SOUTH AFRICA

Madiba Magic

As Nelson Mandela turns 90, a look back at how an icon reshaped a nation.

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  • Posted By: Bornita @ 07/26/2008 4:54:36 AM

    The world only celebrates Mandela because he let them off the hook! They failed to stand by his side and deliver his release, and now they are buttering him up so that they will not be held liable. However, the same thing is happening all over again to Suu Kyi. When she gets out in another 10 to 20 years, I'm sure the world will be there to applaud.

  • Posted By: microbrother @ 07/23/2008 9:26:10 AM

    Because of President Mandela???s world-renowned leadership qualities, he has been lifted to the status of one of the greatest leaders, ever.

    Happy birthday, Madiba! And thank you for your many years of unwavering love and service to South Africa and freedom loving people all over the world.

  • Posted By: microbrother @ 07/23/2008 9:24:55 AM

    Happy birthday, Madiba! And thank you for your many years of unwavering love and service to South Africa and freedom loving people all over the world!

    microbrother

  • Posted By: BeijingBushman @ 07/18/2008 8:13:15 AM

    Wow how screwed up is the world today? South Africa was settled by the Dutch, there was really nobody there to speak of as the "blacks" as Mandala would say, were not down in South Africa. Ever see South Africa on a map anybody? It's well south of the equator, and damn cold, so the constantly ballyhooed line that because it's "'south africa" it must belong to the blacks is a scam. Before the Dutch colonized it anyone passing through was just that, passing through, they were nomadic in nature and got the hell out when it got cold. Mr. Mandala was appprehended with explosives and plans of buildings he intended to blow up, as well as a copy of a little book he'd written titled "how to be a good Communist." His wife Winney has stated repeatedly "with our matches and our necklaces we will free South Africa. Anyone know what a necklace is? It is a gas soaked tire thrown around the victim and lit with a match. A very gory, painful, and utterly cruel death results. It's amazing that winney only used it on her kind, fellow blacks. So that raised a question, was the enemy of Nelson and Winney fellow blacks? I mean, if the whites were the enemy then why didn't Winney go after them with necklaces? Hmmmm, the media never reported on this. Neslson Mandala is a terroristic Communist who should have never been sent to prison but should have been "necklaced" himself along with winney on the public square. South Africa was never "black" but Dutch. When the Dutch colonized it and introduced technology (such as fire, plumbing, housing, and so on, then the "nomadic" folk stayed around and eventually turned it into the hell that became South Africa through the works of people like Nelson and Winnney. Statesman my azz, typical communist butcher like all the rest in history, and you nuts are giving him praise. shame on all of you!

    • Posted By: THE RAVEN @ 07/19/2008 11:55:49 AM

      I was just wondering how long it would be before a moronic A$$HOLE like you showed up. And here you are. Your stupidity and ignorance is shameful and laughable--but was expected. South Africa was "NEVER" black?
      Get out of those bushes, go to the library--it's free--and read a fu*king book--dumbazz.

    • Posted By: Mzalendo @ 07/18/2008 2:22:29 PM

      ROFL, not only should you consult a history book, a dictionary might help too. Your spelling is atrocious.

      Mandela is a fallible man like many others. What differentiated him is not the lack of sin, it's the reason for his actions and what how he has chosen to lead by example. Fighting for freedom was not always going to be won over tea and crumpets, sometimes you actually have to kill to attain your goals.

      As for the statement that S.A. ws blackless when the Dutch came in- ha ha ha! Even the nomads as you claim had claim to the land, hence they came back to it over and over again,

  • Posted By: thewonk46 @ 07/19/2008 5:10:17 AM

    America need look no further than this the story of Mandela...He (like Obama) was trained to be a lawyer, but before he could hone his craft, was imprisoned by the Apartheid gov't...Now, I do not mean to imply that Obama was imprisoned, but make America think that this man released from prison (after serving decades locked up), was able to lead his country from a dreadful state, and insured a peaceful transition for his people who were indigenous to the region and had had everything taken away from them (gold, diamonds, etc, the British/Dutch are complacent and there is no end to the shame for the crimes they perpetrated in S.A.)...He was able to do this without "experience", by doing the right thing, and I believe it is possible that a first term senator from Illinois is capable of doing the right thing...WBBJ!!!

  • Posted By: Mzalendo @ 07/18/2008 2:53:57 PM

    Ube nemini yokuzalwa emnandi Mandela!!

    I have a wealth of feeling for Madiba. I feel like he's my grandfather; a man I love, respect and look up to. I would love to meet him but I doubt that will ever happen.

    He has stood for justice and dignity for all and because of that had to endure the loss of his freedom and the indignity of bondage for 27 years. Even when he was given a chance at freedom in exchange for renouncing his movement and beliefs, he shoes to remain imprison a decision which could not have been easy. I cannot imagine the price he had to pay but it wasn't cheap.

    The way he has conducted himself since leaving prison, including stepping down as president, grace towards his captors and jailers, and finally addressing the issues of HIV/AIDS which has ravaged South Africa and much of sub-Saharan Africa. His life should be an example to people around the world that we are all capable of more than we think we are. We should aspire to lead more meaningful lives and remind us that we can leave a mark on the lives of those around us.

    As an African, I am proud of the example he set for our leaders. He has shown that leadership is more than holding the top office and amassing ridiculous amounts of wealth. If more of our leaders emulated these qualities, we would collectively be better off as a continent.

    God bless you Madiba, may the rest of your days be filled with children's voices, contentment and good health.

    Ndiyabulela Madiba. Ndiya kuthanda. Sala kakuhle!

