NELSON MANDELA - IN THE PRESENCE OF A GIANT

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Born July 18, 1918, in Umtata, Transkei, South Africa. Anti-apartheid activist, Leader of African National Congress, arrested in 1962, released Feb. 11, 1990, elected President of South Africa 1994-1999, winner of Nobel Peace Prize in 1993.

excerpt from article in CITIZEN-TIMES, Asheville newspaper 7-18-94, titled WITH MANDELA, IT'S ALL ABOUT ACTION, NOT ABOUT WORDS, by Bill McGoun


"Bangkok - He is gray of hair and stooped with age.  He steadied himself with a cane in his right hand and was assisted by an aide on his left.  He proceeded slowly up the ramp to the speaker's platform in Conference Room A of the Media Center at the IMPACT Exhibit Center....

There was no mistaking that this was a special morning.The corridors of the Exhibition Center have been a mass of humanity all week, what with 17,000 people on hand for the XV International Aids Conference. But this was different.  Hundreds were lined up outside the Media Center, evidently restrained by a barrier.  I had hurried inside, past a continuation of the barrier, and taken a seat in the second row.

As the guest appeared the room got nearly quiet.  The spectators knew they were in the presence of a giant.  This aged man endured 28 years of imprisonment to free 38 million of his countrymen from their shackles.  He showed that a land once ruled with an iron hand by a white minority can transition to black rule without massive bloodshed or a continuation of oppression with the roles reversed.

Nelson Mandela.  Those two words say volumes.  They speak of courage few of us can even comprehend.  They represent a man with every reason to be bitter and vindictive who instead led his nation into a rebirth for all its people, whether their ancestors lived in Africa, Europe or Asia.

His body may be frail but his voice isn't....he was brief and to the point Thursday morning....

He inspires with his life. When he finished, he left the stage and did not take questions.  That didn't matter to me.  What would I have asked?  What insight could he give with his words now that he has not long ago given with his actions."