Posts Tagged ‘Nelson Mandela’

The above video is from a 1990 town hall meeting, held in New York City and chaired by Ted Koppel of ABC Networks (click here to watch the video on YouTube). The meeting formed part Nelson Mandela’s first visit to the USA immediately following his release from prison.

A significant part of the town hall meeting focused on Nelson Mandela’s advocating (on behalf of the African National Congress and the larger South African liberation struggle) for sanctions to be applied against Apartheid South Africa, his and the ANC’s support for the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) as well as his close friendship with Yasser Arafat (of Palestine) and Fidel Castro (of Cuba).

The town hall meeting took place in 1990, long before the world had embraced Nelson Mandela as a “giant of justice”. However, even then, when it may have been unfashionable and unpopular to support the Palestinians against, what Mandela termed, Israeli “colonialism”, Mandela stood firm and resolute on his principles and the policies of the ANC – Mandela was, after all, conveying the long-standing positions held by the ANC and the larger South African liberation movement.

Nelson Mandela supported the Palestinian struggle when it was unfashionable and unpopular, he was a true leader. Hamba Kahle Tata…

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FULL VERSION: http://youtu.be/q6eE9BIUfBg

We know that The US, and especially Republicans including President Reagan and Donald Rumsfeld among others, helped the racist South African Apartheid regime and tried to stop the global movement to dismantle it. But Here are some more ugly facts. At the very least this should make Americans think about their role in defending “freedom” and “liberty” then and, more importantly, NOW.

http://www.democracynow.org/2014/3/25/exclusive_nsa_fbi_dia_sued_over

Let’s not forget how conservatives in the UK and the US called for his execution and/or continues imprisonment and supported the racist apartheid regime in South Africa. Just like they continue to do so today but now most so-called liberals are also conservatives so opposing such horrors has become a radical position. FTW

hang mandela

Here are 2 short articles about this:

UK http://www.the-bastard.com/index.php?section=42&page=3027

US http://www.salon.com/2000/08/01/south_africa_3/

 

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