[governance] Mandela: a giant passes

Nick Ashton-Hart nashton at consensus.pro
Fri Dec 6 14:46:13 EST 2013 

While there is of course truth in what you say, I think he would have said we should remember what WAS done, the good things that did happen, and to look forward. His work of reconciliation is not complete because ours is not. We can honour him best, I think, by living by his example and asking ourselves, when opportunities come our way to understand and feel compassion - or to resent and harden our hearts - WWMD - What Would Madiba Do.

We, in the Internet community, could really use this simple precept; there is so much suspicion and doubt so often expressed about the motivations of others, and this so often gets in the way of us working constructively together, within our silos/communities and across them.

michael gurstein <gurstein at gmail.com> wrote:
>I guess what I’m always left with when I think about Mandela and even
>more
>now as the great and the good weigh in with such vigour, is such a
>sense of
>lost opportunity.  If only the US and the UK, whose tacit support
>allowed
>the Apartheid regime to stay in place, had seen the light (or been
>enlightened) ten years earlier.
>
> 
>
>Imagine what South Africa, Africa and even the world would have gained
>–
>from having Mandela leave prison not as an unbroken but enfeebled man
>in his
>70’s but as a vigorous man in his sixties with 15 years of governance
>left
>in him to inspire the world but also to mentor and guide a whole
>generation
>of potential leaders in South Africa and influentially elsewhere
>throughout
>Sub-Saharan Africa.
>
> 
>
>The at best sidewards, lurching of South Africa on a whole range of
>dimensions would almost certainly have been avoided and with his
>guidance
>the turmoil and bloodshed due to bad and immature governance we have
>seen
>elsewhere in SA and SSA would have been significantly lessened as SA
>would
>have taken its rightful position as a moral and practical beacon.
>
> 
>
>M
>
> 
>
>From: governance-request at lists.igcaucus.org
>[mailto:governance-request at lists.igcaucus.org] On Behalf Of
>Jean-Christophe
>Nothias
>Sent: Friday, December 06, 2013 7:56 AM
>To: governance at lists.igcaucus.org; Nyangkwe Agien Aaron
>Cc: Mawaki Chango; Devon Blake
>Subject: Re: [governance] Mandela: a giant passes
>
> 
>
>Hommage au Grand homme
>
> 
>
>With a song by Hugh Masekela
>
> 
>
>Bring Back Nelson Mandela
>
> 
>
>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opUEIVlG1BQ
>
> 
>
> 
>
> 
>
>Le 6 déc. 2013 à 16:04, Nyangkwe Agien Aaron a écrit :
>
>
>
>
>
>Mawaki
>
>Despite the glowing legacy bequeathed by Madiba some devil encarnates
>still parodes the air to smear the man.
>
>A French TV program last night made us to understand that "Nelson
>Mandela could not run for a second term because 'he was a man of power
>or prepared for it" They saiq some other useless thing so much so that
>my spychic self could not withstand it anymore. I started dosing off
>and by the time I woke off, my daughter had switched off the TV.
>
>I started wondering how wome people can delve into such dirty work
>with such alacrity and so soon?
>
>However, the sound minded will live to celebrate Madiba as could be
>expressed by this South African White wo wire a very tall flower on
>the fence of Madiba's compound fence
>
>We (Africans) are in for a live long celebration for Madiba.
>
>Aaron
>
>On 12/6/13, Mawaki Chango <kichango at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
>
>Exactly, Aron... Right on about meditation (or a pause to reflect) and
>
>congratulations. Yes, I feel like congratulating the freedom fighter,
>the
>
>strategist-organizer, the statesman and the leader in humanity --while
>
>presenting my heartfelt condolences to the people of South Africa, to
>the
>
>second-time widow of a freedom fighter, Graça Machel, to the whole
>Mandela
>
>family and to us all in the name of our common humanity. I'm not sad,
>
