Unbelievable death of a great man

[KK4AMI]

Nelson Mandella died today at the age of 95. How a man that lived such a hard life but was still able to go on the way he did, just amazes me. RIP Mr Mandela!

[PA5COR]

Yep, R.I.P Nelson...

[K7SGJ]

If there were more leaders like him, ones that cared more about their people instead of personal gain, maybe the world wouldn't be so FU.

RIP.

[N2NH]

RIP Nelson Mandela, Liberal and Community Activist.

[kb2vxa]

He was the driving force behind the movement that toppled apartheid but unfortunately couldn't foresee the resulting rise of crime, particularly Black on White under Black Rule. He is however still among the greatest of men in recent history, IMO the South African Martin Luther King. I can't sing enough praise for one of the men I admire most. Rest in peace Nelson my brother.

[PA5COR]

With such big change in a system of Apartheid you can expect that itr won't go easy even decades will take it to get normalised.
There is still a big difference in wealth there same as the USA and that causes crime.
Till a solution or working model is put in place to get the poor a decent living wage that will stay the same.

[W9JEF]

Sadly, South Africa and the world lost a great as well as humble man.

[kb2vxa]

There has been a working model in place for a long time, they'll just have to work out a version of Socialism that works for them. I've already posted my thoughts on it vs. Capitalism that obviously promotes the great division of wealth, I don't have to do it again. Since the Netherlands has a good working system and a low crime rate working with them is a GREAT idea.

Yes, SA and the world has lost a great and humble man, sadly nobody lives forever.

[PA5COR]

I don't consider our system as "socialism" more a humane society where the needs of PEOPLE take prevalence over greed.
Yes we still have the honour to be the inventers of the capitalist system but over the centuries we finetuned it to become the system we have now, still not perfect and still in the works...gives you an idea how long it can take for any country that tries to invent the wheel on it's own without wanting to learn from others and adapt the good parts of their system.

[kb2vxa]

Oddly you don't consider your system Socialist and in the same post say you invented Capitalism and refined it to be a society in which the needs of people take precedence over greed. That describes a form of Socialism, the root social being "people" as in "the people's republic". Strangely enough Americans don't realize how many of our things are Socialist, taxes pay for infrastructure and services yet "Socialism is BAD". They wouldn't like it if it were 100% Capitalist in which these things are private enterprise and they had to pay out of pocket. That would be a twist on a Heinlein novel; America Is A Harsh Mistress.

[n6hcm]

rush blowhard was already whining about the news coverage. w-t-f-ever!

[KG4CGC]

rush blowhard was already whining about the news coverage. w-t-f-ever!

They all got their talking orders this morning including a moron sheriff in Pickens county where I live.
A local CBS affilate posed the question on their FB news page about what people thought about it.
Here's the link.
https://www.facebook.com/wspatv/posts/10152033249592593?comment_id=28972232&notif_t=like

[NQ6U]

From a pamphlet produced by the VA explaining rules put into place by Dwight D. Eisenhower (emphasis mine):


The flag should fly at half-staff for 30 days at all federal buildings, grounds, and naval vessels throughout the United States and its territories and possessions after the death of the president or a former president. It is to fly 10 days at half-staff after the death of the vice president, the chief justice or a retired chief justice of the United States Supreme Court, or the speaker of the House of Representatives. For an associate justice of the Supreme Court, a member of the Cabinet, a former vice president, the president pro tempore of the Senate, the majority leader of the Senate, the minority leader of the Senate, the majority leader of the House of Representatives, or the minority leader of the House of Representatives the flag is to be displayed at half-staff from the day of death until interment.

The flag is to be flown at half-staff at all federal buildings, grounds and naval vessels in the Washington, D.C., area on the day and day after the death of a United States senator, representative, territorial delegate, or the resident commissioner from the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. It should also be flown at half-staff on all federal facilities in the state, congressional district, territory, or commonwealth of these officials.

Upon the death of the governor of a state, territory or possession, the flag should be flown at half-staff on all federal facilities in that governor’s state, territory or possession from the day of death until interment.

