Posted on 12/08/2013 9:22:50 AM PST by EveningStar
Among world leaders, Nelson Mandela had unmatched moral authority. When George W. Bush awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2002, he said, “It is this moral stature that has made Nelson Mandela perhaps the most revered statesman of our time.” Bush could have done without the hedge word “perhaps.” Mandela was by far the most revered statesman of our time. Every July 18th is Nelson Mandela Day. The United Nations declared it so, in 2009. Mandela was born on July 18, 1918. Yesterday, the great man died at 95.
The reverence the world feels for him has to do, in part, with the nature of his adversary: the white, racist apartheid government of South Africa. A Havel or a Sharansky could not achieve equivalent stature: Hatred of their adversaries is far less universal. White racism is held to be probably the greatest evil of our time, and Mandela was a lion against it.
(Excerpt) Read more at nationalreview.com ...
Mandela wanted to set off explosives in malls and schools to maim and kill as many women and children as he could. Fortunately he was caught. For some reason they imprisoned him instead if executing him.
“Among world leaders, Nelson Mandela had unmatched moral authority” —— Really? More than the Pope?
The National Review is a worthless magazine now.
I am quite sure that William Buckley, and the National Review, supported Reagan’s policy of “Constructive Engagement” with South Africa. Basically, Reagan felt that imposing sanctions against Apartheid South Africa was counter-productive. He also knew that Mandela was a vicious communist and did not want to do anything that would strengthen the ANC. I think the Reagan policy was the correct one, of course.
ALL these supposedly conservative pundits praising Mandela makes me want to puke.
“Among world leaders, Nelson Mandela had unmatched moral authority.”
So all you have to do to have “unmatched moral authority” is to put a tire full of gasoline around your opponents neck and murder them horribly?
I am glad we do not have many more people like that in this world.
Me thinks Nelson was just another Che.
I hear you. But, being a stickler for punishing law-breakers, I won’t do that. The dumb-azz press will, though.
And almost completely dismissing his legacy, which is the present state of South Africa. I guess because (so far) they have only killed off about 10% of the whites.
I call him "Michelin Mandela"
Madela was part and parcel a fictitious construct of the imagination of the self-assessed enlightened and guilt ridden Leftist Western people.
He was a terrorist. His bombs destroyed innocent people. Men, women, children..., guilty of anything or not, they were his targets if he could spread terror and move public policy.
He was caught. He was sent to prison. He remained in prison. He was a danger to society.
South Africa is not better off today for him having come to power. It is by far worse off. The life of the average African national hasn’t improved. Whites are in worse shape too. Radical elements prosper. Crime flourishes. Government insiders support racially motivated violence.
Mandela became a figurehead. He was the darling of the Left. Never ones to actually “THINK” about what might happen, they always become enthralled with an individual, then push them despite the obvious danger ahead. Sadly people on the right join in too, because they want to be seen as caring, respectful of “politically correct” people and things they do. They join the Left to ignore the ramifications, and soil themselves by so doing.
Bush jumps on board. He has convinced himself that Mandela was the best thing that ever happened to South Africa. And what of the victims of the violence in South Africa? What about the governmental and social decay down there? What about the plight of the average man on the street, be they African or White? Who cares? They’re wrapped up in the beauty of the moment.
Those who supported Mandela and now mourn his loss, need to do a lot of soul searching. They should ask themselves these questions:
1. If someone bombed their local supermarket and killed members of their family and friends just to make a political statement, should they be revered, heralded, and supported to head up the government?
2. Should they be lauded decades on end, forgetting what they had done?
3. Should their family members be able to utilize “The Necklace” to kill Africans?
4. Should it matter if government and society decays once they are in power?
5. If they support despicable Marxist governments that destroy their own people on a whim, should they continue to be thought of as a great person?
6. Should our children be worshiping these sorts of men?
7. Should our society as a whole support these men?
The West should be ashamed of itself for buying into the Mandela myth. You sometimes see towns hoodwinked by such a man. You sometimes see states taken over by one, and fooled. Sometimes a nation can be taken over by one. Today we see evidence that the world was fooled by one such man.
Nelson Mandela should have been executed for his crimes.
He is no global hero, unless you like indiscriminate killers whose wives have placed tired around the necks of her political enemies, poured gasoline on them, and set them on fire.
Mandela didn’t die this week.
The real Mandela died decades ago, so that an imposter could take over a nation and hoodwink an ignorant global populace.
Mandela and the whole anti-apartheid movement were devised by the Left (with the encouragement of the Soviet government), as a way to counter Reagan and Thatcher’s emphasis on the Soviet Union as the center of evil in the world.
I know our Left went for it lock stock and barrel. I’m sure the Soviets were thrilled with it. Birds of a feather and all...
Mandela's "golden cage" is in sharp contrast with the treatment given by his comrade, Fidel Castro, to Cuban political prisoners.
If the Soviet Union still existed, the real Mandela would have remained, but without his Communist backers, he had no choice but to adjust.
In his new eternal home, Mandela posed a number of questions as well.
“Where Mandela is ... is precisely where he belongs: in prison.”
William F. Buckley
I may re-subscribe to NR just so I can re-cancel my subscription.
If electricity comes from electrons, 21st century conservative morality must come from morons like Lowery & Co.
National Review has drunk the kool aid too??!!
HHC’s husband
This goes beyond needing a barf alert. This out of a journal that bills itself as conservative no less. I think I’ll have to write my own “eulogy” later.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.