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US removes Mandela's 'terrorist' tag
Made Popular Jul 2 2008
President George W. Bush on Tuesday signed a bill removing Nelson Mandela’s name from its lists of terrorists — over 14 years after he was elected South Africa’s president.
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I suggest you read up on your history before posting again, sir. A few facts for your consideration:
Mandela was on the terrorist watch list for good reason: he was the leader of a terrorist organisation. In his autobiography, he admits to ”signing off” on the 1983 Church Street bombing in which 19 innocents were killed and a further 200 injured.
The Human Rights Commission estimates that, during Apartheid, some 21 000 people were killed. The UN Crimes Against Humanity Commission, as well as (the ”new) South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission, agree that only 518 were killed by the Apartheid government in its years of power. The rest of the killings, over 90%, were a result of black on black violence, much of it commanded by the ANC. The ANC’s political opponents were routinely ”necklaced:” a tyre full of gasoline hung around their necks, then set alight.
For these reasons and more, not least the military and political training provided to exiled or fled ANC members by Marxist terror organisations abroad,
the ANC was deemed a terrorist organisation.
Again, check your facts:
America was strongly opposed to Apartheid, imposing stringent economic sanctions on the government of the time. American politicians routinely denounced Apartheid policies. A two-second internet search reveals this 1984 quote by Ronald Reagan: ”The U.S. has said on many occasions that we view racism with repugnance... Our grief over the human and spiritual cost of Apartheid in South Africa.”
As for cancelling African debt... Perhaps the West should first cancel African aid? After all, why send money, food and medicine to people like yourself, people who bite the hand that feeds?
And repararations for the slave trade? What a joke. The descendants of those slaves should be damn grateful they’re living in a nation like America, where they’ll never know the famine, war and disease that abounds in Africa.
It is high time Africans took responsibility for their own failures rather than blaming everything on the West. Further, Africans would be advised to work towards their own successes rather than trying to guilt the First World into providing them yet more handouts.
Shame on you, sir!
Mandela was on the terrorist watch list for good reason: he was the leader of a terrorist organisation. In his autobiography, he admits to ”signing off” on the 1983 Church Street bombing in which 19 innocents were killed and a further 200 injured.
The Human Rights Commission estimates that, during Apartheid, some 21 000 people were killed. The UN Crimes Against Humanity Commission, as well as (the ”new) South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission, agree that only 518 were killed by the Apartheid government in its years of power. The rest of the killings, over 90%, were a result of black on black violence, much of it commanded by the ANC. The ANC’s political opponents were routinely ”necklaced:” a tyre full of gasoline hung around their necks, then set alight.
For these reasons and more, not least the military and political training provided to exiled or fled ANC members by Marxist terror organisations abroad,
the ANC was deemed a terrorist organisation.
Again, check your facts:
America was strongly opposed to Apartheid, imposing stringent economic sanctions on the government of the time. American politicians routinely denounced Apartheid policies. A two-second internet search reveals this 1984 quote by Ronald Reagan: ”The U.S. has said on many occasions that we view racism with repugnance... Our grief over the human and spiritual cost of Apartheid in South Africa.”
As for cancelling African debt... Perhaps the West should first cancel African aid? After all, why send money, food and medicine to people like yourself, people who bite the hand that feeds?
And repararations for the slave trade? What a joke. The descendants of those slaves should be damn grateful they’re living in a nation like America, where they’ll never know the famine, war and disease that abounds in Africa.
It is high time Africans took responsibility for their own failures rather than blaming everything on the West. Further, Africans would be advised to work towards their own successes rather than trying to guilt the First World into providing them yet more handouts.
Shame on you, sir!
(Local Perspectives)
Mandela was a terrorist! I hope the Americans know the meaning of the word ”terrorist” correctly. If fighting for ones own rights as a human being is terrorism, if speaking against injustice is terrorism then the entire world is a hub of terrorism.
(Global Perspectives)
No, Arpita. Fighting for one’s rights is all very well. It’s blowing up innocent civilians with bombs, or putting tyres full of gasoline round their necks and burning them to death that makes one a terrorist.
Look to your own country’s great leader, Gandhi. He fought very successfully for human rights without resorting to such savage violence.
Look to your own country’s great leader, Gandhi. He fought very successfully for human rights without resorting to such savage violence.
(Local Perspectives)
There you go Phil,
An embarrasment it is for you to really think that Mandela was on the US terror list because he sanctioned some violence.
One fact you have forgotten is that the ANC had a just cause for serve - fighting for the rights of not just the blacks but the majority that had been trampled upon by the minority whites.
Like the US civil rights movement from 1896-1955, the fight for equality was innevitable after so many years of state crafted and systematic discrimination of black people.
