Bad News & Good Words

In reviewing the international news this morning I became, once again, frustrated, angry, and depressed.

Not only because of the tragic train accident in India where 56 people died (52 women and children) returning from a wedding, or the unsuccessful search for a plane in Afghanistan with 104 people on board that mysteriously disappeared in a freak snow storm, or the 10 tons of sulfuric acid that leaked from a chemical plant in southern Sweden, forming a poisonous gas cloud over the city of Helsingborg.

While those stories break my heart a hundred times over, what really shakes my faith in humanity aren't the tragic accidents, but the cold-hearted declarations of hate and violence.

Today I had to stomach "our" new Secretary of State, Condoleeza Rice, responding to a question about US plans to attack Iran. In a veiled, roundabout threat she replied "the question is simply not on the agenda at this point."

She didn't say "no"... she didn't say "of course not"... she just said it's "not on the agenda at this point".

Even scarier than slippery diplomats, though, are in-your-face Mighty Military Men.

Lt. Gen. James Mattis, who led US troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, bragged in a public forum:

"Actually it's quite fun to fight 'em, you know. It's a hell of a hoot. It's fun to shoot some people. I'll be right up front with you, I like brawling. You go into Afghanistan, you got guys who slap women around for five years because they didn't wear a veil. You know, guys like that ain't got no manhood left anyway. So it's a hell of a lot of fun to shoot them."

His comments, during a panel discussion hosted by the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association, were met with laughter and applause from the audience. The Pentagon response? Gen. Peter Pace, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, praised the general as having set a stellar example for troops in his service abroad.

After all that... well, I'm ready to unplug everything: the radio, the tv, the phone and the computer... and my mind. I get to the point of not wanting to know any more.

And then, by pure grace, I open up the final news story for the day. And there it is...

An article about a speech given by Nelson Mandela, the 86-year-old former political prisoner and Noble Peace Prize recipient. Just reading the excerpts I feel my soul begin to stir again. Talk about light at the end of a very long tunnel!

And so, for my benefit and yours, I hunted down the complete text of this brief, but inspirational speech. Here are the words of a gentle man speaking a profound truth:

'While poverty exists, there is no true freedom'

Nelson Mandela addressed a crowd of thousands in London's Trafalgar Square today at the first mass rally of the Make Poverty History campaign. This is the full text of his speech.

Thursday February 3, 2005

I am privileged to be here today at the invitation of the campaign to Make Poverty History.

As you know, I recently formally announced my retirement from public life and should really not be here.

However, as long as poverty, injustice and gross inequality persist in our world, none of us can truly rest.

Moreover, the Global Campaign for Action Against Poverty represents such a noble cause that we could not decline the invitation. Massive poverty and obscene inequality are such terrible scourges of our times - times in which the world boasts breathtaking advances in science, technology, industry and wealth accumulation - that they have to rank alongside slavery and apartheid as social evils.

The Global Campaign for Action Against Poverty can take its place as a public movement alongside the movement to abolish slavery and the international solidarity against apartheid.

And I can never thank the people of Britain enough for their support through those days of the struggle against apartheid. Many stood in solidarity with us, just a few yards from this spot.

Through your will and passion, you assisted in consigning that evil system forever to history. But in this new century, millions of people in the world's poorest countries remain imprisoned, enslaved, and in chains.

They are trapped in the prison of poverty. It is time to set them free.

Like slavery and apartheid, poverty is not natural. It is man-made and it can be overcome and eradicated by the actions of human beings.

And overcoming poverty is not a gesture of charity. It is an act of justice. It is the protection of a fundamental human right, the right to dignity and a decent life.

While poverty persists, there is no true freedom.

The steps that are needed from the developed nations are clear:

The first is ensuring trade justice. I have said before that trade justice is a truly meaningful way for the developed countries to show commitment to bringing about an end to global poverty.

The second is an end to the debt crisis for the poorest countries.

The third is to deliver much more aid and make sure it is of the highest quality.

In 2005, there is a unique opportunity for making an impact.

In September, world leaders will gather in New York to measure progress since they made the Millennium Declaration in the year 2000. That declaration promised to halve extreme poverty.

But at the moment, the promise is falling tragically behind. Those leaders must now honour their promises to the world's poorest citizens. Tomorrow, here in London, the G7 finance ministers can make a significant beginning. I am happy to have been invited to meet with them.

The G8 leaders, when they meet in Scotland in July, have already promised to focus on the issue of poverty, especially in Africa.

I say to all those leaders: do not look the other way; do not hesitate. Recognise that the world is hungry for action, not words. Act with courage and vision. I am proud to wear the symbol of this global call to action in 2005. This white band is from my country.

In a moment, I want to give this band to you - young people of Britain - and ask you to take it forward along with millions of others to the G8 summit in July. I entrust it to you. I will be watching with anticipation.

We thank you for coming here today. Sometimes it falls upon a generation to be great. You can be that great generation. Let your greatness blossom. Of course the task will not be easy. But not to do this would be a crime against humanity, against which I ask all humanity now to rise up.

Make Poverty History in 2005. Make History in 2005. Then we can all stand with our heads held high. I thank you."

(The BBC also has a link to the video of this speech. I really recommend listening to Mandela's voice as you read these moving words!)

Posted by elcanche at February 4, 2005 07:37 PM