Thetownend.com

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-25249520

Glad he's at peace. Not good to see time catching up with a strong man.

Complex character with an incredible life, who changed the world without doubt.

Eurgh.. vile man.

Brace yourself for the "whites are the root of all evil" subtext to be on overdrive in the coverage of this in the coming days  ::)

Expect the Boers in South Africa are shitting themselves right now.

He was always very nice about you.  :crash:

The word legend is banded about to easy these days.
This man is a legend and his name will live for evermore in human history.
You have to try and understand the oppresion he lived under to have a bit of understanding of how brave he was to fight for his principles...which basicly were to have the same rights as a man with lighter skin.

When Dosser and Crispy agree on something, you know it must be wrong.

I'm not trying to be controversial here, but how many lives would it have taken to have been lost in this storm for the Mandela story not to have commanded the lead headline (and thus far the first 45 mins) of the 10 O' Clock news?

10,20,30 to have perished?

Feel free to just fuck off mate,why when someone dies do some people feel the urge to be a total cunt. You are moaning about coverage yet started the thread u prick

The death of one of the most famous people in the world is always going to dominate the news, I'm not sure what you were expecting to happen on the news programs tonight

Total cunt? How is that?

I was implying that an unfolding tragedy in our own Isles should not have been relegated so far down tonight's news. I started the thread because it is a momentous occasion. Enough said. Feeble minded wanker.

What's the unfolding tradegy here? The little breeze?

Only the biggest tidal surge since circa 1950. Thousands flooded out their homes.

I would also defy DRS to read back my posts and explain how it is I have been derogatory to Nelson Mandela.  :hmmm:

I'll leave you to it.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v293/EABaldwin/DOWNLOADED%20Images%20from%20the%20Web/1aquote-mandela-hate.jpg) (http://media.photobucket.com/user/EABaldwin/media/DOWNLOADED%20Images%20from%20the%20Web/1aquote-mandela-hate.jpg.html)

Apartheid all night long when I found out Mandela was dead.

Dosser, just this once, could you *please* shut the fuck up?

Uncle Ben's rice will never be the same.

I'm glad he lived to a ripe old age and got to see the change in his homeland, as well as lead his country.

Fake grief irritates me. Yes it's big news and yes it's a global icon who has died. But I was in primary school when he came out the office.

It's interesting, morbid, fascinating news. But it's not gutting, devastating or heartbreaking. At least, not for English people my age. So stop flooding social media saying it is you clueless cunts.

That comes across badly, but I know what I mean

Have to agree with you. 95's a great innings though, especially given the facts of his life.

Another mans terrorist is another mans freedom fighter....

Oh the irony.
Flooding social media to tell us to....stop flooding social media.

DMR's hardly 'flooding' social media Leefer. Unless he's reposted that on Twitter, FB, err some other sites...

Someone has died, not a time for debate. The only thing that will annoy me is the fawning overdone coverage by the media.

We get inappropriate, self-obsessed cathartic, he was a hero, blah blah deaths quite often. I don't think this is one of those times.

One of the most important people of the 20th century. Not a perfect man, but his legacy is good. People get called heroes, but I don't think you can be a hero without a struggle. Don't forget that he was in his 70's when he bought an end to apartheid. This is a man who spent the vast majority of his life in a struggle.

Don't rise to EDL twats like Crispy.

On a more amusing note, I always enjoyed the quite bewildering visit from Charlie Dimmock and the Ground Force team. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/565013.stm

There won't be many people with such a footprint on the world to die in any of our lifetimes. RIP.

This x 10

Can't get away from it on Sky Sports either

Spot on, a very influential man has died, but I very much doubt there are many British people heartbroken.
It was the same when that Paul Walker died in the week, yes it's not nice, but as DMR said, were the people on twitter actually devastated?

One of the most important men of our lifetimes. What a difference he made for good.

Guaranteed an Oscar for Idris Elba

Ghandi achieved more without any bloodshed.

Not directly no. But Mandela's great achievement was that South Africa transitioned relatively peacefully to the post-apartheid era when many predicted a vicious civil war. Whereas Gandhi's legacy was brutal sectarian strife which saw a subcontinent riven by a civil conflict that claimed the lives of half a million. Gandhi may have personally eschewed violence but the events he set in train caused massive bloodshed. Which is not a criticism of Gandhi, just pointing the direct comparison is a little flawed

What ever happened to Charlie Dimmock?

Very well put. 

I'm waiting for Fidel Castro to be officially gone next...for an interesting historical reflection.

