Mandela

[Hibbyradge]

Rip.

[H18sry]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-25249520

[Betty Boop]

RIP Madiba, you were so tired.

[#FromTheCapital]

Rip

[Green Man]

A truly great man. Rest in peace.

[Pretty Boy]

Very sad news.

He lived a life worth living.

[Sylar]

Very sad news indeed but not a great surprise. I said earlier in the year I'd be surprised if he seen Christmas.

A truly inspirational human being and a sad day indeed.

[Stax]

RIP a truly great human being

[Moulin Yarns]

Just announced.

[ano hibby]

RIP indeed.
What a man.

[Northernhibee]

What a life! The fact that after being in prison for so long and all he seeked equality, not revenge tells you all you need to know about the man. A truly fantastic man.

[The Voice Of Reason]

Sad news - god be with him.

[steakbake]

We're lucky to have shared a bit of time on the planet with such an inspirational figure.

RIP, Madiba.

[Dibben]

Very sad news.

Rip Nelson Mandela

[leggeto]

To spend 27 years in that hole of a place and go on to 95 what a machine,made a huge difference to the world,rip

[Sir David Gray]

Sad news.

He may no longer be physically here but I'm sure he will be forever remembered as one of the most iconic human beings from the 20th century.

[Jonnyboy]

Sad news.

He may no longer be physically here but I'm sure he will be forever remembered as one of the most iconic human beings from the 20th century.

:agree:

[Betty Boop]

“I have walked that long road to freedom. I have tried not to falter; I have made missteps along the way. But I have discovered the secret that after climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb. I have taken a moment here to rest, to steal a view of the glorious vista that surrounds me, to look back on the distance I have come. But I can only rest for a moment, for with freedom come responsibilities, and I dare not linger, for my long walk is not ended."

[Vault Boy]

Rest in peace to a man who contributed more to humanity than can be properly articulated. One of the only wholly good human beings the world will ever know.

[lucky]

An amazing man who showed leadership that most will never know or see truly inspiring man

[Eternal Hibbie]

A truly wonderful, wonderful human being.

Tonight will be remembered as one of those . . . "what were you doing the night . . . "

God bless Mr Mandela.

[NOLA]

i still remember the day he was released from jail all those years ago, glorious sunny day, quite apt that the day he dies its bloody miserable, a sad loss to the world.

[s.a.m]

RIP Nelson Mandela


As I walked out the door toward the gate that would lead to my freedom, I knew that if I didn't leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I'd still be in prison

[Spike Mandela]

Respect!

[Jones28]

An incredible man with a remarkable story. An inspiration to everyone. RIP

[N M 156]

What a life! The fact that after being in prison for so long and all he seeked equality, not revenge tells you all you need to know about the man. A truly fantastic man.

This sums up the greatness of the man. An inspiration to everyone.

[Hibercelona]

If the world were made up of Nelson Mandelas, there would be no need for a heaven.

RIP to a truely wonderful man.

[Hibrandenburg]

Nelson Mandela is a man that all should strive to be like but whom few will get near to being so.

I rarely comment on these threads but for this man I will make an exception. RIP Nelson Mandela.

[PeeJay]

Sad day - sorry to hear that the great man's long walk has finally come to an end -
Rus in vrede ....

[hibsbollah]

How can you put what he achieved into context? Just an unbelievable life. Led the resistance to a uniquely evil government and defeated them, then created a new successful country, became a world statesman uncorrupted by power (unlike 99% of former revolutionaries) created the 'truth and reconciliation' movement which has influenced conflict resolution all over the world, and then became a genuine world moral leader. He has bits of Che Guevara, Vaclev Havel, Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr in his story but achieved more than any of them.

When historians of the future look back on Mandela they'll see his greatness in context. Unique. RIP.

