freedom or death. The Cuban revolution has been a source of inspiration to all freedom-loving people.” 3) “[T]he people of Asia and Africa have seen through the slanderous campaign conducted by the USA against the socialist countries. They know that their independence is threatened not by any of the countries in the socialist camp but by the USA, who has surrounded their continent with military bases. The communist bogey is an American stunt to distract the attention of the people of Africa from the real issue facing them, namely, American imperialism.” 4) “Under a Communist Party government, South Africa will become a land of milk and honey. Political, economic and social rights will cease to be enjoyed by whites only. They will be shared equally by whites and non-whites. There will be enough land and houses for all. There will be no unemployment, starvation and disease. Workers will earn decent wages; transport will be cheap and education free.” 5) “Yasser Arafat was one of the outstanding freedom fighters of this generation, one who gave his entire life to the cause of the Palestinian people.” 6) “The cause of communism is the greatest cause in the history of mankind!” 7) “Those who feel irritated by our friendship with President Khadafy can go jump in the pool.” 8) “There’s one place where (Fidel Castro’s) Cuba stands out head and shoulders above the rest – that is in its love for human rights and liberty!” 9) “The victory of socialism in the U.S.S.R., in the People’s Republic of China, in Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland and Rumania, where the living conditions of the people were in many respects similar and even worse than ours, proves that we too can achieve this important goal.” 10) “Communists everywhere fight to destroy capitalist society and to replace it with socialism, where the masses of the common people, irrespective of race or color, will live in complete equality, freedom and happiness. They seek to revolutionize society and are thus called revolutionaries. Those who support capitalism with its class divisions and other evils and who oppose our just struggles to end oppression are called counter revolutionaries.” 11) “In our own country, the struggles of the oppressed people are guided by the South African Communist Party and inspired by its policies. The aim of the S.A.C.P. is to defeat the Nationalist government and to free the people of South Africa from the evils of racial discrimination and exploitation.” By the way, I did find one quote from Mandela that I really like. I don’t think he meant it. I do. In fact, if he got his wish on this one, the international media’s reporting about Mandela’s death would have been much different. “A critical, independent and investigative press is the lifeblood of any democracy. The press must be free from state interference. It must have the economic strength to stand up to the blandishments of government officials. It must have sufficient independence from vested interests to be bold and inquiring without fear or favor. It must enjoy the protection of the constitution, so that it can protect our rights as citizens.” Amen to that last one. You know what they say: Even a broken clock is right twice a day.