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Yes, the media reaction has been OTT and no I'm not particularly upset about his death personally. But he is one of the most iconic figures of the last century and an inspiration for millions. Flawless? Of course not, but the implication that "terrorism" automatically = bad is making me chuckle.
Asked for his feelings on meeting the Spice Girls in 1997 — shortly after Mel B had compared their "girl power quest" with the anti-apartheid movement — Nelson Mandela obliged. "I don't want to be emotional," he explained, "but this is one of the greatest moments of my life."
The twinkly-eyed gag was taken at face value by the group and plenty of dullard commentators, who were bemused, when they should simply have been amused. Mandela was a very funny man. In fact, every time I read the remark again I find myself laughing — not at Geri et al, which says something about how Mandela elevates even the cynical, but with him, who somehow contrived to tread the most elegant path through the unique absurdities of much of his later existence.
Less adroit, it must be said, are many of those lumbering to salute him in death — a global throng of Zeligs, from politicians to press, whose lifelong reverence for Mandela as a man and leader of a struggle was simply failed by the greatest superlatives. How on earth did apartheid endure so long, younger viewers may be wondering, considering everyone who was anyone seems to have been on Mandela's side?
"Nelson Mandela was a hero of our time," intoned David Cameron, who went off on a jolly to apartheid South Africa in 1989, with all expenses paid by a firm lobbying against sanctions. "President Mandela was one of the great forces for freedom and equality of our time," declared George W Bush, neglecting to mention that the ANC were still on a US terror-watch list until 2008, which meant the secretary of state had to certify that Mandela was not a terrorist in order for him to visit the country.
You have to laugh — mostly because that is probably what Mandela would have done. How often photos showed him roaring with laughter next to fawning leaders or dignitaries or whoever wanted a piece of him that day. I always imagined him getting the cosmic joke of it all — here he was, feted often by people who either couldn't have given a toss in his darkest times, or had transparently wished him ill.
Sainthood can be very sanitising, of course, and the right have a vested interest in smothering the realities of Mandela's radicalism under a lead blanket of tributes. But Mandela not only made history, he also did so in such a way that he made others wish to rewrite their own histories. In some cases, they seem to have done this because the argument against apartheid — and it actually was a matter of debate for plenty of people at the time, kids — was won so totally that to retrospectively admit in public that you were on the wrong side of it, or in effect on the fence, became akin to saying you were as politically witless as you were wicked.
Others have since discovered misty-eyed pasts. Not long ago, I asked Nigel Farage if Nelson Mandela was a political hero, on the basis that he has to be everyone's these days. "He's a human hero," the Ukip leader replied reverentially. "That day he came out of Robben Island" — it wasn't Robben Island, but anyway — "and stood there and forgave everybody, I just thought: 'This is Jesus.'"
Now, Farage was a rightwing Conservative activist in 1990, and doubtless it was uncharitable of me to think it odd that he should have thought about Mandela in those terms at that time, considering it would have been bizarrely uncharacteristic of his tribe (it wasn't awfully long after the Federation of Conservative Students used to wear Hang Mandela badges, while in the US the likes of Dick Cheney were voting against resolutions calling for his release). But more importantly, my scepticism — for which there was absolutely no evidence, I should say — was irrelevant. The point was that Farage believed he had thought that, and it is part of his personal folklore.
It's not just politicians, naturally. All self-respecting self-regarders jostled to touch Mandela's robe. At a 90th birthday party in London, Elton John sang a worshipful Happy Birthday to him — a track that presumably wasn't on the set list when Elton played Sun City in 1983. "My respects to an extraordinary person, probably one of the greatest humanists of our time," declared Thursday's tribute from Sepp Blatter, the man who demanded the frail elder statesman present himself at the World Cup final in South Africa, to the vocal distress of Mandela's family given he was mourning the tragic death of his 13-year-old great-granddaughter.
"Death of a colossus," was the headline in yesterday's Daily Mail, who marked his 1990 release with "The violent homecoming". "Violence and death disfigured the release of Nelson Mandela yesterday …" began that take on history.
They all came round in the end. Lesser people — minuscule folk such as myself, in fact — would occasionally have felt overwhelmed with the urge to inquire, even smilingly: "Well, where the hell were you when I was rotting in a cell for the best part of 30 years?" But in his superhuman magnanimity, Mandela never once mentioned it. So to follow his example in an infinitely smaller way, perhaps we should just roar with laughter ourselves at all the rightwing Mandela-venerators crawling out of the woodwork to weave themselves into his achievements. Such monumental progress could only be achieved by someone with the grace to understand a political reality: it is better that Johnny should come lately than not at all.
Yes, the media reaction has been OTT and no I'm not particularly upset about his death personally. But he is one of the most iconic figures of the last century and an inspiration for millions. Flawless? Of course not, but the implication that "terrorism" automatically = bad is making me chuckle.
Been waiting for your responce Mr Cudey, and its top notch as usual Sir.
Nelson Mandela RIP on 09:59 - Dec 6 by perchrockjack
Don't get t?.Let me help.
The White man has always tried to keep the black man down in Africa for his own ends. Its why we had an Empire. Blacks were deemed to be to be inferior and in SA apartheid was brought in to reinforce "separate development" which basically the Afrikkaner took the best land and the Blacks/Coloured were fecked off to the roads to nowhere. Great to be born white but if Black you were kept down. Happy with that? Well yes many thought so and had a great life and you can still see remnants of that thinking when you talk to an Afrikkaner although I wouldn't recommend it.
