I haven’t watched or listened to the News’ on radio or TV over the last few days, don’t get me wrong it’s not that I hold the late Mr. Mandela with any degree of disrespect, I don’t. I think he was a fine courageous man and a great force in uniting his people.
What irks me though is all the forgotten or should be people, politicians and do-gooders crawling out from under the skirting boards and from behind the woodwork telling us what a great man Mr. Mandela was; we don’t need this!
The amount of pious hypocrisy from some of our current crop of politicians and dare I say ex-leaders is sickening as they smile for the camera and endeavour to look sad as they relate their meetings and experience with this great man. Glorying once more in the spotlight. Why can’t they just retire gracefully and stay out of sight where the majority of citizens would like them to stay?
But the most ludicrous over the top eulogy came from ex Prime Minister of Australia, Malcolm Fraser, now I know he’s getting old (he’s older than me) and met Mr Mandela whilst he was still a prisoner, so naturally his views and comments were eagerly sought after by the media and of course he couldn’t disappoint and waxed lyrical.
According to Mr. Fraser, Mr. Mandela was not a great man of the 20th Century Mr. Mandela was the greatest man of the 20th Century. Now really come off it Mr. Fraser, if you want to think that, that’s fine; but it doesn’t make it so, it is just your opinion and as such it was a point you should have made. But the statement you made had it carved in stone, Mr. Mandela was “The Greatest Man Of The Twentieth Century”.
I can think of many men who might vie for that title but then that’s just my opinion and top of my list is one Mustafa Kemal, yes indeed I think of this man as not only the greatest in the last century, but a great historical figure from all time. And yes, with a name like that he was Muslim! Would that all Muslim and Islamic countries had a Mustafa Kemal, what a peaceful world we would live in.
He was Turkish and came from fairly humble beginnings and against his family’s wishes joined the Army. He was the leader of the Turkish in 1915 when the British and ANZAC forces stormed Gallipoli and he and his troops held on and won the battle. In subsequent battles against British forces he never lost an engagement. He was the only military commander of the 20th century never to lose a battle.
Though his troops caused countless deaths amongst the invading forces in the Dardanelles, Australian & New Zealand in particular; Mustafa Kemal is remembered and honoured in both of these countries. In fact he is the only foreign enemy acknowledged, recognized and remembered with respect with a monument in Canberra.
After defeating our troops, his enemy, this is what he wrote. this will give you an indication of the type of man he was :
‘Those heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives…you are now lying in the soil of a friendly country. Therefore rest in peace. There is no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side here in this country of ours…You the mothers who sent their sons from far away countries wipe away your tears. Your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace. After having lost their lives on this land they have become our sons as well.’
After the war he went on to become a revolutionary statesman, he founded the Republic of Turkey, he gave little time to religious leaders and fanatics, and would not let them interfere in the running of the country.
He treated women well and as equals, he encouraged modern education for all and both sexes, in his will he provided money to educates the poor and disadvantaged.
To this day his rule prevails.
In the 1930’s he was given the name Ataturk, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk “Father of the Turks”.
There are many books written about this man, and to my mind the greatest of the 20th century: I commend them to you.
Notice all the women and how they are dressed, this is Ataturk’s Law! 🙂
LordBeariOfBow 