After Madiba - Time for Reflection

Madiba is Laid to Rest. Now it's Time to Respond to Detractors

Now that Nelson Mandela has ended his long walk to freedom forever, and started out on a new journey, it's more appropriate to start discussing some of the less auspicious things that took place over these last 10 days.

Of course, not everyone in South Africa today, or elsewhere in the world held Mandela in the same high regard as the majority. And certainly everyone has the right to their opinions, to voice them, to discuss them. At least here in South Africa they do. It's one of the things forming the framework of our constitution, one of the things Mandela gave his life to achieving.

Scattered among the many, many posts on blogs and in social media paying the authors' last respects to Madiba, were a shameful few that cannot be said to amount to more than biased hatred.

Very Poor Timing

Believe me, I fully support the right of these individuals to say what they want, what they feel. It doesn't matter if I disagree with them.

Of course, if the shoe was on the other foot, those people throwing out condemnation and accusations in blatant language are quite likely the same ones who prevented me from freely voicing my opinions in the past, the same individuals who would take away my freedom of speech should they have that power again. Nevertheless, I say they have the right to be heard!

The only thing, what ill-conceived timing it was to embark on this campaign of fascist neo-nazi hatred during the National 10 Days of Mourning.

It's for that very reason I have not written before. While I found myself compelled to respond to these individuals who sought to promote their own agendas during these 10 days of grief and mourning, I held back out of simple respect for an icon of our times.

Now the time has come when it's more appropriate to open the doors of debate, and talk about these poor spirited persons.

In my next missive I will talk about my attitudes to these morons.