Posted on 12/10/2013 6:47:13 AM PST by Lazamataz
Nelson Mandela, the former President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, died recently at the age of 95. Senator Ted Cruz is attending his funeral today, and is likely to speak of Mandela in positive terms.
This is causing many of my conservative brethren (and cistern) much consternation. Some have even gone so far as to abandon him, politically.
I ask that those who are concerned, and especially those who have 'crossed him off their list', rethink their position. I suggest that Mandela is a complicated figure, and one that defies simple analysis. There is an evil side to Nelson Mandela, no question. There is also a good side to him. He faced a really heinous and oppressive system, and sometimes good men must do evil to achieve good results.
Let us say our system continues the slide to tyranny, and a few people you personally know, love, and respect need to stoop to the tyrant's level to re-acquire freedom. This is a probability, at this point, not just a possibility, so it's less of a thought-experiment, and more of a situation you will need to face.
Apartheid was not acceptable. Neither, too, is the creeping tyranny we find America drifting into. Horrible acts may be committed by good men who have good motivations. It is unpleasant, but it is reality. You cannot fight some tyrannies with a vote and a protest sign. Sometimes it gets deeper than that.
Those men, these actors, who acted against evil, are they themselves evil because of their actions? To an extent, yes. But they are also good, because of their motivations.
So it goes with Mandela.
I give Cruz a pass here --and suggest many of us do the same -- because he is recognizing the good. If Ted Cruz was pressed on the particulars of Mandela's uncivilized and horrible actions during the course of his life, I am certain he would disavow the evil acts of Mandela in the same breath, as he praises him for the good that Mandela wrought.
Barry Goldwater on all issues? You mean being pro-abortion?
“Worrying about “the world” is what gets US presidents into trouble. The imperative is to worry about God, not Satan’s world.”
Never throw away Occam’s Razor.
I’ve yet to see a candidate or politician that can appease everyone on everything and if I did then I know there’s trouble ahead.
You have to look at the whole package and specifically what counts over all. If you cast aside a candidate or politician over a few disagreements then you may as well sit out every election.
Yup. Appearing at such functions gives a Senator with higher aspirations some good experience in hanging with other world leaders, and that could prove valuable down the line. It also gets you some amount of notice, which is never a bad thing in politics.
Fair enough.
There is nothing to gain in beating up on a dead man and everything to lose if the rest of the world is fooled by him.
Doesn’t matter to me one way or the other.
“the people of Asia and Africa have seen through the slanderous campaign conducted by the U.S.A. against the Socialist countries. They know that their independence is threatened not by any of the countries in the Socialist camp but by the U.S.A., 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.” -Nelson Mandela (”The Struggle is My Life”, pp 76)
Cutting a jigsaw puzzle piece with Occams Razor can destroy a few pieces and mess up the puzzle. Not everything IS black and white, friend.
For example, my description of the situation we are likely to find ourselves in: Men you would otherwise describe as good, may act in ways that can only be viewed as evil.... right here in the good ole’ USA.
We know what Cruz’s true core beliefs are, he has proven himself many times, so this is mostly lip service as other people have said. Sometimes you have to grin and bear it and go on a TV show or a funeral for a questionable person, that’s how politics work.
Why the pass for Cruz and not Gingrich?
We Freepers are fickle. I can recall a time here when Newt could do no wrong. You said a cross word against Newt and ~zot~ you wuz done.
Now Newt also has come out with nice blah-blah-blahs for Nelson. And we excoriated Gingrich for it. (I’ll link to the thread later if anyone needs evidence).
So we give Ted a pass here? OK fine. But we FReepers do have good memories. And for many of us; this is Strike One in our box scorecard for Senator Cruz.
Two more strikes and he’s out.
Remember when Hirohito died, a Man who Waged the Largest War in history against the U.S.A. Funeral was attended by President Bush.
A Man who Waged War against that very Emperor.
Although founded in the 20’s, the ANC was pretty ineffective until the 40’s and 50’s when it became more militant. In those cold war days, communism filled every vacuum available and any group in opposition to western powers was quickly co-opted (or joined voluntarily). The armed wing was founded in the 1961, at a time when the “wars of liberation” were firing up just about everywhere. Mandela did not so much create the conditions of the world, but was willingly carried along by them.
The left did him a huge favor by their canonization of him in absentia. The image they created was founded upon their desires, regardless of accuracy (sound familiar). He was smart enough to realize that he could achieve his goals being the avuncular grandpa and not the overt revolutionary. It was all there to see, but so many didn’t want to see it.
Just my 2 cents.
“How to be a Good Communist” by Nelson Mandela
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/how-to-be-a-good-communist-nelson-mandela/1026101351
Because Gingrich got totally owned by the Establishment (probably after his 1995 media drubbing), is why.
Nothing better than to have a true Conservative show up at a gathering of leftists. Why wasn’t Hillary there? Did Cruz shake hands with Castro? lol
Now Newt also has come out with nice blah-blah-blahs for Nelson. And we excoriated Gingrich for it.
Our patience with Newt is thinner, but yes, I would also give him a pass on Mandelabrating.
Thanks for your post, it's important to take this on, Mandela is not a total saint, nor is he all monster. Complex is a good word for him.
As I said earlier to some posters, throwing Cruz under the bus as if this is some kind of unpardonable sin is about the silliest thing I've heard.
The man is the strongest conservative we have, has done and said wonderful things since he's been elected. I'm not suggesting we need to agree with everything he does, but to throw him under the bus for going to the funeral of Nelson Mandela is silly beyond words.
This is not a jigsaw puzzle, though. This is an imperative to strip away the propaganda to find the truth. I’d even suggest using Occam’s Laser.
I felt my comment to Guenevere merited its own thread. I hope I was right, and judging from the very active response, I feel I was.
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