Mandela

Back in the day, before social media, people like me pushed our issues by writing "Letters to the Editor" and sending "The Hell with Shell" messages with our pagers, lol!  We bought Little Steven's "SunCity".

I clearly remember getting up at some crazy hour (you know how I love my sleep) so that I could be in front of the TV to watch Nelson Mandela walk out of Victor Verster prison.  And feeling the great and historical significance of the moment right there on my couch in the US.  I had my cup of tea and my afghan on that cold February morning.....before DVRs and On Demand, lol!  Totally worth it.  An amazing man and an amazing life.

Years later I recall being further amazed by South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission which Mandela established.  That sort of forgiveness is beyond my ken.

I was agog at the presentation of former LTCol Hentie Botha, Former, South African police.  He was sitting on the panel at the 2006 EPIIC, "The Politics of Fear", calmly discussing the abuses he had visited on South African blacks.  Botha explained the policies that called for these atrocities and his compliance with that system.  No shame.  I looked around expecting some visible sign of outrage.  But Mr. Botha had been through the Truth & Reconciliation Commission.  So all is forgiven.

Intellectually, I get it.  In my heart I don't.  But fortunately for the world.....Mandela got it, and believed in it and gave such forgiveness to the world.  I say sincerely, Mandela was a man will not see the like of again.