[Suburban Hibby]

How can you put what he achieved into context? Just an unbelievable life. Led the resistance to a uniquely evil government and defeated them, then created a new successful country, became a world statesman uncorrupted by power (unlike 99% of former revolutionaries) created the 'truth and reconciliation' movement which has influenced conflict resolution all over the world, and then became a genuine world moral leader. He has bits of Che Guevara, Vaclev Havel, Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr in his story but achieved more than any of them.

When historians of the future look back on Mandela they'll see his greatness in context. Unique. RIP.

Lets not forget though

Nelson Mandela was the head of UmKhonto we Sizwe, (MK), the terrorist wing of the ANC and South African Communist Party. At his trial, he had pleaded guilty to 156 acts of public violence including mobilising terrorist bombing campaigns, which planted bombs in public places, including the Johannesburg railway station. Many innocent people, including women and children, were killed by Nelson Mandela’s MK terrorists.

He may have righted many wrongs but in his early years far from the Saint he is painted as.

[Sergio sledge]

Lets not forget though

Nelson Mandela was the head of UmKhonto we Sizwe, (MK), the terrorist wing of the ANC and South African Communist Party. At his trial, he had pleaded guilty to 156 acts of public violence including mobilising terrorist bombing campaigns, which planted bombs in public places, including the Johannesburg railway station. Many innocent people, including women and children, were killed by Nelson Mandela’s MK terrorists.

He may have righted many wrongs but in his early years far from the Saint he is painted as.

"One issue that deeply worried me in prison was the false image I unwittingly projected to the outside world; of being regarded as a saint. I never was one, even on the basis of an earthly definition of a saint as a sinner who keeps trying." Nelson Mandela

[hibsbollah]

Lets not forget though

Nelson Mandela was the head of UmKhonto we Sizwe, (MK), the terrorist wing of the ANC and South African Communist Party. At his trial, he had pleaded guilty to 156 acts of public violence including mobilising terrorist bombing campaigns, which planted bombs in public places, including the Johannesburg railway station. Many innocent people, including women and children, were killed by Nelson Mandela’s MK terrorists.

He may have righted many wrongs but in his early years far from the Saint he is painted as.

The bomb you refer to killed ONE person. The perpetrator wasnt linked to Mandela, and was hanged. There WAS a campaign of public sabotage of state buildings in the 1950s and 60s, which resulted in a small number of casualties. But considering the massive level of state terror being deployed by the Government at the time, only an idiot or an evangelical pacifist would deny the liberation movement the right to fight back.

Assuming youre not just trolling.

[Suburban Hibby]

The bomb you refer to killed ONE person. The perpetrator wasnt linked to Mandela, and was hanged. There WAS a campaign of public sabotage of state buildings in the 1950s and 60s, which resulted in a small number of casualties. But considering the massive level of state terror being deployed by the Government at the time, only an idiot or an evangelical pacifist would deny the liberation movement the right to fight back.

Assuming youre not just trolling.

No not trolling, just intrigued that a young Mandela was far from the man who just passed away and his previous crimes are somehow forgotten. One mans Freedom fighter - another mans terrorist and all that.
Similarities could be drawn with the situation in NI re Adams and McGuiness- another pair of men who are portrayed at polar opposites by many.

[matty_f]

Lets not forget though

Nelson Mandela was the head of UmKhonto we Sizwe, (MK), the terrorist wing of the ANC and South African Communist Party. At his trial, he had pleaded guilty to 156 acts of public violence including mobilising terrorist bombing campaigns, which planted bombs in public places, including the Johannesburg railway station. Many innocent people, including women and children, were killed by Nelson Mandela’s MK terrorists.

He may have righted many wrongs but in his early years far from the Saint he is painted as.

You have to keep things in context though, hibsbollah's post is an excellent counter.

[ballengeich]

We have to accept that all humans have flaws. However, Mandela's were relatively small in comparison to his overall impact on the world. His great achievement was to lead a movement which didn't mirror the apartheid system by becoming an anti-white movement. With a lesser leader South Africa could have moved towards the same shambles as Zimbabwe.

