[ILP PP] A Tribute
Day 2,208, 10:29
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Published in Ireland 
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by
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by Winston Hope Smith
................Comrades & Colleagues
On behalf of the ILP I wish to give some thoughts on the death of a man who showed us a better side of humanity.
Unlike a lot of people here I grew up in a world where segregation in South Africa was considered an acceptable policy for that country. I remember the apologists telling us how South Africa was a special case. My first experience of the evil of this view point came from catholic church figures, who told us, in school, of black lives & the reality on the ground. I then watched as the cycle of violence spiraled to what seemed the inevitable conclusion of one of the bloodiest civil wars the world would see. I saw no way out. I fully supported the struggle for freedom of black South Africans like millions of others throughout the world.
I remember when F W de Klerk, a hard liner, assumed the President's Office...the stage was set. War was now inevitable.
Respect to de Klerk who understood, imho, the future for South Africa. That the people of the world, Black and White, would no longer tolerate the institutionalism of Apartheid and would support fully Black struggle for freedom. He deserves respect for changing his views and trying to turn from this path to destruction.
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandel with bravery and forgiveness managed to deflect that nation from the path of violence. He somehow reassured white South Africans and contain the justified anger of black South Africans.
People you are reading a lot stuff about Mandela but if you take one message from his life please take the message of the evils of racism. Fight racism in every walk of your life and have zero tolerance when faced with it.
Ní bheidh a leithéid arís ann
(We shall not see his like again)
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandel 18 July 1918 to 5 December 2013
Until next time
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my vote
boated
Mandela.. an ideal to striving toward.
Voted
bravo!
"Fight racism in every walk of your life and have zero tolerance when faced with it."
R.I.P. Nelson Mandela 🙁
A man who lived with dignity and courage. Truly someone to respect and admire.
Voted with respect and admiration.
Voted
Voted, glad he lived to 95
sup Mike?
V
= v =
v
Mandela a badass....
This man was a world changer. May he rest in peace! Voted!
Voted. From someone who remembers Apartheid and its evil through his release and election as President of South Africa to say this is a sad day does not do him justice.
A man to respect, admire and emulate.
o7
v o7
I met Mandela almost 20 years ago before he became president. Met FW Deklerk at same time. I have been fortunate to have met a few famous people, none comes near the expieance of meeting mandelea. I got a chance to shake his hand and talk to him. I was in awe, all I did was welcome him to my city, regreted not asking him a great question since. He was one of the greatest men of our century,
For my Croatain friends I met the president of Croatia once too and best part was I did not even know who he was. Asked a policeman and he told me and was very annoyed I did not know who he was.
You lucky lucky man...we will never in our lifetime have an opportunity to meet a person who commanded such respect. If there was such an office he would of been elected President of the world
haha which one? Josipovic, Mesic or Tudman?
Only the last one is actually respected here 😛
Do not rember his name. Was about 2006 give or take a year. I was in Croatia at a small villiage in Istra(sp). There is some presidential retreat on an island by there. He drove up in a limo, and went on a boat to get to island. I was on dock. Looked like a bussiness man. After I shook his hand I asked a police man who were every where who he was and he got realy bothered that I did not know and told me the president of Croatia. Dumb torist.
Can I get an autogram from ya? haha
2006 it was Mesić (ugly eyebrows?)
It was probably Brijuni Islands?
That is awesome Moo.
This is great and I am especially grateful that your nations are becoming more color diverse . Soon you may the minority in your own country but I am satisfied that you will hand the reigns to the Muslim or black people that is then the majority Eire Abu.
Democracy is a interesting word...google it
minority rights google that and what is black economic empowerment /bee perhaps you should google that as well. WHS you were brainwashed just like your brainwashed about Iraq etc etc time to smell the coffee brother.
Also you talk of War it would have been a bloodbath. What the government had at that moment was the following: The Ratel (fast moving tanks) that hit with heavy metal meaning an area of 5 kilometers would be bombarded by 500 of those weapons by persons that could drop it on a nickle. Look at Cuban Angola campaign to see these capabilities of smaller numbered but better trained forces The reccis introduced throughout the country. Reconnaissance personnel that was trained till breaking point and could withstand any torture. Think about al quiada on steriods these white people would infiltrate your cities and release bombs capable of massive destruction. Special Forces small groups of 4 to 5 persons that is selected by putting them through hell.. Capable of all kinds of warfare. A country with one of the best infrastructures at that time with also several weapon manufacturing companies and also chemical warfare capabilities or the ability. You should be thankful we settled this peacefully because if the US tried to bully the government of that time it would have led to a massive bloodbath for the us.
