Madiba ………. is gone …….. His long walk to freedom is over …….. The hero of the struggle against apartheid has passed …….. He died the most loved and admired politician in the world …….. He sacrificed so much personally and achieved so much for his people …… He is deeply loved by them …….. But his legacy is global ……
Through his example he inspired people across the world including President Obama who says learning about Mandela inspired him to undertake his first political steps in joining protests against apartheid …….. I was the same …… Anti Apartheid activity was my first political activity as a youth …… I went on to become the official photographer to the Anti Apartheid movement in the UK …….
Mandela has always been important in my family …… my sister Nancy is married to Feizel a South African who was an ANC youth activist and jailed under the apartheid regime ……. He met Nancy at an Anti Apartheid event when Feizel was exiled in London …… they went back to South Africa together as soon as Mandela was released ……. They married and have raised their mixed race children in Mandela’s Rainbow Nation ………. Like so many … We in my family love Madiba and will more than miss him ……
Fellow South African Nobel Peace Prize laureate Desmond Tutu said today……. “Like a most precious diamond honed deep beneath the surface of the earth, the Madiba who emerged from prison in January 1990 was virtually flawless.” …… Tutu also said that Madiba’s legacy would live on in South Africa.
‘Simple Minds’- ‘Mandela Day’ ……. I listened to it today ……. I always thought this was a beautiful poignant song made (two years) before his release from prison but it seems prescient again today ……… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8py3MaTT4Q
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“After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb. I have taken a moment here to rest, to steal a view of the glorious vista that surrounds me, to look back on the distance I have come. But I can rest only for a moment, for with freedom comes responsibilities, and I dare not linger, for my long walk is not yet ended.”
Nelson Mandela
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Cheers Jez XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
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www.jezblog.com
[ 11 ] comments
- I don’t buy it myself. Trevor Ngwane, a former ANC municipal council member is clear on what actually happened: “Apartheid based on race has been replaced with apartheid based on class” against which another struggle will be waged.. cheers John
John Harris @ December 7, 2013, 4:44 am
- One man can only do so much ……. even one as committed, fearless and decent as Mandela ……… look at that quote I have included ……. he knew vigilance was required to create a worthy New South Africa to justify the sacrifice of those who had fallen …….. but to get there one needed care for others even your enemies …….. care not to seize all the power for yourself ……. care not to create a monolithic one party state…… that would fail despite declaring otherwise ……. he did not even take a second term in office …….. to not become a classic African dictator…….. he handed power over as only a proper democrat would………. and as an example to those who followed him………… SA is not now a perfect society…….. but thanks to Mandela it is no longer a vile racist apartheid state either ……. a blot that shamed the whole world……….. come on John ……. he did not create a socialist utopia but he did through his leadership and sacrifice end one of the worlds vilest regimes without more violence than was necessary. I honor and mourn him as a true hero of the people.Cheers bro Jez XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
jezblog in Mojave Desert CA :- @ December 7, 2013, 12:41 pm
- ‘HAS NOT BEEN WRITTEN BY ME.’This has happened to me too, and lots of oterhs. We don’t hear from Charles Keating and Jim Haygood so often any more and I wonder if the relentless application of this childish nastiness is one reason for that. Eva seems to strike a particular chord with SOG and anyone else here who indulges in this pathetic practice, her nationality provoking in the less evolved the same sort of visceral reaction genuine anti-semites feel upon seeing a yarmulke. She is owed an apology from anyone who fell for it, even though they too are victims of such desperate spitefulness. It’s continued employment is an index of how badly the war fares for the Zionists. There is a sense of tired resignation in some of Bill’s abuse nowadays; gone is the cocksure arrogance and in it’s place is a half-hearted going thru the motions (hmmm, I’ll call Phil a Hitler lover again I guess; err, let’s pretend to be Eva again..)It’s an ugly denouement, and it promises to be a long one, but it is preferable to the alternative. ‘The idea that the Arab world is not doing enough to help, is real.’Standing on the throat of the Palestinians, the Zionist huffily demands that the Arabs do more to free their brethren. That would be a GOOD, but the idea that the Zionist should simply step off the throat, well, that is POLEMICAL!Richard, your innate incapacity to blame Israel first for anything is the fatal flaw in your carefully tended progressive self-image, and it colours your judgement across the spectrum, with darker hues than you can yourself perceive. This automatic, and increasingly frantic changing of the subject does not fool anyone here, and you are living in a nation full of people who are less likely to fall for it with every passing day.
Muhammed @ February 20, 2015, 10:31 pm
- Israel’s “stranglehold” has been variable, raginng from complete and forced isolation (only for a few days at any one time), to allowing unhindered transportation of humanitarian aid delivered by reliably non-terrorist international aid organizations, to a border managed similarly to the US-Mexico border.So long as Hamas was not initiating violence directly, or recreating the infrastructure of future violence, the US-Mexico border model was the best option.There are MANY ways that communities get isolated economically. If you read the health report, they stated that primary nutrients are accessible within Gaza, that the people are in danger of nutrient deficiencies in micro-nutrients (solvable by growing vegetables for example).Its real, and not unimportant, but also not as headlined.
Florabrigole @ April 27, 2015, 10:38 pm
- A fine tribute, Jez. When I learnedthat Mr. Mandela had died, I immediately thought of my father. He hated Mr. Mandela with a passion. My father hated anyone who was black and felt that apartheid was not strict enough and should be adopted here in Canada. I was deeply embarrassed by his beliefs and bigotry and raised my daughters to respect everyone, not matter their race or beliefs. I believe that Mr. Mandala will go down in history as one of the greatest leaders and statesmen.
RobertB @ December 7, 2013, 9:32 am
- Yes Mandela ended the vile racism of Apartheid but through his decency and charm he won over so many……… I do think people throughout the world loved him and by this process he has helped to arrest petty racism elsewhere too ….. maybe your father would be different if he had his time again in a post Mandela world…… here’s hoping……. :-/ :-))Jez XXXXXXXXXXX
Jezblog in Mojave Desert CA :- @ December 7, 2013, 12:47 pm
- Great image and words Jez – nice one as always
Craig @ December 7, 2013, 2:17 pm
- :-)))))))))) XXXXXXXXXXXXX
Jezblog in Mojave Desert CA :- @ December 7, 2013, 3:04 pm
- Nice tribute Mate, plus some more info. about your past..You certainly helped out some worthy parties.. Hope you survived last night..The train she keeps a comimg, and the family of Cockroaches, and of course your good self..Dr Dolittle… hee hee.. Stay Safe Bro
PaulS @ December 8, 2013, 10:31 am
- I think the highway is still blocked by snow ….. I am still here …… The train was fantastic the roaches were not too bad ……. Here is another train now ………. I love the sound …….. the whole place rumbles then the Hollywood sound of the mournful train whistle …….. its all so loud I cannot now hear the news…………. i gotta say i really enjoyed the trains …….. hehehehe…… but I am crazy ………Yeah Im proud to have been able to contribute a little to Anti Apartheid in the UK through the photo agency Report IFL…… they did some mighty things ……. they always supported worthy international causes from Africa and South America …… and Trade Unions in the UK……… Report was a totally unique place ……. it was amazing to become the official photographer to Anti Apartheid …… Report trusted me therefore all these mighty worthy organizations trusted me……. and that was a big privilege at the time…… and especially now looking back :-))
Cheers Jez XXXXXXXXXX
Jezblog in Mojave Desert CA :- @ December 8, 2013, 12:30 pm
- Now another especially loud one :-))))) XXXXXX
Jezblog in Mojave Desert CA :- @ December 8, 2013, 12:49 pm