The president may order the flag to be flown at half-staff to mark the death of other officials, former officials, or foreign dignitaries. In addition to these occasions, the president may order half-staff display of the flag after other tragic events."

So, the sheriff is wrong; the fact that Mandela wasn't an American is irrelevant.

[VE7MGF]

when has a small town sheriff ever let the truth get in the way of there ideals

[KG4CGC]

So, the sheriff is wrong; the fact that Mandela wasn't an American is irrelevant.
That is correct but around here, we don't go by laws unless they back up the idea that something doesn't sound right.

[kb2vxa]

The comments on the FB page are just as dopy as any others, I don't see what being a Communist or a foreigner has anything to do with it. I don't see any political party affiliation mentioned in the presidential orders either. What I DO see is "the president may ORDER" state flags flown at half mast in honor of a fallen foreign DIGNITARY, Mandela was a dignitary AND official.

From Merriam-Webster on line:
dignitary adjective:
one who possesses exalted rank or holds a position of dignity or honor

This makes me wonder if a sheriff who defies a presidential order is guilty of a crime. IMO if so he should be prosecuted, if not Obama should send him a nasty open letter, open for the public to read for the embarrassment factor. SHAME SHAME SHAME ON YOU! I feel very strongly on this, as stated elsewhere he is one of the great men of recent history I admire most.

[n2ize]

Yes, the loss of Mugabe was a terrible and sad thing.

[kb2vxa]

HUH? What's sad about losing a man who ruined his country's economy and instituted a bloody policy of land reform that flopped? On 6 April 2000, Parliament pushed through an amendment, taken word for word from the draft constitution that was rejected by voters, allowing the seizure of white-owned farmlands without due reimbursement or payment. Almost immediately, self-styled "war veterans", led by Chenjerai 'Hitler' Hunzvi, began invading white-owned farms. Those who did not leave voluntarily were often tortured and sometimes killed. In the end not a single farm was taken over by Blacks, they lay in ruins and what remains cannot feed the people suffering famine.

I think you'd better rethink your position putting that statement in a thread about Mandela.

[n2ize]

HUH? What's sad about losing a man who ruined his country's economy and instituted a bloody policy of land reform that flopped? On 6 April 2000, Parliament pushed through an amendment, taken word for word from the draft constitution that was rejected by voters, allowing the seizure of white-owned farmlands without due reimbursement or payment. Almost immediately, self-styled "war veterans", led by Chenjerai 'Hitler' Hunzvi, began invading white-owned farms. Those who did not leave voluntarily were often tortured and sometimes killed. In the end not a single farm was taken over by Blacks, they lay in ruins and what remains cannot feed the people suffering famine.

I think you'd better rethink your position putting that statement in a thread about Mandela.

Mandela ? I saw the title and thought this was about Mugabe. My mistake.

[WX7P]

Yes, the loss of Mugabe was a terrible and sad thing.

He's not dead yet.

[n2ize]

He's not dead yet.

You are right. He is around 90 now but still alive. Just looked him up.. For some reason I thought he passed away a few years ago.

[NQ6U]

It wasn't a mistake, it was yet another bullshit troll from N2IZE. There's a reason I seldom read anything you post past the first sentence, John.

[kb2vxa]

That's why I wrote he should rethink his position, not weasel out of it. That "faux pas" was so far out of line I can't find words for it.

[NQ6U]

That's why I wrote he should rethink his position, not weasel out of it. That "faux pas" was so far out of line I can't find words for it.

You watch—his next post will take a faux butt-hurt tone with which he will make himself out to be the victim.

[N7YA]

Careful...he was a pretty tough cookie back in the old neighborhood!

[K7SGJ]

They had cookies in the hood? Who Gnu?

[n3aiu]

If there is a heaven, it would sound like this.

http://za.news.yahoo.com/watch--the-most-touching-mandela-tribute-came-from-the-least-expected-place-070947330.html

I would recommend listening to this through good headphones or a stereo system, not just the computer speaker. It's amazing.