Let's hope that his successors are worthy of him and remember his underlying philosopy that citizens of all colours are equal and can co-operate. He was one of the truly great men in my lifetime.

[Beefster]

Lets not forget though

Nelson Mandela was the head of UmKhonto we Sizwe, (MK), the terrorist wing of the ANC and South African Communist Party. At his trial, he had pleaded guilty to 156 acts of public violence including mobilising terrorist bombing campaigns, which planted bombs in public places, including the Johannesburg railway station. Many innocent people, including women and children, were killed by Nelson Mandela’s MK terrorists.

He may have righted many wrongs but in his early years far from the Saint he is painted as.

Rather than consider Mandela a terrorist, it might be more fitting to view him in the same light as the French Resistance (or any of the other resistances) during World War 2.

I'm not big on eulogies but Mandela was a giant of a man. There's little doubt that, given the circumstances, the ANC had every right to fight back against the way that non-whites were oppressed and discriminated against in South Africa.

[Suburban Hibby]

Rather than consider Mandela a terrorist, it might be more fitting to view him in the same light as the French Resistance (or any of the other resistances) during World War 2.

I'm not big on eulogies but Mandela was a giant of a man. There's little doubt that, given the circumstances, the ANC had every right to fight back against the way that non-whites were oppressed and discriminated against in South Africa.

I think what I am getting at is its easier to soften an opinion for something that does not have an everyday impact on your life- ie Further from home.

For example, the US loved the 'Irish Freedom Fighter' - ( Noraid etc ) until a bit of Freedom Fighting landed on their shores- turns into a War on Terror.

What does not sit easy with me personally is what makes murder etc justified and acceptable- oppresive regime etc happens all over the world but where does it cross the line?

[(((Fergus)))]

Here's hoping that his ultimate spirit of reconciliation and coexistence survives his passing.

[Whos-the-poster]

The world weeps yet I guess he would want us to smile, remember and celebrate. So many words of love and admiration. An overwhelming outpouring of which every word is just. Remarkable, inspirational, leader, campaigner, hero - so many wonderful words and every letter a testament to the impact this one man made on the whole world. From a young age I looked at his image with awe after a primary school project in 1994. I sometimes wonder what it would have been like to have lived during apartheid. For his family, for South Africa, for the world we are united in grief but also reminded there is always hope and good in the world.

[Northernhibee]

The world weeps yet I guess he would want us to smile, remember and celebrate. So many words of love and admiration. An overwhelming outpouring of which every word is just. Remarkable, inspirational, leader, campaigner, hero - so many wonderful words and every letter a testament to the impact this one man made on the whole world. From a young age I looked at his image with awe after a primary school project in 1994. I sometimes wonder what it would have been like to have lived during apartheid. For his family, for South Africa, for the world we are united in grief but also reminded there is always hope and good in the world.

This.

When I heard the news I spent the night watching documentaries on YouTube, reading articles about the work he's done - I didn't want to feel sad about his departure, I wanted to celebrate what he's done for humanity.

His life changed the world for the better.

[hibsdaft]

Rather than consider Mandela a terrorist, it might be more fitting to view him in the same light as the French Resistance (or any of the other resistances) during World War 2.

I'm not big on eulogies but Mandela was a giant of a man. There's little doubt that, given the circumstances, the ANC had every right to fight back against the way that non-whites were oppressed and discriminated against in South Africa.

great post.

unless folk are full on pacifists - and would, for example, have been happy seeing Scotland occupied by Hitler, Stalin or Edward Longshanks - then they risk sounding like complete hypocrits for making an issue of the ANC's modest physical force retaliation.

the problem is the sanitation of Mandela's story, the weird presentation we get of Mandela from light headed liberals these days (and Tories who are just tied in knots by their hypocrisy) who are not being honest about what really happened during his life. this just leads to folk reading about the backstory and feeling frauded.

there is nothing wrong with self defence. the beauty of Mandela, is he really did do it as a very last resort, he was ultimately the real-deal, genuine peacemaker. and there's very few who we can say that about.