November 11th Veterans Day
Little Rock is a much smaller city that I imagined. We visited the Clinton Library. It is an impressive building set on a lovely landscaped campus. The Clinton School of Public Service is located next door in an old brick train station. It is set nicely in juxtaposition to the very modern glass Clinton Library. The tour was very interesting and brought back good memories of good political times. We noticed particularly in all the photos of Bill how charismatic he was, smiling and touching people he was speaking to. He was a very engaging president. Whether we agreed with everything that he did as president, he was a gifted politician.
There was a visiting exhibit that I found to be impressive. It was a photo journalistic essay of Nelson Mandela. It was a view of his birth place, family and time as a leader South Africa leading his people against the horrors of Apartheid. His words are very important today as we are living in difficult political times.
Some of his words that were particularly poignant:
“The lack of human dignity experienced by Africans is the direct result of the the policy of white supremacy. White supremacy implies black inferiority. Legislation designed to preserve white supremacy entrenches this notion.”
“If we don’t forgive them (former captors) then that feeling of bitterness and revenge will be there forever and we are saying, ‘Let us forget the past, Let’s concern ourselves with the present and the future’ but to say the atrocities of the past will never be allowed to happen again.”
The friendship that existed between President Clinton and Nelson Mandela was real and an important one that set a model of respect and leadership between these two world leaders.
One final exhibit posed two questions that I believe will set the focus for some reflections on this journey west: What will you forgive? What will you fight for? Perhaps I will answer these in some measured way in future posts. We are striving for Ubuntu!
Poignant words. Thanks for sharing them.
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