Nelson Mandella Remembered

Last month, South Africa and the world at large lost a very important man. Nelson Mandela, the anti-apartheid hero and former South African President, passed away in his home, leaving behind his family, friends and a grand legacy. Mr. Mandela oversaw a nation of class division and racial injustice. Throughout his life, Mandela did not stop in his pursuit to end apartheid despite all obstacles. Known affectionately as “Madiba” by his supporters, Mandela rose to power under the banner of the African National Congress (ANC), working to end the discriminatory policies of his country.Yet Mandela should be remembered as more than the hero of the oppressed or the face of revolution. Instead, let us reflect on Mandela’s desire to reconcile and unite the people of South Africa and the peoples of the world.Mandela’s brief presidency worked to create reconciliation and transparency between the ANC and opposition parties. This approach was quite unlike the brutal reign of many revolutionary leaders such as President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, who massacred opposition forces after taking power, then terrorized the white minority of Zimbabwe during his attempt to instate land reform. Even very recently, such violent actions could be observed in groups such as the Egyptian military rulers who seized control from the Muslim Brotherhood and proceeded to jail numerous opposition leaders and massacred hundreds of Brotherhood supporters. Even in Libya, American-backed Libyan militia paraded the decapitated body of their former dictator Gadhafi through the streets, firing their rifles into the air.Many times throughout history, revolutionary leaders have been tempted to quell their rivals through blood and force, but Mandela has shown the world that a revolution need not always end in bloodshed. Instead of fueling the oppressed majority to take up arms in antagonizing the white South Africans, Mandela brought forth the humanity of all citizens and worked scrupulously to make all parties and races feel welcome and safe under his new administration.Mandela’s rule, like that of any fledgling government, was far from perfect. He was unable to dismantle the inefficient economic system in place, and the poor of South Africa, albeit with more rights, struggled to get by in the post-apartheid nation. Though a Democratic Constitution was crafted, corruption and justice still continued, and the African National Congress has yet to find another leader who can lead the nation to prosperity. Yet, past the flaws and insecurities, one thing was certain—the people of South Africa were more or less at peace. Mandela’s pragmatism and kindness are traits that are rarely seen in politics today.We ourselves live in a nation that is so polarized that the very word “politics” is greeted with estranged venom. From the message boards of the Internet to the brick walls of ‘non-partisan’ educational institutions, one is never far from the rant of a frustrated citizen. And it is not only the ordinary people who entrench themselves against the opposing party.America’s political leaders, from senators to news media hosts, have mired themselves in the poisonous cycle pointing fingers and blaming the opposition. Recently, Alec Baldwin’s show was cancelled after he shouted homophobic slurs at a FOX news reporter, and Martin Bashir "resigned" after he insinuated that Sarah Palin deserved to be assaulted and defecated upon on air. It has come to the point that Congressmen show party loyalty by declaring the infallibility of their party policies and accusing the other side of trying to hurt Americans. When “America’s finest” political leaders resort to such name-calling and insults, it allows the ordinary citizenry to join in the fray. After all, if party leaders can insult their rival party members, what could be wrong with citizens doing the same? Political debates between citizens either end in a shouting match or before emotions spill. Are civility and unity dead? If not, those who exhibit these values are truly a dying breed.Men like Mr. Mandela are more needed in politics—both in America and around the world. It is an unfortunate reality that it takes tragedy for Americans to come together—that the media briefly respites from hurling insults and accusations at the other party only in order to report on a tragic event. Even the phrase “Americans coming together” lamentably implies that Americans are divided. We are immersed in a vicious environment, which tells us to detest those who differ from us in thoughts and political ideologies. There is a way to allay our disparity, and we need not look farther than Nelson Mandela’s South Africa. And though many may be tempted to call Mr. Mandela’s passing a tragedy, I see this time as a reminder of the viability of being a genuinely kind politician and civil human being. We remember a person who looked for common ground and saw the humanity in every citizen. And hopefully we can heed the wisdom of great men past, such as Nelson Mandela, Gandhi, and Martin Luther King Jr., in the concept that there is always more that unites us than that divides us.