People have forgotten that Mr. Mandela spent 27 years in prison and that Pres. Raygunz said in debate against Mondale all opposition to state apartheid in South Africa stemmed from communist instigation.
27 years of imprisonment, the last 18 spent on Robben Island, where "[H]e and others performed hard labour in a lime quarry. Prison conditions were very basic. Prisoners were segregated by race, with black prisoners receiving the fewest rations. Political prisoners were kept separate from ordinary criminals and received fewer privileges. Mandela describes how, as a D-group prisoner (the lowest classification) he was allowed one visitor and one letter every six months...."
His release came after years of protests and economic boycotts against the racist regime notable among them Artist United against Apartheid, a gathering of diverse musicians organized by Little Steven Van Zandt
with rockers and rappers recording a protest song and vowing not to play in the S. African resort, Sun City.The mtv pop-up video below Amazon link gives a good overview of issues involved.
The ska band the Specials recorded a song, "Free Nelson Mandela." Six years later, Mandela received his freedom, released from prison, "Great God almighty free at last."
Economic sanctions from governments around the world helped move S Africa to democracy and freedom for Mandela.
Many measures came after citizens lobbied their local governments and public institutions to divest investments with companies that did business with or in S Africa.
Despite opposition of the Raygunz administration, ordinary citizens helped move S Africa to freedom.
People power works: Satyagraha in S Africa, ending the reign of Ferdinand Marcos in the Phillipines, bringing down the Berlin wall
Maybe the Springsteen concert coincidentally on July 18, 1988 in East Berlin even helped mobilize people for change.
Maybe, just maybe, Mr. Obama can mobilize people to change the corrupt Washington, DC, political culture.
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