To prove your unrepentant nature, which i believe the world is lucky not to having had people like you in leadership in those dark days, you don’t look ready to accept the fact that much of the suffering in Africa started with the industrial revolution in Europe and Americas. Just like it is still the case today, the western imperialist resorted to human slavery so as to get the necessary human resource to boost up the performance of their industries and in the process deprived Africa off a vital resource on top of systematically stealling African raw materials.
Today, you are proud to live in a world whose development was largely founded on human slave (African human resource) and raw materials that your fore fathers depleted. And to you, it does not make sense for Africans to remember a dark history that you imposed on them? What a mind you have.
Now, muh as Mandela and the ANC applied some violent means to fight the government you claim America did not support, the cause of violence was mainly because of the white terrorist were never ready to grants black people their rights just like any other citizen. The South African case was abit different from the American one in that American blacks were not confined in squarters like it was with the blacks in South Western Township (SOWETO. However, the discrimination was more or less the same. So you can tell that these white terrorists in South Africa were doing exactly what their American brothers did to the black people and so was the case with the colonial Britain and Beligians in the Congo. These white people had something in common in that King leopald had ties to the British whose children had set leadership in America.
Today, we see the similar things happen when Bush pulls together his european and Canadian cousins behind him to raid and destroy an independent nation basically because of her natural resource and even kill her leader. Is thios right to you and is it any different from what imperialists did to Africa? Now Iraqis are beggers in their own country just like Africans have been for a long time.
Mr Phil, as for the debt, good to hear you say the West should cancel African aid. yes, that’s waht the new Africa precisely wants so long as the West open up their markets to African goods and services. Indeed this will save some money in your pocket sinmce you will nolonger have to give handouts. How about that?
An embarrasment it is for you to really think that Mandela was on the US terror list because he sanctioned some violence.
One fact you have forgotten is that the ANC had a just cause for serve - fighting for the rights of not just the blacks but the majority that had been trampled upon by the minority whites.
Like the US civil rights movement from 1896-1955, the fight for equality was innevitable after so many years of state crafted and systematic discrimination of black people.
To prove your unrepentant nature, which i believe the world is lucky not to having had people like you in leadership in those dark days, you don’t look ready to accept the fact that much of the suffering in Africa started with the industrial revolution in Europe and Americas. Just like it is still the case today, the western imperialist resorted to human slavery so as to get the necessary human resource to boost up the performance of their industries and in the process deprived Africa off a vital resource on top of systematically stealling African raw materials.
Today, you are proud to live in a world whose development was largely founded on human slave (African human resource) and raw materials that your fore fathers depleted. And to you, it does not make sense for Africans to remember a dark history that you imposed on them? What a mind you have.
Now, muh as Mandela and the ANC applied some violent means to fight the government you claim America did not support, the cause of violence was mainly because of the white terrorist were never ready to grants black people their rights just like any other citizen. The South African case was abit different from the American one in that American blacks were not confined in squarters like it was with the blacks in South Western Township (SOWETO. However, the discrimination was more or less the same. So you can tell that these white terrorists in South Africa were doing exactly what their American brothers did to the black people and so was the case with the colonial Britain and Beligians in the Congo. These white people had something in common in that King leopald had ties to the British whose children had set leadership in America.
Today, we see the similar things happen when Bush pulls together his european and Canadian cousins behind him to raid and destroy an independent nation basically because of her natural resource and even kill her leader. Is thios right to you and is it any different from what imperialists did to Africa? Now Iraqis are beggers in their own country just like Africans have been for a long time.
Mr Phil, as for the debt, good to hear you say the West should cancel African aid. yes, that’s waht the new Africa precisely wants so long as the West open up their markets to African goods and services. Indeed this will save some money in your pocket sinmce you will nolonger have to give handouts. How about that?
(Global Perspectives)
If Mandela wasn’t on the Terror List for being a terrorist, why was he on it?
People who commit acts of violence against innocents to further their political ends are, by definition, terrorists.
You say terrorism is acceptable if it’s in pursuit of a ”just cause.” Consider this: there is not a nation, group or individual on earth who does not believe their particular cause is just.
Shifting political climates are constantly redefining which causes, historial or current, are just. Your absolute certainty that the ANC’s cause was just, and their violence therefore acceptable, is exactly the fanaticism that drives suicide bombers.
The difference is that your fantacism is not religious but racial. It seems to me you have little knowledge of the historical facts or current situation in Africa. You support Mandela simply because he is a symbol of black liberation. Ultimately, this is entirely predictable. Most people do not think rationally, they think tribally.
As for your assertion that ”much of the suffering in Africa started with the industrial revolution in Europe and Americas,” I reject it utterly. Let me tell you who is responsible for African suffering: Africans.
