Nelson Mandela (1918-2013)

Nelson and Winnie Mandela as he left prison in 1990

by Ken

It's not as if we haven't had time to prepare for this day. The poor man has been so sick for so long. But there are people we can't afford to lose, people whose moral example -- and I don't throw around phrases like "moral example" casually -- is irreplaceable.

A great deal is going to be said and written about him. I like this from Madeleine Albright:

"Nelson Mandela taught us all that forgiveness is stronger than hate. The best way to honor his passing is to follow his example."

On washingtonpost.com, Steven Mufson shared this:

"The season of violence is over"

My friend Vivienne Walt, Paris-based contributor to Time magazine, shared some more recollections of covering Mandela’s release. He had spent most of his prison time on Robben Island, but he had been transferred to Pollsmoor Prison in Cape Town:

“Everyone talks about crowding around TV sets on Feb. 11, 1991, but for those of us who were outside the Pollsmoor prison gates it all seemed a little homespun, and even circus-like. Mandela – the most famous man on the planet – was driven away with no outriders or security, in a small car, that actually got lost on the long, chaotic drive to Cape Town City Hall. The choice of the mayor’s balcony for his first speech was crazy — there were literally TV cameramen about to topple over in the crush, trying to get a picture. His words were drowned out in the din.

“And actually the most historic words weren’t uttered that night. They were uttered nine days before in parliament — by President F.W. de Klerk. ‘The season of violence is over,’ he said. After that moment, South Africa would never be the same again. Mandela walking out of jail was a heart-stopping moment. But it was just one of many. There were exiled leaders like ANC President Oliver Tambo flying home. People were screaming through the streets, waving ANC flags that no one had seen for decades.”

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