One of the greatest of all time has finally left us. The book ‘A Long Walk to Freedom’ is one of the most inspiring things iv’e read.
“I am deeply saddened by the passing of Mr. Mandela. His was a life filled with purpose and hope; hope for himself, his country and the world. He inspired others to reach for what appeared to be impossible and moved them to break through the barriers that held them hostage mentally, physically, socially and economically. He made us realize, we are our brother’s keeper and that our brothers come in all colors. What I will remember most about Mr.Mandela is that he was a man whose heart, soul and spirit could not be contained or restrained by racial and economic injustices, metal bars or the burden of hate and revenge. He taught us forgiveness on a grand scale. His was a spirit born free, destined to soar above the rainbows. Today his spirit is soaring through the heavens. He is now forever free.” -Ali
His Favorite :
Out of the night that covers me, Black as the pit from pole to pole, I thank whatever gods may be For my unconquerable soul. In the fell clutch of circumstance I have not winced nor cried aloud. Under the bludgeonings of chance My head is bloody, but unbowed. Beyond this place of wrath and tears Looms but the Horror of the shade, And yet the menace of the years Finds and shall find me unafraid. It matters not how strait the gate, How charged with punishments the scroll, I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul.
Mandela’s death brings respect and condolences worldwide. Thatcher’s death brought street parties in her own country, So much for one labelling the other a ‘terrorist’.
I’m sad that he’s gone, but at 95, he did live a long life and went out well respected and loved (albeit the 27 years in prison doesn’t sound so great).
I’m not so sure that the years betwen 95 and 120 have all that much quality to them, anyway. Were I he, I think the only reason to live longer would be curiosity about how things are going to work out, or perhaps the occasional chance to use one’s reputation and esteem to push forward some kind of positive change.
I thought The Onion said it best:
Nelson Mandela Becomes First Politician To Be Missed
There is not much to talk about with Nelson Mandela. Everyone knows what he did and there is no point in disputing his life achievements. No one said anything here because no one has anything new to say. Also, Nelson Mandela was a 95-year-old man in poor health. His death was not surprising at all, unlike Paul Walker’s.
Furthermore, you can say what you want, but Paul Walker, if he had lived, would have had a bigger effect on our lives than Nelson Mandela. Nelson Mandela’s life work is over: at the time of his death, he had zero interest in any new work in politics. Whether he died this year or lived another 5 years would have made no difference to us whatsoever. In comparison, the Fast and the Furious movie series is now cancelled due to Paul Walker’s death. I probably would have seen the next movie at some point, so there - my life just changed.
I am not surprised that Paul Walker’s death got more attention othan Nelson Mandela’s on AF. I would even say that this is appropriate. I’m sure everyone here appreciates Nelson Mandela’s contribution to the world, but there’s no point in putting up a dog and pony show for what we think is the correct level of ceremonial reverence. Paul Walker’s untimely death was just more shocking, more controversial, and of greater significance in effect over the rest of our lives.
Most folks on here are likely too young to remember apartheid and their knowledge of him probably comes entirely from watching Invictus and Googling his name when he died.
I don’t know about you guys, but one thing I noticed early on was how the age of the person in the casket was correlated with the atmosphere of the funeral. It seems to be a fundamental fact that once a person reaches a certain age, the death no longer catches us as a surprise and we don’t think it is unfair/unjust. As a result, it isn’t as big a deal. I think the same applies here. Ohai hinted at this in his post.
We can be sad he is gone without feeling that his death was somehow a tragedy or unjust. All men die, most with lifetimes substantially shorter than his. Mandela’s time came up, and while his death is sad, there is nothing about it that is wrong or particularly unjust, given that all of us eventually die.