Thursday, February 11, 2010

Freed at last

Today is the 20th anniversary of Nelson Mandela's release from prison.

5 comments:

  1. Don't tell anyone this, or I'll lose my Black People Card.

    Evan asked me why Nelson Mandela had been imprisoned and I said "I don't remember. I just know it was unfair. Google it."

    Forgot all about apartheid. But I did remember the song "I ain't gonna play Sun City" buy that dude who was in the E Street Band.

    :-O

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  2. And beside Nelson in that pic, do we not see his loving ex-wife Winnie? She whose rad to peace and equality was a little less non-violent? she who ordered the abduction, torture, and death of Stompie Moeketsie?
    She who called for murders, whose supporters were urged to kill by placing burning tyres over the necks of suspected "informers", she who was found guilty of fraud and embezzling?

    Whilst Nelson himself is a great man, we should not forget that many of his associates were not so clean of thought, word, and deed.

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  3. About all I know about Nelson Mandela is that he's the guy Morgan Freeman played in Invictus. I also remember the song Sun City, though I always thought they meant the one in Arizona.

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  4. :) glad you remembered. Our current president decided to do his State of the Nation Address on this day as well. What a downer! :)

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  5. @Angelika - Sun City (not the one outside Phoenix) is a resort-gambling haven run by magnate Sol Kerzner. (Sol = Sun, get it?) It is considerable tamer now, but still magnificent. Yeah, something about apartheid. Did he look it up? I hope?

    Incidentally, if Evan can't find it, Mandela was imprisoned for treason. Something about wanting to overthrow the white government. One man's ceiling is another man's floor.

    @Soubriquet - All true about Winnie, and more. And greatness is a relative term in any event. The end result is what counts.

    @Descartes - A good movie. I love Morgan Freeman in anything.

    @Patchwork - I remember all.

    Your current president is not a modest man. Bigger crowd, probably. Since you are the only commentor so far who has met Mandela, as far as I know, I won't argue with you. On this, anyway. Thank you for your comment.

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