I have no particular feeling of grief for him as I never knew him and he had no influence on my life. However I wish nobody dead and can only hope that a little less disrespect is afforded to this 95 year old former world leader who had been ill for some time than was afforded last April to an 87 year old former world leader who had been ill for some time.
The great thing about Mandela for me was that although I always followed the campaigns for his release, I thought that nonetheless he would inevitably prove to be unable to live up to his reputation.
On the contrary he far outstripped it.
Our current Prime Minister even had the grace to apologise to him about the policies of one of his precedessors ...
Yes, great man and the one who proved that a person can be branded a terrorist and still be a Nobel Prize winner. Historians will have to make their minds now whether he was a terrorist or a hero or a freedom fighter. In my mind he was a hero and a freedom fighter and not the terrorist. A person who strived for the freedom from the shackles of racism and oppression.
Well said New Judge - I wondered about the parallels and thought I might throw a Madiba Dead party to match the Witch is Dead party I threw last year...
Also in the terms - of be there and kiss him,,,, in videos, I have seen Mr Brown clutching his hand, meeting the Queen, and shots of WIll Smith, Lewis hamilton around him.... Annie Lennox clutching three cute grandchildren well anyway they were black....and many many more