Mandela?s 90th Birthday Speech

[Brendan]

On a rare Friday night in I have been lucky enough to watch The Nelson Mandela birthday gig on the telly. More specifically to hear his very moving speech (the man has always been a great orator).

As a South African, who was just about old enough to become politically aware around about the same time as our country started changing and Mandela was released from prison, I have always considered myself as one of Mandela?s generation, a new generation, doing things in a different way for a better future*.

Consequently, typical to South African idiosyncrasy I suppose, I have also always felt a bit protective over what he stands for. Because of this the deification of the man by a bunch of molly-coddled first world liberals has always left a bad taste in my mouth. But as I get older I can see the value in things like tonight?s event as they can bring ideas forward to people who may not have been receptive to them before (well except razorlight. What was that bout?). Even if sometimes it does seem like it?s just stroking some pop star?s bono.

Tonight I watched an old man, wizened but not weakened with age pass a message on. A man of high birth and high education, a professional who could have ignored the problems of his times but chose to selflessly suffer for his principles. He was rewarded with the highest honour for his fight and still did not succumb to any of the temptations of power. The only and I say this unreservedly, principled politician to grace the English speaking worlds in our lifetimes (I can?t speak for Asia, Europe and Latin America)

His message tonight was one imploring us to take responsibility of our future;

?it's time for new hands to lift the burdens. It's in your hands now, I thank you."

A message which had no political agenda but merely asked that the people who come after him will not be the same set of bastards as those who came before.

Please let people take note and no longer countenance the liars, thieves, fascist and self serving career politicians who continue to worm their way into power through privilege and ideology.

Please for the love of god please.

* Ironically I have landed up settled in a foreign country seemingly helpless to influence the land I love but hopefully I can still use the lessons I learnt from my formative years positively in the universe I now inhabit.

(Sorry, this post may be a bit sentimental and maybe I?ve had too much wine but some things just have to be said and the rag I write for in the real world won?t publish my real thoughts.)

[Floating Onion]

Oh how I wish the politicians at home would take this to heart. Something like this makes the news back home all the more depressing.

[dc]

Actually, I don't think he was saying that it is up to a new set of politicians to take on the burden that he, rightly after a lifetime of struggle, deserves to be relieved of. I think he was saying that it is for all of us, in everything that we do and in every choice that we make to take up the challenge that we all face in the future. It is very rare that a colossus such as Mandela emerges. He truly is a unique individual born to lead a nation to freedom in a unique struggle. Sadly, the parallel with our own politics is that he would have been pilloried by the Daily Wail for failed domestic policies and a high murder rate.

In the end politicians are a reflection of ourselves and the society we live in who, in an increasingly prosperous society, deal in nuances of policy based on what they still hold as a principled view of the world and how they want to change it.

I offer you Stephen Fry - admittedly from a little while ago. His message is - it's not them - it's us - and I think he's right:

Almost the whole of my text at the moment, in my head as I fall asleep, is summed up by the word "contempt".

Contempt, in politics, for the hypocrisy, the double standards, the double dealing, the corruption and the moral suasion.

It's almost impossible for me to explain just how deeply I feel contempt.

I want to go into detail - and I think you'll be rather shocked, and I hope rather edified, by what I have to say.

So who are these terrible hypocrites? Who are these double dealers? Who are these liars and fraudulent corrupt people?

Well, you're listening to one of them: that's me. And I'm talking to millions of them: that's you.

It's not the politicians, God bless them. Sexless, uninteresting, graceless and very often styleless people as they may be, it is we who are the problem in politics.

We expect a very high standard of living. We expect food to be cheap and available. We expect energy to be cheap and available. We also expect to be able to mouth off at parties about how terrible it is that the ozone layer is being eaten away and the glaciers are melting and how awful it is that people are starving in other countries.

And we pay this group of styleless sexless people whom we call politicians a small amount of money in order to lay off our own guilt.

Our own cant and hypocrisy is laid at their door. And apparently, it's they who are the hypocrites. It is they who are corrupt. It is they who refuse to solve the problems of the world.

Well, it isn't. It's us. It's me, and it's you.

They can't win because they've got us to serve, and we are filth.

Edit: to make clear the extent of the Stephen Fry quote with the use of italics

[Brendan]

dc Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Actually, I don't think he was saying that it is

> up to a new set of politicians to take on the

> burden that he, rightly after a lifetime of

> struggle, deserves to be relieved of. I think he

> was saying that it is for all of us,

Yes, that's what I implied wasn't it? We're the ones who elect politicians. We're also the ones who think it is "ok" for people's to be dishonest and self serving in business, because "that's what it takes to be successful" or who shrug when politicians go back on their word, "because politicians do that"

We don?t put up with dishonest, self-serving behaviour amongst out friends and family. Why the hell should we allow those protected by power and money to get away with it?

Anyway reading over that post again this morning I?m really rather proud of how free it is of spelling mistakes considering how inebriated I was at ten to midnight last night.

[Keef]

Brendan you've moved me man! *wipes tear from eye*

[annaj]

Well said Brendan and not that sentimental at all by my standards.

He is a man who has always stood out as a true hero, an inspiration and a moral leader and he is right that we must all take responsibility for the world we live in.

I listen ot a bit of the concert on my way to work last night. They were giving out a text short code that you could text to donate to his HIV/AIDs charity, the idea being that you text a brithday message and some of the cost (a pound I think) from every text goes to the charity. A great fundraising idea, I thought, quick and simple, but when I got my phone out it took me ages to decide what to write! I mean, it's not like he's actually going to read every one, but he's a great man, you'd want to send something good wouldn't you?

I'm not sure if the line is still open, but you can also donate through the website

[????]

Brendan - I hate to disagree, he is a great, great man...not a great orator IMO

[SteveT]

Brendan wrote:- Please let people take note and no longer countenance the liars,

When Edwina Curry told the truth about eggs, she was sacked because it affected the pockets of the all powerful farming lobby.

How can you take them seriously when they dismiss the tellers of truth.

[ChavWivaLawDegree]

U know my answer - get off your arse and do it yourselves.

[Marmora Man]

At the risk of raining on everyone's picnic I'm not so convinced of Nelson Mandela's status as an international statesman / politician.

He is an international icon - that I don't dispute.

His time as President of post apartheid South Africa was accompanied by huge goodwill on the part of much of that country and the world. His introduction of the Truth and Reconciliation process was an incredible act of forgiveness and healing - but his long term legacy in South Africa is less positive. To my mind he hasn't made as much subsequent use of his undoubtedly high profile position to challenge status quo in Africa, to condemn the cruelty, poverty, ignorance and disease that is still the lot of so many in that continent. Archbishop Tutu has, to my mind, achieved more in these areas.

By this I don't mean to belittle Mandela's bravery and endurance in prison, or the difficulties of effecting change in Africa - I just feel that his iconic status is, at least in part, more about unthinking adoration of people who find it easier to praise him than actually do something real.

[giggirl]

Well done Brendan - brilliant post - you should get tanked more often.

I actually saw him in the street once; in Muswell Hill of all places. He came out of a house and got into a car. It was an ordinary house and an ordinary car. But an extraordinary man and a pretty extraordinary moment I can tell you. I stopped dead in my tracks and stared at him and he nodded hello politely. Surreal.

BTW ? I was not at all impressed with Wino changing the lyrics on Friday night. I'm usually pretty tolerant of Wino's behaviour because she obviously has her own demons, but that really lowered the tone.