Wednesday, 11 December 2013

That man and his meanings

A friend of mine was on a jam-packed bus in north London with her daughter last Friday, the day after the death of Nelson Mandela was announced. She mentioned in simple terms that they were the only white people on board; and felt it illustrated the point that economic apartheid was never cracked.

I have hesitated to add to the sum of words about Nelson Mandela (partly because I knew I would find it hard not to draw a parallel with the extravagant and undignified celebrations afforded to Margaret Thatcher: that’s as near as she deserves to come to any kind of comparison, I feel).

Does not the passing of Mandela just highlight what a flawed batch of self-serving narrow-minded bigoted slugs we have to put up with in lieu of real politicians? And does it not make you ask why that should be?

I’ve read and heard some considered and thought-provoking pieces over the past few days, and I’d just like to pass on one link, in case you missed it - Night waves last week, featuring interviews with Athol Fugard and Janet Suzman.

 

11 Dec 2013 17:04:33

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