The news that Nelson Mandela has died is, of course, bringing forth a ton of speeches, tributes, and encomia from all over the world. Not surprising, most of it self-serving. Let's recall that Mandela was taken off the U.S.'s official list of "terrorists" only in 2008. And that the CIA outed his whereabouts to the South African apartheid regime in 1962.
The transcript of Obama's comments is particularly galling. I know this man lies through his teeth as smoothly as any snake oil salesman, but he outdid himself yesterday:
. . . And like so many around the globe, I cannot fully imagine my own life without the example that Nelson Mandela set. And so long as I live, I will do what I can to learn from him.
We will not likely see the likes of Nelson Mandela again, so it falls to us as best we can to forward the example that he set -- to make decisions guided not by hate but by love, never discount the difference that one person can make, to strive for a future that is worthy of his sacrifice.What do you think Mandela would've thought of all the people you're murdering by drone, Big O?? How about force-feeding, i.e., torture, at Guantanamo? What about the NDAA? What about the hounding and/or imprisoning of whistleblowers such as Bradley Manning, Barrett Brown, Aaron Swartz, John Kiriakou, Edward Snowden? What about your economic policies, which are destroying the middle class just as surely as did Reagan, Clinton, and Bush?
The stench of hypocrisy is so strong I'm surprised I have a sense of smell left.
(And by the way, folks, it's pronounced "a-par-tate," not "a-par-tide." If I have to hear one more journalist or politician mangling "apartheid," I'll scream.)
