Author: Sylvia Burley
I can’t believe there are some so vile that, even in his death, they harangue others for praising the late President Nelson Mandela. Luckily, conservatives like Newt Gingrich are speaking out against this, acknowledging Mandela for his life’s work of fighting against the tyranny of South African apartheid.
On his conservative Gingrich Productions blog, Newt Gingrich “issued a heartfelt and personal statement about the passing of President Nelson Mandela.” Apparently, some people took issue with this, slamming Gingrich for his kind words.
In a smoldering response titled, “What Would You Have Done? Nelson Mandela and American Conservatives,” Gingrich asks his fellow conservatives:
“…where were some of these conservatives as allies against tyranny? Where were the masses of conservatives opposing Apartheid? In a desperate struggle against an overpowering government, you accept the allies you have just as Washington was grateful for a French monarchy helping him defeat the British.”
Many of these maligners use the cover of social media to spew their racist propaganda calling President Mandela a communist, killer, and the like, for the part he played in fighting apartheid before his 27-year imprisonment. They seem to forget America’s history is fraught with stories of righteous rebellion and how the “patriots” wrestled control of the “colonies” away from England.
These same Conservatives are probably the folks that would just as soon continue to interpret the US Constitution the way our nation’s forefathers did in all of their hypocrisy. Our country has evolved since then, and it has taken many leaders, politicians and plain folk to ensure that our laws, policies and customs changed to match the visionary movement of true “equality” for all of our citizens. Nelson Mandela was able effect change in South Africa in a generation. That’s transformative and worthy of praise in life, but most certainly in death.
Photo #1 Credit: Heratio Valentino
Hip Hop Enquirer Magazine | Follow us @HipHopEnquirer