Blimey, I agree with a serious Ben post...  What is the world coming to.

This x2.

Good Post Ben.

Maybe for Luther  :hmmm:

RIP Nelson

She recently had a cameo role as herself on the sky show 'The cafe'. She's a big girl now.
She seemed to disappear for a few years after her mum was killed by the tsunami 

 :gay: :fishing:


Straight from a discussion on Facebook ... 'Like I said, what he has done post prison is good, really good. But to ignore what he did before hand because of the good he's since done is nothing less than the ignorance you're accusing me of.'

It's easy to criticise when you don't live in an authoritarian society prone to using force and you don't have democratic rights to change that society or that government.

Quite true.. and to say "prone to using force" is putting it mildy.

My Mrs has rellies in SA. I get the impression that they have great repect for the man and what he has done.

I also have great respect for the man and his legacy. The quote used above "One mans terrorist is another mans freedom fighter" is very apt. Mandela strove for a peaceful solution and as I understand it, pushed for the ANC to not use violence. This was met by the Government forces visiting indiscriminate violence on the black and coloured population. As a result Mandela asked the question- "Why strive for peace when the other side uses violence".

A just question.

I think the current white South Africa feared Mandelas death as some feel it was his living that kept the lid on things. They didn't want to sully his memory while he was alive. Zuma now needs to step up and keep things under control.

hope this doesn't hit the wrong note, but this not a day to have the radio on in the background, (R5 live). No one (bar Crispy) is any doubt about the greatness of this man, and the gravity of this news, but 7 hrs of the the same thing over and over again does not make for stimulating listening.
God help us when the Queen dies...

couldn't agree more

The Glasgow Helicopter coverage was worse over night last week,constant replaying of interviews and goulish questioning

Saw a little bit of it on sky this morning.  Got pissed off when they felt they had to report about the way the story came through to them.  Is that news?  Or was I just grumpy after finding out the cricet score.  RIP and all that.

Yeah and those cunting resistance fighters in France between 1940-44
 what wankers they were. they were alright after june6 1944 though.

twat.

at least he wasn't defenestrated

It's every fucker wanting to associate with Mandela and claim a piece of him as their own that irritates me the most.  Who cares what Nick Clegg thinks about Mandela?  Or Gordon Brown (he taught me courage) or Trevor fucking Nelson (what Mandela did for music)?

But the true low point was reached when Sepp Blatter was given at least a minute of air time on BBC Radio 5 this morning to talk about the passing of his 'dear friend'.  Rarely can anyone have shat on a great man's legacy with so little thought so soon after he died.

Yep, totally get that. Such is the diluted importance of air time these days. Hearing Clegg, Brown et al celebrate his struggle must make 27 years in prison so worthwhile!

But I think for the people who really count, for whom he really meant the difference between life and death, between surviving and living, the mourning and the gratitude is genuine.

Its alright, he stopped the minutes silence for Mandela a few seconds in and asked for a round of applause for him and football.

What a twat.

I long for the day blatter snuffs it, senile old corrupt cunt

Agreed...I reached those particular buffers, on the demise of Robert Maxwell, when all the usual suspects vied to come up with the most vomit inducing nausea. His chairmanship of the Scum should have been enough to flag up his Mephistophelean qualities, before the full extent of his corruption leaked out.

However one of the pleasures modern of media saturation, is that, it is in fact easier to avoid the shite and pick out the salient points; a bit like walking through a 70's festival toilet area.

did he actually? !

According to Dan Walker BBC yeah

@mrdanwalker: Blatter ends minute silence for Mandela after a few seconds and asks for applause for him & 'football' #Odd #WorldCupDraw

@mrdanwalker: Size of Brazil: 200 million people
Size of #WorldCupDraw tent: massive
Size of Blatter's Ego: immeasurable

If anybody was in doubt over what a massive cunt he is, that will surely put it beyond doubt.

Never met anyone ..

To the one who trotted out the trite comment "One mans terrorist..."

By the same token, were the perpetrators of the Omagh bloodshed event freedom fighters? Not so comfortable now, heh?

How's the tire burning going Nelson?

No hero of mine. Anyone the mainstream media eulogise over is most likely a scumbag.

Crispy knows  :toocool:

I'm holding back about South Africa

Fall over yourselves and brown nose because it accredits your credentials as 'mankind is all accepting'.