Yes I agree it would of been a bloodbath, that was my point
warfare was not really ever an option what you saw as "civil war" was more the police controlling civil unrest. you do not know the structures they had in place there was also the state police that would go into locations and eliminate unruly people many black policemen as well entire koevoet was black. and you make a mistake to come to your conclusion and that is that the pressure was really that big on the government or that they could not govern that leads to the peace. That is very far from the truth.
There was no civil war my point was there would be
doubt it very much. for one the S.A.A. was at that time considered the third biggest army in the world . I cant see it I am sorry. And like I said I lived during that time. Every white male was forced to attend army after school and all of them could be recalled to army if there was a war. They were better trained and equipped. Also the zulus was opposed to the Anc at that time. That is the biggest ethnic group in our country.
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"Unlike a lot of people here I grew up in a world where segregation in South Africa was considered an acceptable policy for that country."
Massive bullshit there was sanctions by all countries in the world. The only country that was ever sanctioned. In Zimbabwe you do nothing why do you do nothing there then. Is it because its Ok if black people kill other black people and take over all farms. Is it because there is No Oil. Read up on the atrocities in Zimbabwe and tell me why dont you do anything at all?
Yes there were RtK they came in during my life...I'm an old dude, I remember the imposition of sanctions. I remember the implementing of the sporting sanctions and the cancelling of a rugby tour to France, I remember when the Irish government banned imports of food stuffs from SA
Your point on Zimbabwe is accepted and I agree
I am with Winston on this one. I also remember the sanctions on SA. I remember the protests outside the SA Embassy and how the Republicans supported the policies of SA because they were anti-communist. Then the public pressure in the US changed that. Still have Republicans badmouthing Mandela now. They are idiots.
I also agree on Zimbabwe and any other place where people are killed for just being who they are, be they black, white, red, brown, male, female, straight, gay, Christian, Muslim, Atheist and the list goes on. It is a clear double standard and is not right.
^ exactly my viewpoint
"I remember the election when F W de Klerk, a hard liner, was elected...the stage was set. War was now inevitable."
PW Botha became sick and FW De Klerk the vice president took over. There was no election????
also "verlighte " means enlightened meaning he was pro reform you should read your own links better. there was a lot of unhappiness about the take over because a lot of people thought this would be de klerk's path and that is was manufactured as pw would never have followed this path.. in fact he soon released mandela and started talking with them the ANC.
I am basing my points on memory and I remember the news report at the time where we were told of his Hard Line roots. No one was more surprised and delighted at his actions taking power.
there was also a referendum that asked the white people whether they want to proceed with a 1 man 1 vote system "or reforms" anyway. they voted yes. therefore your article is ill informed. Why cant you admit that the desire the change of the system came from white people as well? In that time there was a lot of protest art and books by white artist and writers protesting apartheid. I think you article misses the point and that was that all the people of south africa wanted to work towards a peace.
I am well aware the desire for change came from within the white section of the population. many many white visited Ireland calling for stronger sanctions during the bad years.
I accept that point and corrected the article
good
" I then watched as the cycle of violence spiraled to what seemed the inevitable conclusion of one of the bloodiest civil wars the world would see. I saw no way out."
weird how I a person who lived in South Africa at that time had not the same perception. Do you mean the necklace when black people would put a car tire around the neck of a "pimpi" would pour petrol on him and set him alight? you must remember you received propaganda ANC propaganda. If a person chose to do so there would be no voilence most of the voilence was centered around protests.
Civil war included back against black, I accept that
pimpi means he who sells out like a pimp. usually they who provide information. in many cases there was enforcement . if there was a strike and a person went to work his house would be burned down. if for example there was a boycott against white businesses they would send young males with whips to chase out the patrons of drinking places. it was less democratic and "freedom" than you think. but anyway it is history and i have better things to with my time as throughout my whole life. and we are being bombarded with mandela each ad break its mandela mandela mandela. so my final post about this. yes he was not that bad a person from the little i know about him(winnie mandela is opposite though search winnie stompie) i distance myself from politics and therefore didnt write an article.
"Nelson Rolihlahla Mandel with bravery and forgiveness managed to deflect that nation from the path of violence. "
And FW De klerk got a Nobel Peace Prize with him why? Roelf Meyer these people was not present at all or did nothing at all?
You know there is a video of Nelson Mandela making bombs in a BBC video. the man was not the massive saint you portray him as.
If I lived in the south arfrica of my youth (or the Gaza strip of today) I too might be making bombs
the violence is ongoing and therefore what motivates them now. a small city +- 60000 people will have 200 rape cases 300 murder cases a year 99.99 is black on black. so why is there this continued violence. they are in charge even in the police. and in most cases these are post apartheid criminals (born after 1994) i fear going to a city like johannesburg because of random killings and hijackings. even my last trip there for a funeral i saw a dark figure standing beside another car on the opposite end of the road. so we were just lucky not us i guess.
go check murder cities most of them will be in south africa. why?