Big debate at work today over the media hype regarding Nelson Mandela whilst no one disagrees on the greatness of the man some people love to moan about the media…to be fair without the media we would never of even heard of Nelson Mandela.
I dont disagree with some of the views who really cares if Bono goes or not is it going to be about who can be seen this sunday ?
Another view that came up do young folk actually know what he did or who he was ? Its not taught at school is it a forgotten history ?

Please dont reply slating me these are not my views

well I thought he was quite good for being so forgiving and so unaffected by 27 years in prison but he was only President for 5 years and never had to get bogged down in day to day crap about inflation and unemployment etc. He just set up a truth and reconciliation hearing and smiled a lot.

But then maybe saving millions from race based civil war is more of an achievement.

The biggest problem is people like to moan. For some it is just getting in the way of their favourite TV show. For others it probably excites the casual racist in them. But most people just don’t care about what is happening outside of their own bubble of existence. It’s just highlighting the fact.

I think that the media coverage has been pretty good, however that said Bono can go and ***k himself. Arrogant patronising little weasel.

It is a real shame that he wasn’t 10 years younger as I think that SA would be in a much better place if Mandela had managed 15 years as president rather than the 5. A truly remarkable man.

I don’t think it’s possible to overhype Nelson Mandela’s achievement. I’ve had a Reduced Cynical Thoughts™
Day in his honour. It’s quite nice.

I was irritated that the TV “news” on the day he died felt the need to spend its time on non-news waffle about him rather than mention any of the other stuff which was news – and said as much on the thread about that. However I have no issue with the ongoing media coverage – not many truly great men around, and he was certainly one of them.

as I said no one is questioning how great he was, just the media ie its all about who can be seen etc heres obama shaking hands with so and so heres blair with so and so

It’s a first to blink thing. No channel wants to be the one who treats his death like a normal 95 year old.

And it wasn’t the day he died. That was about 6 weeks ago.

“as I said no one is questioning how great he was, just the media ie its all about who can be seen etc heres obama shaking hands with so and so heres blair with so and so”

The Obama/Castro handshake is important if it’s an indicator of a rapprochement between the US and Cuba, which is also relevant to Venezuela, which is relevant to global oil prices, which is relevant to everyone.

BTW – if the media you consume is only talking about Bono, then you should consume better media.

I’ve not really read much if whats been written this past week but in my opinion he’s the greatest leader in the past 100 years, possibly longer. If thats what’s been written then it’s accurate.

Our glorious leader – Call me Dave tweeted a selfie from the memorial service. Classy. Appropriate. Statesmanlike. Like a trustafarian backstage at Glastonbury! What an utter and complete ****ing ****! There really aren’t enough hours in the day for me to hate that smug photoshopped-faced bastard!

TBH, I cant think of a large story/issue out of which every last possible minute of “news” content that hasn’t been squeezed. Quality/balance has given way to a need to fill the air time IMO.

Another view that came up do young folk actually know what he did or who he was ? Its not taught at school is it a forgotten history ?

That’s one positive outcome to this over-reporting I suppose – a new generation made aware of Nelson Mandela’s legacy in rebuilding a country where the population has seemingly insurmountable differences.

Call me Dave tweeted a selfie from the memorial service. Classy. Appropriate. Statesmanlike

I heard a bit of the House of Commons debate (yesterday?) on 5Live. Toe-curling. A bunch of politicians recounting stories of their recollections of him, for which read “bragging about their brief or tenuous encounters with him, hoping to bask in reflected glory and indicate how important they are”.

Meanwhile republicans are up in arms because Obama shook hands with Castro at Nelson Mandella’s memorial service….. I wonder if they understand the irony in that.

I wonder if any of the victims of the mandela football team will be there?

Oh, and he didn’t get locked up for having his stereo turned up too loud.. which it seems has been overlooked by the worlds media.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-25327883

says it all…

I dont think we have seen coverage like it since Princess Diana was murdered

Edric 64 – Member
I dont think we have seen coverage like it since Princess Diana was murdered

POSTED 14 MINUTES AGO # REPORT-POST

Or when the US government flew planes into those big buildings..

The irony, radio 4 this morning talking about the media hype

what has fundamentally changed for the working class in south africa ?

what has fundamentally changed for the working class in south africa ?

