“As I walked out the door toward the gate that would lead to my freedom, I knew if I didn’t leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I’d still be in prison,” – Nelson Mandela, proof that the final form of love is forgiveness.
I remember this song on fm radio from circa 1984. I really thought it was a world music song from Africa at the time. Never would have guessed it was by the Specials. Has it really been thirty-two years since Ghost Town? I'm a fossil.
Anyway, it certainly captured the spirit of the popular movement to free Mandela from his imprisonment. The fact that it was a multi-racial Ska band from England may explain why I always thought it was really from somewhere on the continent of Africa. I used to listen to The African Beat and any world music shows I could come up with in the mid 1980s as much as I could. I often heard wonderful songs in foreign languages with exciting brass and male and female vocals. It was a golden time. A year or so later, I wrote a term paper on Highlife and the origins of Juju music. But I digress.
Many salutations to the brave man that was Nelson Mandela. May he live forever in the pantheon of the most victorious freedom fighters.
Concurrent with today's report is the story of former President Ronald Reagan's infamous veto of anti-Aparteid legislation in Congress. His veto was successfully overturned by BOTH parties in BOTH chambers - sending a loud and clear moral message that would be impossible to achieve in today's Congress.
When the ship of history left port, it left former President Ronald Reagan behind.
"leave my bitterness and hatred behind" and that's what, in my opinion, differentiates him from the common lot of 'heroes.' Some other "men of peace" would have dreamed of hellfire and world destruction. Perhaps there's some mountain in South Africa they could carve his face on. . .
Ah, but yes the redoubtable Ronald -- oh wait, I meant irredeemable. Remember how he told us that the Waffen SS were 'victims' of the war? Perhaps there's some foetid bus station toilet where we could carve his initials on the wall?
I am always tempted to portray Reagan as a moderating force within the republican party, which he might have been. I don't concern myself with his CIA related activities in South America. I did at the time. I used to listen to a weekly report entitled simply, "Covert Operations," on KPFK Los Angeles. I often used his birthday and biography as an exciting activity for SNF level seniors. On a human level, he was just another ordinary person. With several credits and honors to his person. One cannot forget his efforts to normalize relations with the CCCP.
Of course, I remember that his most damaging activities were his response to the protests against the Viet Nam war, specifically at the Brain Trust located at UC Berkeley.
Reagan was involved in high-profile conflicts with the protest movements of the era. On May 15, 1969, during the People's Park protests at UC Berkeley, Reagan sent the California Highway Patrol and other officers to quell the protests, in an incident that became known as "Bloody Thursday". Reagan then called out 2,200 state National Guard troops to occupy the city of Berkeley for two weeks in order to crack down on the protesters. When the Symbionese Liberation Army kidnapped Patty Hearst in Berkeley and demanded the distribution of food to the poor, Reagan joked, "It's just too bad we can't have an epidemic of botulism."
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“As I walked out the door toward the gate that would lead to my freedom, I knew if I didn’t leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I’d still be in prison,” – Nelson Mandela, proof that the final form of love is forgiveness.
ReplyDeleteI remember this song on fm radio from circa 1984. I really thought it was a world music song from Africa at the time. Never would have guessed it was by the Specials. Has it really been thirty-two years since Ghost Town? I'm a fossil.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, it certainly captured the spirit of the popular movement to free Mandela from his imprisonment. The fact that it was a multi-racial Ska band from England may explain why I always thought it was really from somewhere on the continent of Africa. I used to listen to The African Beat and any world music shows I could come up with in the mid 1980s as much as I could. I often heard wonderful songs in foreign languages with exciting brass and male and female vocals. It was a golden time. A year or so later, I wrote a term paper on Highlife and the origins of Juju music. But I digress.
Many salutations to the brave man that was Nelson Mandela. May he live forever in the pantheon of the most victorious freedom fighters.
Concurrent with today's report is the story of former President Ronald Reagan's infamous veto of anti-Aparteid legislation in Congress. His veto was successfully overturned by BOTH parties in BOTH chambers - sending a loud and clear moral message that would be impossible to achieve in today's Congress.
ReplyDeleteWhen the ship of history left port, it left former President Ronald Reagan behind.
"leave my bitterness and hatred behind" and that's what, in my opinion, differentiates him from the common lot of 'heroes.' Some other "men of peace" would have dreamed of hellfire and world destruction. Perhaps there's some mountain in South Africa they could carve his face on. . .
ReplyDeleteAh, but yes the redoubtable Ronald -- oh wait, I meant irredeemable. Remember how he told us that the Waffen SS were 'victims' of the war? Perhaps there's some foetid bus station toilet where we could carve his initials on the wall?
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI am always tempted to portray Reagan as a moderating force within the republican party, which he might have been. I don't concern myself with his CIA related activities in South America. I did at the time. I used to listen to a weekly report entitled simply, "Covert Operations," on KPFK Los Angeles. I often used his birthday and biography as an exciting activity for SNF level seniors. On a human level, he was just another ordinary person. With several credits and honors to his person. One cannot forget his efforts to normalize relations with the CCCP.
ReplyDeleteOf course, I remember that his most damaging activities were his response to the protests against the Viet Nam war, specifically at the Brain Trust located at UC Berkeley.
Reagan was involved in high-profile conflicts with the protest movements of the era. On May 15, 1969, during the People's Park protests at UC Berkeley, Reagan sent the California Highway Patrol and other officers to quell the protests, in an incident that became known as "Bloody Thursday". Reagan then called out 2,200 state National Guard troops to occupy the city of Berkeley for two weeks in order to crack down on the protesters. When the Symbionese Liberation Army kidnapped Patty Hearst in Berkeley and demanded the distribution of food to the poor, Reagan joked, "It's just too bad we can't have an epidemic of botulism."