. Is it heretical to view Nelson Mandela as anything other than a latter day saint? I think the BBC believes this to be the case based on this unctuous piece entitled “Why everyone wants a piece of Mandela” by Peter Biles. This article really takes the biscuit in sanitising Mandelas’ past, carefully paving over any valid criticisms of the former ANC leader. You see it’s not that I don’t accept that Mandela has done some good things, but he has also failed in many other areas and what I expect from the State Broadcaster is more balance. Stop patronising everyone who demurs from the Saint Nelson line.
MANDELA WORSHIP
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Nelson Mandela has since his release from prison been a force for good.
Nelson Mandela before he went to prison was a terrorist, Mr Mandela has blood on his hands, this is not a highlight of his life that the BBC wishes to discuss, however, Mr Mandela seems to have no problem disowning some of his excesses.
Also, don’t forget Nelson Mandela aponomously inflicted that dreadful Special’s song upon us in the 80’s. A crime for which he should never be forgiven.
However, isn’t cheesy photo shoots with a slew of tacky celebrities punishment enough for this former terrorist.
I wonder how Osama Bin Laden would have fared stood next to the Spice Girls.
A feel a little nauseating biles rising in my throat.
I have better things to do then read about the life of mandela. so do not know too much about him and his past or present. I am told (the impression I should have)by the bbc that he is one of the greatest guys alive.
Where can I go for a factural record?
As I understand it he is talking about AIDS and the issues in SA. Was he not president / dictactor of SA? apart from ensuring the murder of whites in SA went un-punished did he not build up a great and prosporous nation?
To think how were the sebian people after milosovic why is he not a hero?
I’m pretty sure I just heard Mandela described on R4 as “undoubtedly the world’s greatest statesman”.
What! – even greater than our Gord – some mistake surely?
The word patronising gets a lot of use. The BBC and the left are patronising towards Nelson Mandella.
Mandella is nothing more than a Commie terrorist murderer, and since he was released has been a belligerent apologist for other varied scumbags, if only by ignoring them.
SA is the sewer of the world still, so all this about him being a force for good is just so much crap. He has sat about and taken the plaudits while his country has sunk to ever new lows and his people [sic] suffer.
He is a scumbag.
Mandella was a commie terrorist supporter. And he became a saint in the BBC view of the world.
Pinochet was a non-commie terrorist fighter. And he became a devil in the BBC view of the world.
When peaceful demonstrations failed Mandela, he took to blowing up post offices and public buildings instead.
But it’s alright, because according to lefty revisionists – no-one was hurt. Much.
Cassis: Chile is in much better shape today than SA. It’s got one of the highest economic growth rates in Latin America, and is by far the least corrupt and least homicidal Latin American nation as well (this is saying a great deal). SA is well –the murder/rape capital of the entire world, and counts Zimbabwe (and al-Beeb) among its closest friends.
I’ve got absolutely no problem with whatever campaigns he fought against the vile apartheit regime, and it was pretty extarordinary that he managed to avoid a civil war immediately it ended. But SA is a pretty unpleasant place from what I can see, for which he has to share responsibility. It’s current government is loathsomely incompetent, which as ‘father of the nation’ surely he could and should be addressing? And such a hideously nauseating tone of reporting should have no place in a beeb report about anyone…
5 think a bit of perspectve is needed here.
Mandela is a great and inspirational man, but his failure to condemn (except in the most mild and infrequent terms) the murder, rape and racist killings in Zimbabwe is a shocking failure of moral judgement. The ridiculous BBC should report this, but of course it won’t.
I am not that interested in what Mandela WAS.
What he is now is a craven, stupid old man living in the past.
Who CARES what this senile dope thinks. Whatever it is, it is suffused with his virulent communist background.
You think if he had a virulent Nazi background this might be mentioned once or twice at the BBC?
DR R
What are the figures of racist murder and rape in south africa pre, during and after mandela was in charge?
Did he speak out against it!
I guess nothing in life is black or white. What is right or wrong (FAO cockney)were black south africans better off under apartheit? (please note I do not suggest or believe that a master and slave type of government is morally right)
I don’t know and can’t see a solution to a general african issue. I do not think (what little I know)that mandela is worthy of such praise. Will the bbc do its duty and present facts and the spectrum of opinion?
Mandela will soon meeting his maker,only then will he see true and exacting justice.
The truth of Mandela’s life will be told for centuries after he has gone,the pity is that it was not told when he was still with us,and repenting whilst he was alive, instead of repenting in that place he will end up in,soonish.
“were black south africans better off under apartheit?”
depends – at least they have the opportunity to better themselves now (i.e. the emergence of a black middle class) and can’t blame anyone else, which is surely what capitalism is all about. surely there’s nothing more commie than condemning someone to poverty forever in the cause of ideology. anyway the whites are doing all right given that they’re all now in west london p*ssing off the locals.
i completely agree with your last para btw
Mandella has killed more blacks than the old SA regeime ever managed.
He’s supported Mugabe through thick and thin.
The Left was holding rallies and concerts when Mandella was in a cell.
Thousands are dying next door and Mandella is posing for photos with his fans.
The guy was a terrorist, he wasn’t Mahatma Ghandi selling salt, he killed innocent people.
Personally, I’d like to see him tried for murder…