You can walk down the road holding hands with a person of another race without fear of arrest? (I might be wrong there)

binners – Member

Our glorious leader – Call me Dave tweeted a selfie from the memorial service. Classy. Appropriate. Statesmanlike. Like a trustafarian backstage at Glastonbury! What an utter and complete ****ing ****! There really aren’t enough hours in the day for me to hate that smug photoshopped-faced bastard!

Of course, the “selfie” was actually being taken by the Prime Minister of Denmark to include herself, David Cameron and Barak Obama, but don’t let fiddling details like that get on the way of a good rant, eh?

Woppit +1 you do seem to get v upset at weird things Binners. Can’t really blame the Danish PM, I would probably have done the same.

Bat fink +1

Jenkins has some strong views in The Guardian today.

…or when they faked landing on the moon

…or when they faked landing on the moon

Or built that big hideout themepark in the desert for the aliens to come on holiday…

I don’t think it’s possible to overhype Nelson Mandela’s achievement. I’ve had a Reduced Cynical Thoughts™
Day in his honour. It’s quite nice.

You’ve only had that ‘Day’ because it is in your own best interests to do so…………………..

Oops, guess I’m not as good as the great man, then!

I particularly like the trademark logo – like you’re going to patent it and make a stinking great pile of cash out of it – if you meant to have it there for that reason, then you sir are a comedy genius!

On a serious note, Long Walk to Freedom should be a set text in schools. It genuinely did make me want to be better in general. Then, unfortunately I reverted to type………….

what has fundamentally changed for the working class in south africa ?

I kind of agree with this. Mandela was a great man no doubt, but South Africa was far too screwed up a country for one man to fix. Whilst the end to apartheid will always be his legacy, in reality the country is still riddled with racial inequality, corruption, poverty, violence etc etc.

Not a country I’d personally have any ambition to ever visit.

TPbiker – shame its a great place with lovely people, scenery, wildlife etc. yes it has problems and it is easy to become overwhelmed by them. But one of Mandela’s legacies is the fact that SA manages to muddle through. Great place for a holiday despite ( indeed possibly because of) the inequalities. I am off there in Sunday for a few days, fortunately after then funeral so won’t be bumped off the flights to make way for VIPs (?!?) hopefully.

Long Walk to Freedom in R4s book of the week.

I used to be friends with a few white SA guys who said hard to get work out there because of their colour.

The coverage is much more justified than that of Princess Diana. Though I doubt that The Mail and The Express will still be referring to Mandela in every issue 15 years from now.

Surely to complain about the hype, you’d have to go looking for it?

I’ve seen all of 5 minutes of the coverage, seen Obama, Mandela’s daughter (might have been), not Bono, Cameron or anyone else. I just turn it off or watch something I’ve Sky+ed. (Like Portrait Artist of the Year last night. Brill that was)

I’ve seen some links on social media to articles about Nelson Mandela alleging that in his younger days he was involved in, or sanctioned acts of violence & terrorism through his involvement in various anti establishment movements.

Difficult to tell if any of them have any truth in them, if there is any evidence on which to base the allegations, whether they are true but simply ignored, or are complete fallacies.

Anyone here that’s better read than me care to offer an answer?

If they are true, then what does that say about out perceptions of people, and willingness to turn a blind eye when it ‘suits us’?

Core – its fair to say that the ANC/Mandela’s tactics changed over time. Nothing new or mysterious about that though. I don’t think that your final sentence follows from this however. The world’s (positive) judgment follows full understanding of his early tactics in the ANC and the reasons for them IMO.

So it’s ok to kill people if you mean well in the end?

core – Member

So it’s ok to kill people if you mean well in the end?

Yes, only if you win.
If you loose then that is considered as murder and war crime etc.

Therefore, if a particular person wins the struggle against whoever they are then that person will be elevated to hero / saint / god / king / saver of the poor …

🙄

My thoughts exactly

Core, not sure what you are trying to get at, but Mandela was “convicted” of sabotage and attempts to violently overthrow the government. No question of murder, ordering murder or manslaughter as far as I recall.

Maybe not, but that is what some of these articles suggest, I was simply enquiring whether they had any basis.

Maybe you should watch Cry Freedom and see what it meant to be a black person in SA in the Apartheid days.

Being arrested and held without trial because of your colour. Being beaten to death in a police cell and the official line is you hanged yourself.

In fact, have a look at the end titles to get the flavour

Here

I think what Mandela and Biko and all of the (many) other unsung African ‘terrorists’ did was just enough to get the country changed into something that humanity shouldn’t be ashamed of.