A lot of politicians talk tough, talk about overcoming adversity, talk about making a difference for their people. Not many of them come close to achieving these three things in the same way that this guy did.

He is not without flaws, and South Africa did not become a paradise on earth during his presidency, but on balance, the good far outweighs the bad.

What's with all the haters here? Is RIA the last refuge for Afrikaners and other people nostalgic for apartheid? Then again, maybe it's just ignorance; more than one person refers to Africa as a "county." Anyway, the only real objection to Mandela I see being made is that he is anti-American. Considering that the CIA had some role in his prison term of nearly 30 years, and that Dick Cheney voted to keep him there, do you think that there are maybe some reasons for him to be suspicious of the United States?

hey he is a hero he is a mad cunt and yu should or respect him if it wasn't for him arica would still be a fucked up country

That he is a hero for helping to defeat apartheid is undisputed, but his presidency left much to be desired.

Murderer - you think you can fool the world, you ain't fooling me and many others. God knows your heart and your wickedness. You had better repent and trust Jesus today or you are going to burn in hell.

A great beacon of hope, and the iconic Face of a new South Africa, that radiated humility, and pacified generations of racial inequality. All of this he must be exalted and deified for, yet many see him as a politically inapt leader, whose post-1994 ANC government was fraught with in adequacies. His 27 resilent years of imprisonment bear testament to his great philanthropic conviction yet he was not much more than a victim of circumstances.

The New South Africa had been born without much help from him, the tides of injustice had been for the most part swept away by external pressures, he was merely standing on the shore in 1994, when inevitable had happened.

Gandhi achieved much amidst harsher circumstances yet will be less acclaimed, Mandela came after Civil Rights movements across the United States had achieved great reforms, as well as numerous other events that left South Africa pressured as the last real remaining racially segragated nation in the world. Unlike Gandhi he did not have to initiate a process of awareness to his cause, the Western World had already ensured the potentiality of his legacy. 

Tell me, what is the difference between Mr. Mandela and the Extremists in the Middle East. Both use violence, bombs, intimadation tactics and lies to get to their main objectives. Mandela was found guilty of planning to blow up civilian buildings (what hero kills the innocent?) Its true that after Mandela was released from prison hefought for peace and equality. But remember, he had the rest of the world right behind him, watching every step he made. So he could not show his true colours. This is a man who praises Fadel Castro, Bin Laden, and many other born killers. His beliefs are much the same as theirs, its a fact. He is potrayed as a man of peace. Yet when he was in jail, the South Africa government pleaded with Mr. Mandela to denounce violence, and he refused. This man (mandela) encouraged Hate, Violance and Racism towards whites and coloureds in South Africa. It saddens me that such a man is praised for what he had done prior to being president of South Africa. So can someone please explain to me why Mr. Mandela is viewed as a International hero?

This person is in danger of becoming overrated. The whole thing needs to be put into perspective.

He rose above everything and did a reasonable job.

One word... corrupt.

i am a south african what do u guys want war with sa.dont even think about it he is the most straight polotician in the world bush kills innocent people mandela is the greatest in the world ,well if u dont believe me come to sa and say something bad about him on his grounds i love all countries i am not raciest but u guys need 2 wake up a little hey

Paid his dues and still came back strong.

Well, he probably did play a small part in liberating the black people in South Africa, although I believe the international boycot and political pressure had a much bigger effect. And he managed to get through 5 years as president of SA without doing too much damage. Don't forget that ANC (his old party) is really left wing, though - bordering on communism!

a true world hero........a true symbol of peace in a world that seems to becoming more hostile

Like Mugabe this is a man who has shown that when the white man is running something and running something well he should be free to get on with it no matter what the percentages are. Once again I am a black African!

Too bad he's a terrorist and gets such high poularity. This idiot hates all Americans and he is pro Saddam. I think its time for regime change in South Africa (just kidding).

no comment

Excellent leader for freedom and democracy. Only problem is his time in prison has clouded his judgment of some international situations. He has made friends with the wrong people because in some ways he is still living in the early 1960s.

