I'm gonna miss Nelson

jinman · Dec 7, 2013

We've had lots of people in this country who led civil rights movements and were successful. Martin Luther King is certainly one of the greatest, but Nelson Mandela was in the majority race in South Africa and yet was subject to oppression that sent him to jail for 27 years. While countries and leaders won wars with guns and devastation. Mandela won his war with love and changing the hearts of people of both races. He did more after the age of 75 than most world leaders do in their entire lives. I think it is rare indeed to see a person so persecuted for his dedication to democracy and freedom, yet was able to unify his country and suppress revengeful attitudes. May God grant him rest and a special reward for his life of sacrifice and an example of forgiveness and leadership we may never see again. RIP Nelson; a job well-done.

JD 4520 · Dec 7, 2013

I had the great pleasure of meeting Nelson Mandela in 1998 at our office. I worked for a great family that sponsored him in the US for a tour and he spend a hour in our office interacting with a handful of people. Great memory.

jerrybob · Dec 8, 2013

jinman said:
We've had lots of people in this country who led civil rights movements and were successful. Martin Luther King is certainly one of the greatest, but Nelson Mandela was in the majority race in South Africa and yet was subject to oppression that sent him to jail for 27 years. While countries and leaders won wars with guns and devastation. Mandela won his war with love and changing the hearts of people of both races. He did more after the age of 75 than most world leaders do in their entire lives. I think it is rare indeed to see a person so persecuted for his dedication to democracy and freedom, yet was able to unify his country and suppress revengeful attitudes. May God grant him rest and a special reward for his life of sacrifice and an example of forgiveness and leadership we may never see again. RIP Nelson; a job well-done.

Well said........

Renze · Dec 8, 2013

they did very wrong to him, but when he rose to power he never became revengeful... You wont see that often...

GGB · Dec 8, 2013

Thank you, jinman. A very eloquent tribute to a remarkable man.

I confess to not being aware of how truly forgiving and gracious he was to his former enemies until the stories which have come out since his death. Sadly, there are far too view people who have that level of benevolence. He will be missed.