Is there a Neslon Mandela in all of us?

What did Nelson Mandela stand for?  Why was he so great? When did he know he was destined to become who he was?  Nelson Mandela was above all else a Freedom Fighter!

In his own words: "I had no epiphany, no singular revelation, no moment of truth, but a steady accumulation of a thousand slights, a thousand indignities and a thousand unremembered moments produced in me an anger, a rebelliousness, a desire to fight the system that imprisoned my people." (from Long Walk to Freedom) 

That is what made him great. Do we have that in our people?  Do you know someone in your group that is like that?  Mandela gave up his life for his people. Can you imagine that?

Heck many in modern society can't even give up going for a car ride. Shit.

But there are many in general society and our own communities, that are freedom fighters. There many different types and different scales of struggle and sacrifice.

Some of those freedom fighters believe that words are not enough. Mandela felt this way at one time as well.

 "Sebatanan ha se bokwe ka diatla (the attacks of the wild beast cannot be averted with only bare hands)"

You see those girls singing in Russia that have been jailed? Those women are freedom fighters. Those  Greenpeace activist jailed in Russia for trying to climb an oil rig, well they are freedom fighters.

Now in no way am I comparing Mandela's fight, plight and success with that of others. Its just that there are many freedom fighters at various times, places and activities. Some freedom fighters have given their lives. Some have been jailed for 27 years under horrific conditions. Some are exiled, some are ostracized while others are inconvenienced. There are many different types of people doing many types of things to make the world they live in a better place. In Mandela's case he went to jail for his cause and his beliefs.

Mandela loved his country and his people. But he was not unrealistic.

"Many people have painted an idealistic picture of the egalitarian nature of African Society, and while in general I agree with this portrait, the fact is that Africans do not always treat each other as equals. Industrialization has played a large role in introducing urban African to the perceptions of status common to white society."

In the world today we must look at the reality of things. Can we be like Mandela? Can we look ourselves in the face and see what is there?

I know there are many in our community, the Indian community that believe we are lost, we are doomed, we are destined to become part of the white society. I think we are not. Our community is not the idealistic picture as well.  But our community has great things. One of those great things is people and a belief. Our beliefs in our ways is our strength. Sure we have some issues. We have been subjected to a vicious attack on our spirit. We are still living through that attack. There are some pains. Still we are recovering and there are those that never got broken.  Like in Mandela's case, there is no one thing that is awakening us. It is a host of thousands of stabs, that we are overcoming.

There are many freedom fighters in our community right now. All you have to remember is Idle No More. There are freedom fighters being born as we speak. Some are in grade school. I see this one little baby at many of the rallies. His mom is teaching him. To be proud of his people.

That is what Mandela was about, his people. He is an inspiration to all people.

We can build of off people like Mandela. In varying degrees of course.

We have people . We have freedom fighters in many ways.