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From the Other Side of the Edge….
“Unity of
Purpose”…Mandela’s Ideal,…Obama’s Failure
By Joe Facinoli
When Nelson Mandela gave his only Inauguration Address, on May 10,
1994, in Capetown, South Africa, he spoke selflessly of the “…need for
a ‘Unity of Purpose’ ”, with which his racially divided, and strife
torn nation could provide themselves a hopeful and forgiving
future.
Almost fifteen years later, on January 20, 2009, in his first
Inauguration Address, in Washington, D.C., USA, Barack Obama bragged
that with his election, the self-indulged and over-indulged American
nation had “…chosen hope over fear, and ‘Unity of Purpose’ over
conflict and discord”, …for its self-indulgent, and ‘progressive’
future.
Any similarity between those two ardent political proposals,…and the
two men who spoke them,….ended with the utterances of that same
profound phrase.
One, used it to unite an entire country, of truly divided cultures,
which had seen discord, conflict, and dispute, as perhaps no other
nation on earth, ever, into a fully functioning, forward moving,
economically stable population, of burgeoning understanding and
tolerance.
The other, used it only to further a personal agenda and ideology,
which was anything but “all-inclusive”, and which did anything but
unite a people, who, with every cultural, economic, and political
opportunity and advantage within their collective grasps, allowed this
leader to push tolerance and understanding, and “Unity”, far into the
background.
One man, …honest, deep thinking, and genuine, used these fervent words
with sincerity, along with his life-learned lessons in compromise and
conciliation, and in finding agreement, settlement, and middle ground,
as a peacemaker, to ultimately lead his citizenry to a gratifying and
successful end, to the greatest of all human schisms---race
relations.
The other man,…shallow, impatient, and self-absorbed, used this phrase
as a throw-away line, and a filler, within a lot of other self-serving
words and “catch phrasings”, meant only as self-promotion, and to
mesmerize his non-thinking followers, while merely advancing his own
personal esteem, with not a thought given of any unification, nor the
solving of any divisions among his population.
Nelson Mandela said many wise things, and provided much inspiration,
and true leadership, to an extremely diverse and difficult
populace.
In his Inauguration speech, he told his people that the work that lay
ahead for them would “….require us all to work together, to bring
an end to division, an end to suspicion, and build a nation United in
our diversity.”
He was speaking of two groups of people, who in previous decades had
endured, or perpetrated slavery, mass killings, complete and savage
denial of rights and even the most basic of human needs, and who now,
through his leadership, and the compromise he showed his nation how to
accomplish, were willing to try for that “Unity”.
Barack Obama, says anything he can, to make himself look like a leader,
while never taking any responsibility for anything he says, unless it
works out…for him.
When speaking recently, of a dispute among the two major political
parties in the U.S. (not exactly warring tribal factions, nor
murderous, vengeful groups of killers and human abusers), which
affected every single person within the United States (funding the
govt., you remember, I’m sure), BHO would only say that he would not,
and would never, negotiate with the opposing party on this subject, and
then blamed them for causing the problem.
Nelson Mandela, said famously: “If you want to make peace
with your enemy,….you have to work with your enemy.”
I can see just a small difference there, …how ‘bout you?
“Unity of Purpose.”
Even the lowest of the “Low Information Voters” may just be able to
understand this phrase. Fairly self-explanatory, and
self-defining.
In the natural order of things, it seems this “goal”, or working system
of thought, should take the place of the petty squabbling, and
unbending posturings, of most modern politicians and
leaders.
It’s a “Do the right thing,” kind of thing. With no real
gray area.
As in: “This is wrong, really wrong, and dumbheaded, we can
all see that, can’t we?, …so let’s do the Right thing.”
A bit idealistic, yes,…but easy enough to try out, for a change, …do ya
think?
Kind of goes along with:
Common Sense, Common Decency, and Common Courtesy vs.
Stupidity, Selfishness, and being Ignorant.