Shame to those have no idea about what they are talking about. I am South African. I know where my country comes from and where it is today. Our great grandparents and us have endured opression for many years, a lot of young people were tortured, persecuted and brutally killed in the days of apartheid. I am not asking to feel sorry what has happened to South Africa in the past but you have no idea what our country has been through. Let me tell you that South Africa is free and democratic today because of the people like Nelson Mandela and other who devoted their lives to the liberation struggle of our people. If whatever he is doing was for selfish reasons he could have taken the offer that the apartheid government gave him. A luxurious home, a car, money, holidays etc. But because he believe in the freedom of his people he laid his life. For 27 years he stayed in jail he and other great men nearly faced death sentence for fighting for what is right. Freedom of the people. I know that some Americans are upset about Mr. Mandela's take against Mr. Bush. It has nothing to do about being ungrateful but about what is right. What he has always fought for. The Iraqis should not be deprived their rights. Mr. Bush was infringing Iraqis rights by invading their country even after the UN showed disgreement to his plans but no he insisted. America is one of the strongest countries in the world, we respect that. But it should also respect other countries and territories to maintain its respect and reputation. I am not anti-America but I am anti-terrorist.

I gotta give him props for facing 27 years in jail for protesting against apartheid. His wife Winnie there carried his political capaign and did more than he did.

A hero and a man from whom we all can take a lesson in forgiveness. He never gave up hope in the freedom of his people.

Nelson is a great person, if it wasn't for him the apartheid system would of never been dismantled. Many people would of chosen revenge but he chose peace-know that is remarkable.

This guy is a socialist who sides with every corrupt, anti-American politician and country on the planet.

A wonderful, great man. I have so much love and respect for him. Strugled to free South Africa and always stood up for what he believed in. One of the greatest leaders of the 20th century. If he is anti-America it is because he can see how much damage the American ideoloy is doing to the world, with its bloated consumerism and greed. He did a great deal for Suth Africa and made the West wake up to the evil that was apartheid. All of you who criticise him - did you lift a finger to protest about apartheid?

How stupid are all of you? Are you all American? (No racisism intentioned) I mean this guy stopped the blacks being treated lower then the mud that you walk on! He was heard throughout and he was the former African president! Even though he spoke out against "The almighty American President Bush" it doesnt mean that he's a terrorist or that he's someone they should kill. He deserves respect and all of you who saw that he's a criminal or he deserves to be in jail, you are all wrong and thats your opinion. You try marrying someone and then having a son. While your IN JAIL FOR 27 YEARS THEN YOU TRY SITTING IN THERE IN SOLITARY CONFINEMENT AND WORK AND FIND OUT YOUR SON DIED IN A CAR CRASH, PUT YOURSELF IN HIS SHOES! Jaws R U DUMB?! America isn't all of that and a bag of cheerios! Just because America has the nukes doesnt mean anything! You people may have the nukes but CANDA SUPPLIES MOST OF THE FREAKIN URANIUM FOR YOUR HELL RIDDEN ATOMIC BOMBS THAT KILL PEOPLE! U.S.A doing the dirty work? Yea... Right you guys go in, shoot a million innocent people, kill another million innocent people, then nuke the country, then leave saying they did it to themselves!

Try sitting in a cell 27 years and see if you like it.

Nelson Mandela is a convicted terrorist. Convicted for building and planting bombs that killed innocent people. He has always wanted to justify his murderous actions by supporting other sadistic tyrants. He dosn't even dignify being a topic of discussion anywhere. He his a black Stalin...no worse than that. He is a two faced attention seeking scumbag.

Deserves some praise, although there is a strong aversion by patrons of rateitall.com for SOCIALISM, he was the only person because of which a civil War was averted & being in jail for 27 years is not a joke!

Ungrateful communist who's full of anti-U.S. rhetoric. Our great nation takes the time to impose economic sanctions against South Africa to encourage the dismantling of apartheid and to set him free from jail, and this is how the guy repays our efforts. AMERICA, BAY-BEE!!

Amnesty International refused to help this Guy because he was a terrorist (associated with Magabi and other Marxist terrorists throughout Africa). Did much damage to his countries ecconomy and massivly increased it crime. Now preaching heavyly against America (supporting Sadam Husain).

Mandela was allowed out of prison because of pressure from socialist world leaders like WJ Clinton. Now that the conservatives, patriots and libertarians of the world are starting to awaken, future mistakes - that allow terrorists to be released into the public - will not be tolerated. Viva Liberty, Help Free Iraq Now!

Brain dead Marxist Savage. Stick a bone in his nose he's done. Lying Marxist vermin who was justly convicted in open court of plotting to destroy a shopping center filled with women and children as well as other terrorist acts. He and his cowardly band were incapable of defeating the South Africans in open combat and resorted to the other popular Leftist ploy of misinformation. The useful idiots in the west carried on the cause and South Africa was lost. Examine the state of South Africa today to understand the moral depravity of this act. He is Marxist savage and thug. Blacks especially the Xhosa Nation (Mandela's Tribe is Tembu Xhosa) were not the majority in South African except through their mass migration into the country before Zulu aggression in the 19th century and later because of the dysfunctional Black Majority ruled nations in the north. A lesson for any who wholeheartedly support open borders.

great man.