After Sharpeville in 60 and many other massacres in the name of White Supremacy MANDELA went down the direct action route having seen non violence be seen as futile
So he turns to sabotage and gets 27 yrs for conspiracy. Comes out and feck me ,no trace of bitterness and tries to reconcile all south Africans. He could have instigated massive slaughter of Afrikkaners not as if they didn't deserve it ,some would say, The fact SA is still divided is not down to him. At least they don't bear the Afrikkaner yoke.
Rugby world cup sees Francois PIENAAR a big boned big mouthed bigot meeting him and being blown away buy his dignity ,humility and interlect. They became and remained great friends as did FW dE Klerk another former enemy.
Don't let the fawning for their own ends glitterati mask the fact this was one of the greatest men of the 20th century-ity why its news now in all parts of the globe. Its because of the huge impact MANDELA . To read so much "negativity" on the man ion here is not really surprising
This is a loss to this planet of a great man and I truly pity anyone not seeing the overall humanity of the man
Wow did you write that?
Very impressed.
Quite a good insight into the facts there and yes he could have had his revenge but his goal all along was for a united South Africa.
Nice to see someone on here that really understood part of his life and the significance of it.
Welcome back.
[Post edited 6 Dec 2013 21:31]
PROUD RECIPIENT OF THE THIRD PLANET SWANS LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD.
"Per ardua ad astra"
The fact that he didn't go on a vengeance rampage when he quite easily could have puts him firmly in the good boys club for me, even if some of his more unsavoury acquaintances and motivations have been somewhat glossed over by the media over the years.
Pain or damage don't end the world. Or despair, or f*cking beatings. The world ends when you're dead. Until then, you got more punishment in store. Stand it like a man... and give some back.
Nelson Mandela is an inspiration to us all. Ironically though, his ex-wife Winnie is the embodiment of evil, and I can't understand why Nelson seemed to remain friends with her.
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Nelson Mandela RIP on 22:26 - Dec 6 with 1439 views
Nelson Mandela is an inspiration to us all. Ironically though, his ex-wife Winnie is the embodiment of evil, and I can't understand why Nelson seemed to remain friends with her.
Well she probably had something on him innit?
The first ever recipient of a Planet Swans Lifetime Achievement Award.
Nelson Mandela is an inspiration to us all. Ironically though, his ex-wife Winnie is the embodiment of evil, and I can't understand why Nelson seemed to remain friends with her.
The same way as he was able to invite his white jailer to his inauguration, as well as meeting the widow of one of the previous heinous leaders of the Apartheid government. His ability to forgive, as well as his willingness to die for his beliefs, show he was a strong principled man who could show respect for all those he met, both friend and foe
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Nelson Mandela RIP on 22:40 - Dec 6 with 1416 views
Nelson Mandela RIP on 22:32 - Dec 6 by jacksinceever
The same way as he was able to invite his white jailer to his inauguration, as well as meeting the widow of one of the previous heinous leaders of the Apartheid government. His ability to forgive, as well as his willingness to die for his beliefs, show he was a strong principled man who could show respect for all those he met, both friend and foe
That's a fair enough point, but still, that Winnie's responsible for some really nasty goings on, makes me shiver.
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Nelson Mandela RIP on 22:48 - Dec 6 with 1404 views
"No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.”
May his life be a constant reminder, that we are all ONE WORLD... A true hero, may he rest in peace and be the angel he deserves to be - RIP NELSON MANDELA.
[Post edited 6 Dec 2013 23:26]
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Nelson Mandela RIP on 23:28 - Dec 6 with 1323 views
Nelson Mandela RIP on 23:25 - Dec 6 by ImAlrightJack
"No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.”
May his life be a constant reminder, that we are all ONE WORLD... A true hero, may he rest in peace and be the angel he deserves to be - RIP NELSON MANDELA.
[Post edited 6 Dec 2013 23:26]
Aye aye, Rowan Williams has had a shandy.
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Nelson Mandela RIP on 04:55 - Dec 7 with 1264 views
My neighbors out here are South African, we've talked a fair bit about South Africa in the past and this morning I asked them if they'd heard the news. Funny reaction, one said "the terrorist is dead" and they did agree that he was "the best out of a bad bunch, still bad, but the best of a very bad bunch".
The wife told me how he was responsible for bombing a bus stop that she used daily. It killed a pregnant woman. My neighbor was out of the country at the time and she said she has never forgiven him for that. Interesting really.
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Nelson Mandela RIP on 06:37 - Dec 7 with 1236 views
That bloke came hell of a longway considering he was named after the council flats where del boy and rodney lived. Fair play.
Im just wondering if morgan freeman can step in or something?
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Nelson Mandela RIP on 07:08 - Dec 7 with 1229 views
What might be disturbing is the media crap giving vent to otherwise hidden agendas. I fail to understand how anyone can be doubting this man s place in history all things considered. It does point out many white people s hypocrisy as those lauding him now wanted him killed then. In 50/60s SA If you had been born black and your mother was working as a "cook"and your father a gardener they wouldn't have been allowed to live on the same land in the shack provided. I read that after one massacre of kids -schoolkids- by Police (aka Bruderbond/ God Fearing Gods chosen white man) a Police chief was asked igf he thought shooting kids was appropriate to which he replied,"when they throw rubber stones we ll shoot rubber bullets. The Afrikkaner was in many cases supportive of Hitler and his policies- your race was determined by the State after all. I d say they couldn't have complained if they d been butchered into oblivion. They have MANDELA alone to thank for them not .
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