Nelson Mandela RIP
Nelson Mandela has died at the age of 95. He was one of the greatest statesmen of our age.
He was an extraordinary man in so many ways, but the most extraordinary thing about him is how despite having suffered so much he seeed to have a complete absence of bitterness or anger, and was so effective at reaching out to those who had been his enemies in a spirit of reconciliation. There are many people who were once his opponents and critics who will genuinely mourn him today.
That spirit of reconciliation undoubtedly saved many thousands of lives during South Africa's path away from apartheid, and by stepping down as President after one term, Mandela sent a signal to states which had thrown off one form of oppression they should aim to become a functioning and continuing democracy rather than replace it with another form of oppression through having, as the saying goes, "one man, one vote, once."
I am sorry to have to add this paragraph. Please note that the rules of this blog do not allow partisan comments on obit posts, and I will not allow anything other than positive comments about Nelson Mandela. I also regard attempts to use Mandela's memory to make false allegations about anyone else as entirely inappropriate and any such posts will be removed.
I don't want to end this post on that note. As David Cameron said of Mandela's passing,
"One of the brightest lights of our world has gone out. Nelson Mandela was not just a hero of our time, but a hero of all time, the first president of a free South Africa, a man who suffered so much for freedom and justice."
The flag above Downing Street is flying at half-mast as a mark of respect, the BBC said.
Cameron said Britain shared with South Africa this moment of grief and recalled the strongest impression of meeting Mandelawas his "extraordinary compassion and generosity and forgiveness".
May he rest in peace.
He was an extraordinary man in so many ways, but the most extraordinary thing about him is how despite having suffered so much he seeed to have a complete absence of bitterness or anger, and was so effective at reaching out to those who had been his enemies in a spirit of reconciliation. There are many people who were once his opponents and critics who will genuinely mourn him today.
That spirit of reconciliation undoubtedly saved many thousands of lives during South Africa's path away from apartheid, and by stepping down as President after one term, Mandela sent a signal to states which had thrown off one form of oppression they should aim to become a functioning and continuing democracy rather than replace it with another form of oppression through having, as the saying goes, "one man, one vote, once."
I am sorry to have to add this paragraph. Please note that the rules of this blog do not allow partisan comments on obit posts, and I will not allow anything other than positive comments about Nelson Mandela. I also regard attempts to use Mandela's memory to make false allegations about anyone else as entirely inappropriate and any such posts will be removed.
I don't want to end this post on that note. As David Cameron said of Mandela's passing,
"One of the brightest lights of our world has gone out. Nelson Mandela was not just a hero of our time, but a hero of all time, the first president of a free South Africa, a man who suffered so much for freedom and justice."
The flag above Downing Street is flying at half-mast as a mark of respect, the BBC said.
Cameron said Britain shared with South Africa this moment of grief and recalled the strongest impression of meeting Mandelawas his "extraordinary compassion and generosity and forgiveness".
May he rest in peace.
Comments
He will be sorely missed.
RIP.errors estss