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Difficult to be a statesman? Mais oui! That's why they are rare. Another statesman. Nelson Mandela. After spending over two decades as a communist political prisoner in apartheid South Africa, saw beyond the narrow horizon of retribution and hate, buttressed by banal demagoguery, put the future of his nation before personal needs for racial or ethnic vindication. And with people like Archbp. Tutu chose the path of healing in instituting the Truth and Reconciliation Committee, a fully Christian-inspired political solution to moving past the horrible and corrupt history oppression and violence in that country. These actions came out of suffering and the desires to do right for the people and not for political expediency. It is possible but one has to be willing, as Jesus says, to give up one's own life,including political life. Both Mandela and Tutu had wrestled with this and came out of the other side, while political hacks are all about self-preservation. The Republicans in light of Newt Gingrinch's "revolution" has shown that it is no better than the Dems in falling prey to the corruption of money and power. We are now in the throes of power games to see who will control the coffers so that they can divy out favors to their people.
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