Nelson Mandela's Funeral.

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2524036/Soldiers-seats-Nelson-Mandelas-funeral-service-overruns-hours.html

Nelson Mandela has finally been laid to rest, but what do others think of the extraordinary length of the final proceedings?

Yes and what can be said about all those African dignitaries in their smart suites and fancy dresses, this was a different Africa than is generally displayed to us on our TV screens, not a single poor little infant with faces covered in flies, or women folk walking miles to get a pitcher of muddy water.

But through out all those speeches that were made there was plenty of talk about 'equality', but I saw very little evidence of it this morning.

[redman41]

Did not have time to watch it as was busy doing other things, plenty of coverage on the News anyway.

[sunny-dave]

I don't remember many of the 'poor underclass', that undoubtedly exists in Britain, featuring in the coverage of any of our own state funerals ... our cameras also seem to concentrate on the 'great and good' at those times.

[anneasquith]

surely its the beginning of equality (long way to go ) the fact that there were African dignitaries (black ) who now possess a smart suit,

[LazyGun]

Given this was a country once ruled through apartheid, the very fact that this was a very public ceremony of a revered black man, attended by many black people sufficiently well off to be able to afford a decent suit is a sign of equality?

And as for the comment about "poor little infants" and "women folk walking miles to get a pitcher of water" - what? Are you denying such things have ever happened in Africa, and still do? Or are you saying that the ceremony should have been populated by images of desperation and misfortune, just to satisfy your sense of outrage that there is such a thing as an african dignitary?

Please explain...

[sp1814]

AOG

"this was a different Africa than is generally displayed to us on our TV screens, not a single poor little infant with faces covered in flies, or women folk walking miles to get a pitcher of muddy water."

What are you driving at?

Yes, this is different from images we regularly see on tv in appeals. But this is a state funeral.

[douglas9401]

From the little I've seen in the last few days it seems to have been a bit rough around the edges.
It's not as if it was a sudden death and there was no time to plan and prepare.

[sp1814]

By the way AOG - Africa is a continent, rather than a country. This is the funeral of the President of one country in Africa - namely South Africa.

What you have written is the equivalent of (say) an American writing about Thatcher's funeral thus:

"Yes and what can be said about all those European dignitaries in their smart suites and fancy dresses, this was a different Europe than is generally displayed to us on our TV screens, not a single poor little starving Romanian infant, alone and starving in an orphanage."

[ummmm]

sp has summed it up nicely.

[THECORBYLOON]

ANOTHEOLDGIT, why are you bothered about the length of the service, it's not as if you had no other options but to sit and watch it is it?

[sp1814]

AOG

I was remiss - I didn't actually answer your question.

The length of the funeral didn't bother me, because I wasn't there, and will just catch the edited highlights on the news tonight.

Was it actually broadcast in full here? If it were, I doubt very much that I would've sat all the way through it. The longest tv broadcast I can manage is the Academy Awards, and even then, there has to be friends, canapés and champagne to make it through.

[bazwillrun]

I'm not in the habit of watching the funerals of terrorists .

some of you have got very short memories.

still, dont let that stop you all being brainwashed, keep on gushing

[anotheoldgit]

sunny-dave

/// I don't remember many of the 'poor underclass', that undoubtedly exists in Britain, featuring in the coverage of any of our own state funerals ... our cameras also seem to concentrate on the 'great and good' at those times. ///

But then I don't think our 'poor underclass' can be compared to Africa's 'poor underclass' not by any stretch of the imagination.

[Sqad]

The most influential man in the history of history of South Africa who deserved a State Funeral as he "united the country by abolishing Apartheid in a bloodless manner.

The world wide media coverage coverage was way "over the top" although i can understand why the black South African wanted this and yes, one could turn off onto another News Channel, but you were received with the same mournings and endless eulogies.

This was about S.A for SA.

The Political dignitaries HAD to be seen sympathising to assure themselves of the "black vote" in their country.

I have friends in S.A and Soweto is still a sprawling sewerage mass.

[sp1814]

AOG

"But then I don't think our 'poor underclass' can be compared to Africa's 'poor underclass' not by any stretch of the imagination."

In relative terms yes.

But did you feel the same during the Thatcher funeral, which featured dignitaries from across the globe in their finery?

Did you think - where are the homeless people?

[bazwillrun]

"The Political dignitaries HAD to be seen sympathising to assure themselves of the "black vote" in their country.

spot on

its all part of this whole black guilt trip thing

shame more people dont spend more time worrying about their own country and it problems

[sp1814]

Or you could watch one of the other seven or so channels available?

I hear the final of The X Factor is on this weekend.

[jomifl]

I think aog is shocked that there are are suits in Africa, he never expected it. Despite the poverty in Africa most Africans when they can afford it are pretty snappy dressers, when the occasion demands it. Their schoolchildren put ours to shame when it come to smartness and cleanliness.

[Sqad]

sp

\\\Or you could watch one of the other seven or so channels available?

I hear the final of The X Factor is on this weekend.\\\

Indeed, but not if one wanted "News."

[anotheoldgit]

sp1814

Yes I know that Africa is a continent which contains many countries, but they are all very much the same, so a general comparison is very easily made.

Having recognised that fact, and that the images of these 'African' appeals could be from many particular countries of Africa, or are you saying that you are clever enough to view them and say that little child is a Nigerian, South African, Kenyan etc?

The whole point I am trying to make, that some of you either don't want to understand or are not able to, is the fact that although these African Toffs are preaching equality it only refers to equality between blacks and whites and not equality between their high style living standards in a country that has very low living standards for the majority of their fellow country people.

Knowing the continuous abusive comments we regularly see on this site about our own 'Them and Us' I would have thought some of our AnswerBank lefties would have had a heyday with this one.

So one has to ask what is the decisive factor in all this that prevents some from making similar critisms?

Ah got it, (that didn't take long) 'colour' of course.

[sp1814]

Sqad


Ahhh...

Well, you're stuffed then.

This weekend (and for a few days next week) will be Mandela all the way.

It will be the same when the following die:

Mohammed Ali
The Queen


Err...I think that's it.

Are there any other 20th century icons left?