generalspeaking

All for One and One for All

In his visit to South Africa, American President Barack Obama will find some reminders of the kind of apartheid that existed in his own country, the country of which he, as a biracial American, is now chief executive. The mourning reflecting the honour in which Nelson Mandela, former long-time resident and chief-rock-breaker of Robben Island, reincarnated as president of a free South Africa, is reminiscent of the huge esteem in which civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is held in America as a symbol of courage and determination and freedom for his oppressed people.

There are other similarities, the haste with which Mr. Mandela's family members gather to begin the process of inheriting not necessarily his courageous mantle of moral exceptionalism, but the millions he is said to have put away for one of those proverbial rainy days. It is raining heavily, in South Africa, the people copiously weeping their grief, Xhosa and Zulu, stricken to realize the end is nigh for their indomitable hero, and fearful of what is yet to come between tribal insecurities.

And visiting President Obama, wishing to proffer his respect, unwilling to appear as though he is present as this time as a figure of huge repute in the prime of his youthful vigour, at a time of his domination on the world stage as leader of the free world, of the most powerful country on Earth. A grandee visiting his poverty-stricken, but nobly advancing cousins, thrice-removed. Doubtless President Obama will be somewhat less than charmed to view the manipulations outside Mediclinic Heart Hospital.

Where the African National Congress, indisputably linked with Nelson Mandela, now transferred from control of the Xhosa tribe to that of the Zulus under current Congress leader and President of the country, Jacob Zuma, is indulging in some fortuitous electioneering. Reminding grieving South Africans of all that they owe to the ANC, and to the fading spirit of the one and only Nelson Mandela.

Who handed the torch of South Africa's destiny to Jacob Zuma. Who is himself, good man that he is, prepared to carry on the tradition of Madiba. Or something akin to it. Preparing to overlook the insecurity of the country's dedication to democratic ideals, where the poverty level persists in its wide sweep, exacerbating an out-of-control violent crime rate, huge unemployment rolls, and housing scarcity for those long promised all would be realized in due time.

President Obama has no intention of inserting himself into this historic moment of the passing of one of the world's most respected icons for peace and equality among people. "I don't need 'a photo op' and the last thing I want to do is to be in any way obtrusive at a time when the family is concerned with Nelson Mandela's condition", he said on disembarking from Air Force One, on his historic visit, a sensitive observation, natural to the character of the man.

Natural to the character of the man who is his South African counterpart, is the propensity to obtrude at a time of huge emotional sensitivity, however. Hugely obvious ANC banners posted by the entrance to the hospital. Supporters of the ANC wearing green and yellow, bused in to sing and march for the cameras. ANC partisans streaming behind a truck covered with signage exhorting voters to re-elect Jacob Zuma, the new hero of the African National Congress.

Labels: Celebrity, Colonialism, Diplomacy, Discrimination, Health, Heritage, Human Relations, South Africa, United States

posted by Pieface @ Saturday, June 29, 2013