>though, because for one I think Mandela's spirit had already left us
>for
>
>some time, and I rejoice in knowing that his soul has at least been
>
>released from his body, so while he may no longer ex-ist (be on this
>
>reality plane of ours), he now is, nevertheless. Fully. As he was meant
>to
>
>be. As he always will be.
>
> 
>
>My greatest fear when he came out of prison: I thought this man has
>been
>
>put away for 27 years, is he still in touch of our then present
>reality?
>
>Will he be able to avoid making some serious blunders, the kind that
>would
>
>make haters go like: "you see, we told you he was a commie and can't be
>
>relied on to lead a country such as South Africa." Admittedly, I myself
>was
>
>on the lookout --where will the first big gaffe come from? I waited and
>
>feared in vain, thankfully. To my amazement, he astutely navigated
>through
>
>all the hurdles and traps without compromising his vision and
>principles.
>
>So much so that from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to his
>exit
>
>from the national political scene (not to mention his mark on the
>beautiful
>
>post-apartheid constitution), he set an exemplar that inspires way
>beyond
>
>his country --not just as a near-martyr but as an active statesman.
>
> 
>
>Sir, you have given us so much more than anyone can expect from another
>
>human being, let alone from ourselves. Now may you rest eternally in
>peace.
>
>Bye!
>
> 
>
>Mawaki
>
> 
>
>p.s. My favorite quote about this great transition is from Muhammad
>Ali,
>
>another legend: "His was a spirit born free, destined to soar above the
>
>rainbow. Today his spirit is soaring through the heavens. He is now
>forever
>
>free."
>
> 
>
> 
>
> 
>
>On Fri, Dec 6, 2013 at 1:00PM, Nyangkwe Agien Aaron
>
><nyangkweagien at gmail.com
>
>wrote:
>
> 
>
>No one missed the news
>
>We were all meditating on the life and deeds of this great giant that
>
>just went  home
>
>Genuine souls will live to celebrate his achievements and what came
>
>out from Mandela's mouth
>
> 
>
>CONGRATULATIONS MADIBA
>
> 
>
>Aaron
>
> 
>
>On 12/6/13, Devon Blake <devonrb at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>As one who has been inspired by the life of Mandela and fashioned many
>
>of
>
>my ideals from his utterances, I say thank you Nelson Mandela and may
>
>your
>
>soul rest in peace.
>
>To the South African peoples I say, you may have lost a father but the
>
>principles he stood for' his vision and his philosophies remain' Honour
>
>him
>
>by your practices, and his sacrifices will not be in vain.
>
>Devon
>
> 
>
> 
>
>On Fri, Dec 6, 2013 at 4:07 AM, Katim S. Touray <kstouray at gmail.com>
>
>wrote:
>
> 
>
>Dear all,
>
> 
>
>For a list like this, I would have thought that the passing a way of
>
>Mandela last night (Fr.) would have been headline news this morning.
>
>Since
>
>no one has woken up yet to say so, I am. As *The Economist* put it
>
>simply: "A giant passes."
>
> 
>
>Please join me in expressing our since and heartfelt condolences to
>
>all
>
>of
>
>humanity on the passing away of a true giant of Africa and one who
>
>will,
>
>eternally, be an inspiration to all those fighting for justice.
>
> 
>
>Katim
>
> 
>
> 
>
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> 
>
>--
>
>Devon Blake
>
>ICT and Development Consultant
>
>29 Dominica Drive
>
>Kgn 5
>
>,Phone: Office 876-968-4534, Mobile, 876-483-2632
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>
>To be kind, To be helpful, To network
>
>*Earthwise ... For Life!*
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>
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>
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>--
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>Aaron Agien NYANGKWE
>
>P.O.Box 5213
>
>Douala-Cameroon
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>-- 
>Aaron Agien NYANGKWE
>P.O.Box 5213
>Douala-Cameroon
>Telephone +237 73 42 71 27
>
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