Another of your wild statements I take issue with is this one: ”...you are proud to live in a world whose development was largely founded on [slaves]...” This is simply false. Yes, slave labour contributed a small part to the success of Western culture. The far greater part of our success has come from our rationality, creativity, moral strength and drive for progress and excellence. Should you wish similar success for Africa, you must work to instill such ideas and values in your people.
Further, your references to ”white terrorists” are false and clearly intended only as insults. A dominant group need not resort to terror tactics to achieve their aims. It is only a weaker group, unable to win an open and direct conflict, who will resort to such vicious measures, out of desperation.
If Mandela had acted as Gandhi who likewise fought oppression, both in South Africa and India, I would have nothing but respect for him. You see, Gandhi employed civilized, non-violent means to achieve his objectives. Sadly, this was not the case with Mandela. Study their history: the ANC was a criminal, terrorist organisation. They rode to power on a wave of blood, and most of it African blood!
Now, you would do well to ask the average South African black whether his life was easier under Apartheid or the current government. Ask him about his safety, finances, propects for employment and so on and so forth - ask him whether his day-to-day life is easier or harder. When you have your answer, come back and tell me he has succeeding in liberating himself.
While you’re at it, ask a Zimbwabeam if he’d rather live under Smith or Mugabe. The truth is that no matter how much you condemn imperialism, in practice it always works out to be preferable to the alternative - tyranny and anarchy.
People who commit acts of violence against innocents to further their political ends are, by definition, terrorists.
You say terrorism is acceptable if it’s in pursuit of a ”just cause.” Consider this: there is not a nation, group or individual on earth who does not believe their particular cause is just.
Shifting political climates are constantly redefining which causes, historial or current, are just. Your absolute certainty that the ANC’s cause was just, and their violence therefore acceptable, is exactly the fanaticism that drives suicide bombers.
The difference is that your fantacism is not religious but racial. It seems to me you have little knowledge of the historical facts or current situation in Africa. You support Mandela simply because he is a symbol of black liberation. Ultimately, this is entirely predictable. Most people do not think rationally, they think tribally.
As for your assertion that ”much of the suffering in Africa started with the industrial revolution in Europe and Americas,” I reject it utterly. Let me tell you who is responsible for African suffering: Africans.
Another of your wild statements I take issue with is this one: ”...you are proud to live in a world whose development was largely founded on [slaves]...” This is simply false. Yes, slave labour contributed a small part to the success of Western culture. The far greater part of our success has come from our rationality, creativity, moral strength and drive for progress and excellence. Should you wish similar success for Africa, you must work to instill such ideas and values in your people.
Further, your references to ”white terrorists” are false and clearly intended only as insults. A dominant group need not resort to terror tactics to achieve their aims. It is only a weaker group, unable to win an open and direct conflict, who will resort to such vicious measures, out of desperation.
If Mandela had acted as Gandhi who likewise fought oppression, both in South Africa and India, I would have nothing but respect for him. You see, Gandhi employed civilized, non-violent means to achieve his objectives. Sadly, this was not the case with Mandela. Study their history: the ANC was a criminal, terrorist organisation. They rode to power on a wave of blood, and most of it African blood!
Now, you would do well to ask the average South African black whether his life was easier under Apartheid or the current government. Ask him about his safety, finances, propects for employment and so on and so forth - ask him whether his day-to-day life is easier or harder. When you have your answer, come back and tell me he has succeeding in liberating himself.
While you’re at it, ask a Zimbwabeam if he’d rather live under Smith or Mugabe. The truth is that no matter how much you condemn imperialism, in practice it always works out to be preferable to the alternative - tyranny and anarchy.
(Local Perspectives)
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Bush signed the bill passed by the US Congress last Thursday after an agreement between the House of Representatives and the Senate that removes Nelson Mandela from Mighty America’s list of terrorists.
It has taken up to Bush’s administration for the American government to realize that it supported the apartheid in South Africa and the best way to be sorry is by letting the African anti-apartheid here off US list of terrorists.
America…America…what a hypocritical nation you are.
Why did you have to support apartheid in the first place even when you clearly new that it was wrong?
We will never be impressed by whatever America does until you cancel all African debts and pay reparation for slave trade.
”Congress finally stands ready to rid US immigration law of this anachronistic blight.
The Senate and House have now both affirmed that America’s place is on the side of those who fought against apartheid, and there should be no discrimination in our legal code based on their ANC association alone,” said Howard L. Berman, the bill’s author and Democratic Chairman of House Foreign Affairs Committee he said.
This kind of statement is made by hypocrites and even a mad man can realize the great pretence that accompanies it. Shame on you America!