A former terrorist, and life long Marxist, Mandela presided over a period of great social and economic decline in South Africa, yet he's revered by the left. Why? Because he's a Marxist, silly! Nothing else matters.

South Africa needs to help Mandela catch up and catch on. Apparently he failed to understand Bill Clinton was all words and no action and that the current president of the United States is a man of action, character, consistency and determination. Mr. Mandela's lack of information and respect has been terribly costly to his reputation.

How the hell can this guy be at the top of the list? He is a socialist. He says if there is any country in the world who has committed unspeakable altrocities it is the United States. Not Lennin, not Stalin, not Hitler and definitely not Saddam Hussein. What a dimwit. Remember, it was us who was attacked at Pearl Harbor where 2600 US servicemen died. Don't even get me started on September 11. Remember what the Japanese did to the American POW's before we nuked them? Oh, I guess that was inhumane to do. Every country seems to be crucifying the U.S. for bombing Japan except Japan. Gee...I wonder why considering what we did for them afterwards. Bush just pledged $4 billion for aids relief in Mandela's country knowing that he won't be thanked for it and Mandela continues to rip Bush a new one saying he has no business in Iraq. Hey, we have a right to protect out citizens at home and abroad. We don't need UN approval to do that! He also says that the reason there hasn't been a third world war is because of the UN yet every time someone takes up arms the UN runs and hides behind the United States and expects us to do the dirty work. What a coward.

Nelson Mandela is a terrorist, elitist and racist. He uses his color to attain high political stature, while his people suffer in misery and crime, much of which he contributed to. He has committed many acts of murder and terror and has left many children orphaned and homeless. His politics are communist, and he has destroyed the economy of the only country in Africa that actually worked. Radicalsim and racism are bad, even if they come from black people.

This guy is a moron. He is calling US action on Iraq "the beginning of a holocaust," and calling President Bush and our action against evil, well, evil. What a nut!

I love that so many people can make so many baseless attacks on an international hero. It's amazing that people equate leftism with terrorism, especially since Al-Qaeda is incredibly right-wing just for a different religion. This man ended apparteid in South Africa, anyone who disagrees that that was a good thing is a cold-blooded rascist. I respect him EVEN MORE for going against Bush and his idiotic attempt to divert attention from his failing domestic policies. Just so people know this is what a rational reasoned opinion looks like.

Isn't it apparent that the most vocal supporters of Saddam and loudest critics of Bush are affiliated with , have ties to, or tendencies torward communist beleifs? Like A.N.S.W.E.R, the WWP, The Socialist Workers Party, Ramsey Clark, C. Clark Kissinger who is longtime Maoist activist and member of the Revolutionary Communist Party, and of course our wrongly revered Neslon Mandela.

The Libyan terrorist (murderer) who blew up the Pan Am flight in Lockerbee has one person who comforts him, advises him and defends him. That person is Nelson Mandela. That says it all. He supports terrorism as a political tool, he supports terrorists who kill Americans and Brits and quite simply hates whites or non blacks more than anything. It's funny to see the race card being played in the international political arena. If Marion Barry ever became the leader of a country he'd be Mandela.

Anti-U.S. bigot. Get back in your cage Nelson.

God bless this man. He is the Babe Ruth of Humanitarians.

communist....

Nelson M. a commie or a terrorist? Don't think so! Maybe the people who are spreading these incorrect, misinterpreted conceptions are referring to his wife? Please do not forget that it is indeed a very big step from apartheid to democracy. You will notice that this transition has been performed quite smoothly in such a short time! I consider Mandela to be of equal composure as Ghandi. He got peace where most people would have chosen revenge. Truly an inspiration to the nation, if not to the world.

Nelson Mandela is great! After his liberation of South Africa, it has become a better place, as pointed out somewhere by ellajedlicka21. Hmm, maybe my own country can arrange some kind of leader trade! To all you who think South Africa was better before Mandela became the President, I suppose you think apartheid was good, then. After all, that's what South Africa was like before Mandela came along. And I don't give a rat's a** whether he was a communist or not. Come on, you paranoid fanatics, being a communist does not make a person the Devil! Again, Paul Simon's "Graceland"---a good source of info. Take care, everyone!

He is a person of mythical proportions.

Another Criminal becomes a prominent figurehead. OJ is having a ball!

A statesman for the whole continent (and more). A devoted fighter for justice.

This man is a true hero. He suffered unimaginable torture at the hands of the white ruling class during his long incarceration. He never lost faith and never became bitter. If only our politicians could be like this man.