Drip fed by the mainstream

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntLsElbW9Xo

Ask Nelson's family about his connection to the Rhodes family, who have pillaged South Africa of its resources for generations. Take the diamonds back to Antwerp, Mr Oppenheimer, whilst fomenting dissent amongst the dispossessed against an imaginary oppressor. They'll be in the shadows.

Laughing at your tributes, they're in fits of laughter.

Look beneath the surface, you've been conned.

Nelson Mandela  :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick: :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick: :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick: :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick: :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick: :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick: :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick: :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick: :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

"Freedom Fighter"  :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick: :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick: :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick: :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick: :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick: :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick: :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick: :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick: :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick: :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick: :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick: :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick: :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick: :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:


Don't let them treat you like dopes.

Yeah alright Eugene

I know the reference Tans, I'm not thick. Terre Blanche?

Don't misrepresent me, everything I have said is based in fact.

Stop living the superficial drivel supplied by those who yank your chain.

Very revealing comment. Crispy, this guy, Mexico Red, is a dope.

Cowardice in action. This chap would have no compunction about describing IRA actions as legitimate, would he? No he wouldn't, because it's too close to home. He'd rather allude to some nonsense in France. Says it all really.

On it early again today then Dosser?

Smashed and proud, but still clear minded Flashheart. Just pointing out hippocracy (?)  :)

There is a fair bit of 'glory hunting' going on about all this. Don't understand the need to quote Mandela the moment you hear he dies. If he had that much of an impact on your life why weren't you banging on about him during his life.

Don't get me wrong as that said I have a lot of respect for the bloke, hell of a life and I always like people who have the courage to stand up and be counted.

Well said Jan. I've said enough on this issue. He was a courageous man but let's not deflect from inflating the fact that South Africa is an utter hellhole. 10,500 murdered yearly. Give me grief TEF but I'm out on this subject.

I would like to thank Crispy for having the cajones to face the onslaught of sycophantic shite spoke about this murderous cunt and soldier on through the storm.

Here's to you Crispy  :pint:

I hope you TEF's have earnt your brownie points in abeyance to the system. The thought police won't come knocking.

Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

What a tool.

Hertha, it don't matter a jot to me what you throw, keep buttering up the same elites, they love your worship

I despair at the willingness of people to make sacrosanct that which is deeply flawed.

If only we all shared your clarity of thought, Doss.

Thanks Ardiles

I'm not being belligerent or provocative, just airing a differing opinion about Saint Mandela. I better shut up now.

All the best

:D

Funny. I've not felt the need to either praise or condemn the man. Personally I'll leave others to that. What I find tiresome is the extremes that people express. Everyone is flawed,  as you should know. Measure a man by everything,  good and bad. Your black and white world bemuses me.

Totally agree Hertha

Well put. Shades of grey are required when discussing Mandela's legacy. I guess, like Crispy, I've flipped the issue on its head just to incite debate, instead of the cloying hero worship that we've been subjected to.

Good luck, I'm not a bad person.

Signing off.

Dosser

Its a bit preachy to constantly quote/bang on about something all the time. When someone dies its a good to to reflect on them. A public eulogy if you like.

Regardless of why he was banged up, and whether the ends justified the means. What he (and De Klerk) did helped end apartheid and arguably assisted in reducing racism in this country. 

Rather agree with Batch - a eulogy isn't such a bad thing when someone dies even if wall to wall coverage and beatification irritate.

Personally Mandela's perseverance against massive odds was what I admired - a millilitre of that injected straight into the backbone of our cricketers wouldn't go amiss.  I also thought he could have launched a Mandela Legacy brand of shirts - they were memorable.

I believe that what Mandela and De Klerk deserve massive credit for is an openness to the sensibilities of others.  Beats hurling words like "racist" or "terrorist" about as an argument-ending justification for an opinion.  IMO it contributed significantly to the relatively bloodless re-emergence of South Africa into the democratic world.

Still don't understand the minutes silence at football though. But that's my opinion

Respect that opinion.

I happen to think that South Africa may not have staged the World Cup without Mandela's contribution to the emergence of South Africa (ie boycotts or too unstable) so he must share in the blame for the vuvuzela.

Has Dosty actually signed off now, he threatened it in about 4 of his posts today...

Not getting into the debate but the way that Dosty preaches to people on here and castigates anyone that has a differing opinion to him really is quite tiresome..

Is that a place where horses get the vote?

This was vaguely funny, the rest was laughable.

 :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick: :beers:

(http://i.imgur.com/qQvPdpD.gif)