But instead, in this country, we’re stuck with:
--Left vs. Right (and that’s not the one mentioned above)
--Black vs. White (we still haven’t listened, nor smartened
up any)
--Rich vs. Poor (class warfare, totally promoted,
ironically, for financial gain of just a few, usually in govt.)
--Winning (at all costs) vs. Losing (EVER, at anything!)
--Reason and Good Sense vs. Strict Ideology (at all costs,
& all else be damned)
Didn’t see much “Unity” in there, did you? Of
“Purpose”, nor of any other kind. And I’m
talking about all sides, parties, and preferences.
Nope. We only get:
--Talking Points, then Spin, and half Truths, to serve whatever
“purpose” which may be needed, at any given moment (regardless of what
might have been said before), and then outright, full faced Lies, no
matter how ridiculous sounding, and always with no expectation of
consequence.
And other fun tactics, like: Duck and Dodge,
Stall, and Blame ANYONE else, as long as they’re not on our
side.
And if they do get caught in a Lie, then they just tell another one, …a
bigger one, to cover or “explain” the first one, or just to distract or
confuse anyone who dares question them.
It’s like the story of the guy who’s in bed with his mistress, both
naked, and in “full flight”,…when his wife walks in.
The wife says, hysterically and incredulously: “Who is this
woman, here in MY bed with you??!!!”
The hubby, ever so calm and cool, and in control, says back, almost
indignantly: “What woman? And just what
in the hell are you talking about??? ”
Sound familiar, …minus the connubial issues ?
“Unity of Purpose”. Or how ‘bout just having a
Purpose??
Let’s use the Nobel Peace Prize, as a good example.
Mandela won that coveted award in 1993, for “merely” uniting a
contemptuous, hate filled nation, which only a few years earlier was a
constantly exploding powder keg, with almost no solution, nor end, in
sight.
He moved race relations, and the possibility of solidarity among
incredible diversity, to places no one had ever seen, and in so doing,
influenced the rest of the world, forever, like only a handful who have
ever walked the earth.
Powerful, and incomparable. The planet was blessed to have
him.
Barack Obama won his Nobel Prize, in 2009, for, in the actual words of
the Oslo committee:
“…capturing the world’s attention, and giving its people hope, for a
better future.” And, that “….he has created a new climate,
in international politics.”
What?? He’s now a weatherman? Or David
Copperfield? And Walmart circulars, for a Black Friday
sale, get more attention than he’s “created”.
And oh btw, Obama was awarded his prize, ….just twelve days after his
inauguration!!
What?? Did the Nobel people suddenly read one of his
campaign flyers for the first time?? I guess they
don’t get out much, up there in Norway. Musta been a really
slow year.
But Nelson Mandela was almost unique, in this time, or any
other.
He was not a “saint”, in his younger years, and even today there are
parts of his history that many still question, and some have difficulty
with.
But he did something that few others today, or in any era, have been
able to do.
He spent 27 years in prison, for crimes he felt more than strongly were
undeserving of such punishment, when he went in, but was able to find a
self-understanding, and a peace, during his time “inside”, and came out
a changed, and better, and good, man.
When asked, how could it be that he didn’t hate his captors, after what
he went through, he simply said: “They had me for 27
years. If I hate them, now that I am free,….then they will
still have me.”
Humility and Reason, rarely seen today.
He added: “Good and Evil are constantly at war.
Good men (and all people—my words) must choose.”
His Heart, and his Soul, his Reason, and his impeccable Wisdom, could
not be imprisoned.
He could be Defiant, certainly, but he did it with a Dignity, and a
“Purpose”, all with an equal measure, after he learned his hard and
fulfilling lessons.
He showed the world how to Forgive, and in doing so, got what was best
for his people.
How many others, of today’s global leaders, and especially of our own,
can say that?
That answer, unfortunately, …is quite sad.
Joe Facinoli
--Joe can be reached at: joefacinoli@gmail.com
Intelligent Response Encouraged !!
© Copyright 2013, Joe Facinoli
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