  • Posted By: dtbham @ 07/18/2008 2:13:08 PM

    All joking aside. Happy B-day Mr. Mandela. Thank you for standing up for what you believe in.

  • Posted By: dtbham @ 07/18/2008 2:01:27 PM

    Good thing the U.S. just released his name from the terrorist watch list last week. I wasn't sure where we stood, but know I know... thank god. I was worried he might be a Shh.. terrorist.

  • Posted By: speak the truth @ 07/18/2008 1:30:35 PM

    Mr. Mandela personifies how god intended for us to live on earth. After being imprisoned for 26 plus years, he has the heart to forgive those who trespassed against him. to rise fron prisoner to president is remarkable enough but most important is the qualities this statesman possess: integrity, love, forgiveness, forthrightness to name a few is what makes him a true leader among us. Happy birthday Mandela and may you stay among us for quite awhile to pass on those graces. Thank you.

  • Posted By: rec19724u @ 07/18/2008 1:20:46 PM

    What a great man Mandela is, when I read of his life, struggles and accomplishments, and then I read about the embarressment recently in the news (Rev. Jessie Jackson) and the N word, it makes my heart bleed, we as a people need to concentrate on the issues that are important, how can we teach our children, when we ourseleves fail to get along and come to an understanding.
    I am so enamored by the grace and Intelligence of Mandela, I read how he harbors no hate for the years that he lost in prison, I feel just so compelled to love with an unstopable passion irregardless of my circumstances.

  • Posted By: speak the truth @ 07/18/2008 1:19:52 PM

    Mr. Mandela personifies how god intends for us to live on this earth. After being imprisoned for 26 plus years he has the heart to forgive those who trepassed against him. To rise from prisoner to president is remarkable but most important is the qualities this statesman posooess: integrity, forgiveness, love forthrightness etc is what make him a true leader among us. Happy birthday Mandela and may you stay among us a while to pass on those graces. Thank you.

  • Posted By: Louella @ 07/18/2008 11:28:39 AM

    Anyone making it to 90 is amazing in itself, let alone a great man whom has endured so much.
    (I found it kind of annoying that when I clicked to comment that Obama's ad popped up, how contrived was that?)

  • Posted By: abipatra @ 07/18/2008 9:59:06 AM

    Comment; Mandela has demonstrated the separation of the seed, that is men are totally different from the boys.A lesson that must be learnt by the ruling elites that history will surely judged the way it was during your time and the final arbiter is God the Almighty.

  • Posted By: olderwiser @ 07/18/2008 8:55:40 AM

    That's how the real stuff gets done, in prison, contemplatively, in the laborious process of removing rancor, and the realization that revenge must be left exclusively in the hands of one's maker where it belongs because is can only be misused in the hands of mere mortals who only do their best after adequate reflection. Once that is done, even if it takes thirty years, the rest is easy. We are grateful.

  • Posted By: olderwiser @ 07/18/2008 8:49:31 AM

    Whatever he was before he went in, the world is stunned by the magnificence of what came out thirty years later to inspire billions of those of us who were freely going about our business while he calmly and carefully mixed the medicine that we so desperately needed, not even aware of the extent of our illness until he applied the cure. Thank you, Mandela, Nelson, for what you have done for humankind. We needed that.

  • Posted By: olderwiser @ 07/18/2008 8:44:14 AM

    The 26 letters of the alphabet, swirling in the mind, anxious to be free so that they can go forth and multiply, laboriously work their way through the veins, arteries, and around the cells of the body, and finally through the tapping fingers and onto the screen in some orderly form to reflect the quality of the mind in which they had been imprisoned for so long before their freedom, for others to enjoy, or not, as they see fit. The blog.

  • Posted By: Ruby55 @ 07/18/2008 8:35:35 AM

    Beijing Bushman, consult a history book. Better yet, come to South Africa (where I am now) and bask in the beautiful hot weather we are currently enjoying, while you explore the caves paintings that were left by the non-nomadic inhabitants of this part of the world thousands of years ago. Or, if you prefer, continue to bury your head in the sand and maintain the ignorant views that you have shared with us below. People like you are what makes Madiba's ability to forgive so inspiring - do yourself a favour and reevaluate your views before you fade into racist, redundant oblivion.

  • Posted By: Ruby55 @ 07/18/2008 8:33:35 AM

    Beijing Bushman, consult a history book. Better yet, come to South Africa (where I am now) and bask in the beautiful hot weather we are currently enjoying, while you explore the caves paintings that were left by the non-nomadic inhabitants of this part of the world thousands of years ago. Or, if you prefer, continue to bury your head in the sand and maintain the ignorant views that you have shared with us below. People like you are what makes Madiba's ability to forgive so inspiring - do yourself a favour and reevaluate your views before you fade into racist, redundant oblivion.

  • Posted By: ctchick @ 07/18/2008 8:18:15 AM

    As a white American growing up in South Africa, I have the highest respect for Madiba. He is one of the greatest heros the world will ever see. He led South Africa through a revolution without an army or a war and the world owes him more than we'll ever realize.

  • Posted By: peckman2 @ 07/18/2008 6:03:34 AM

    Comment: Mr Nelson Mandala is indeed a stateman of the highest degree. One of his character traits isthe spirit of forgiveness. I think he realised that the enemy of humanity is not the physical things like races, language, but intangible forces of satanic powers hidden inside the soul of man.And the right way to overcome these evil powers is to use the weapon of love to overcome fear. I hope today leaders will look deep inside the affairs affecting humanity that it cannot be resovled by phyical means only.They most understand the cause and effect. Nothing just happen!!! God bless mr. Mandala.

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