tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169151311037688512.post5050689334666155229..comments2024-01-07T09:36:51.796-08:00Comments on Chess, Comics, Crosswords, Books, Music, Cinema: Nelson Mandela: 1918-2013Prashant C. Trikannadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16079354501998741758noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169151311037688512.post-88726443071093385202013-12-11T21:24:08.911-08:002013-12-11T21:24:08.911-08:00Ron, an interesting observation. It was said about...Ron, an interesting observation. It was said about Gandhi too, and Churchill saw it. Martin Luther King, Jr, Nelson Mandela, and the Dalai Lama borrowed from Gandhi's avowed principle of "ahimsa" or protests through non-violent means, also known as passive resistance. In fact, his mass civil disobedience movement was more a tactic than a moral line to push the British towards granting India self-rule. It has been acknowledged that Gandhi wouldn't have achieved all that he did had he not been politically shrewd. His frequent hunger strikes were a potent tool to make both friends and foes follow his line of thinking. He gave the British many sleepless nights. In that sense Gandhi was a statesman-politician. In the end, he succeeded, without raising his voice or his hand.Prashant C. Trikannadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16079354501998741758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169151311037688512.post-88691889233220459432013-12-11T11:52:12.868-08:002013-12-11T11:52:12.868-08:00Someone interviewed in the media here observed tha...Someone interviewed in the media here observed that Mandela used nonviolence as a tactic rather than as a moral principle. I suspect he learned that from Gandhi. I'm wondering whether Gandhi would have left a different legacy had he lived to die as Mandela did. Maybe you have an opinion about that.Ron Scheerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15357501069513854664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169151311037688512.post-66113061589593588352013-12-09T03:21:52.137-08:002013-12-09T03:21:52.137-08:00Col, thanks for referring to Mandela's "l...Col, thanks for referring to Mandela's "lack of bitterness." I ought to have mentioned it in my post. It reminded me of Mahatma Gandhi's famous quote—"The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong."Prashant C. Trikannadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16079354501998741758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169151311037688512.post-27866002834517610752013-12-09T03:19:40.739-08:002013-12-09T03:19:40.739-08:00Tracy, you're welcome. I thought he deserved i...Tracy, you're welcome. I thought he deserved it. He was candid about his weaknesses and often told his people not to see him as some kind of a messiah. Prashant C. Trikannadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16079354501998741758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169151311037688512.post-110022844973548932013-12-09T03:18:04.600-08:002013-12-09T03:18:04.600-08:00Neer, and the rest of the world stood by and watch...Neer, and the rest of the world stood by and watched him rot away the best of his years in prison.Prashant C. Trikannadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16079354501998741758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169151311037688512.post-48083549723756658232013-12-09T03:16:54.008-08:002013-12-09T03:16:54.008-08:00Charles, one can imagine what a towering presence ...Charles, one can imagine what a towering presence he was for most South Africans. Prashant C. Trikannadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16079354501998741758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169151311037688512.post-23512311985007701572013-12-09T03:02:19.719-08:002013-12-09T03:02:19.719-08:00Sarah, he had a dream for South Africa, in fact, f...Sarah, he had a dream for South Africa, in fact, for the whole of Africa, but unfortunately things aren't shaping up as he probably had in mind.Prashant C. Trikannadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16079354501998741758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169151311037688512.post-73357988635743227502013-12-08T20:56:22.379-08:002013-12-08T20:56:22.379-08:00I think his lack of bitterness was amazing. He was...I think his lack of bitterness was amazing. He was truly remarkable.col2910https://www.blogger.com/profile/06422138069939709043noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169151311037688512.post-53764204180842376132013-12-07T22:44:13.483-08:002013-12-07T22:44:13.483-08:00He was an amazing man. Thanks for this post, Prash...He was an amazing man. Thanks for this post, Prashant.TracyKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08303342674824383688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169151311037688512.post-14231262720240897612013-12-07T17:08:02.286-08:002013-12-07T17:08:02.286-08:0027 years in prison! That's a life time.27 years in prison! That's a life time. neerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01986509319841061021noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169151311037688512.post-55541759568210996462013-12-07T08:33:54.009-08:002013-12-07T08:33:54.009-08:00Even in his closing years he was still such a palp...Even in his closing years he was still such a palpable presence. He will be missed.Charles Gramlichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02052592247572253641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169151311037688512.post-40268846462372500262013-12-07T07:13:31.421-08:002013-12-07T07:13:31.421-08:00I was watching the news about the approaching stor...I was watching the news about the approaching storm in the UK when news came in about Mandela's death. His achievements are remarkable and he really was one of a kind.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com