Thousands Complain To BBC About Excessive Mandela Coverage

First topic message reminder :

The BBC has been forced to defend its coverage of the death of former South African President Nelson Mandela after more than 1,300 viewers complained that it was excessive.

As of today the BBC had received 1,350 complaints from viewers, including some who grumbled about the comedy programme 'Mrs Brown's Boys' being interrupted. Programme chiefs broke into a repeat of the BBC1 sitcom to break the news.
A number of the complainants said that too much time was spent reflecting on the death of Mr Mandela and not enough on the record storm surge that hit Britain on the same night.

BBC News director, James Harding, defended the corporation's coverage saying Mr Mandela was a man of "singular significance" and the "most significant statesman of the last 100 years".
A BBC spokeswoman said today: "Nelson Mandela was a hugely significant world leader with an enormous political and cultural influence across the world. His death is of considerable interest to our audiences at home and across the globe.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/tv-radio/bbc-receives-1350-complaints-for-excessive-mandela-coverage-including-some-viewers-angry-at-interruption-of-mrs-browns-boys-8993369.html

nicko wrote:I was in s.a. when a bomb was detonated in a shopping center,bits of bodies scattered all over.one lump of flesh and bone was a 3yr old, it was a little girl could not tell what it was till later. mandela did not place the bomb himself,it was the ANC but he ordered it. a man who was friends with Mugabe,gadafi and castro and many other dictators all soaked in the blood of innocents.this world wide display of grief is sickening.just exactly what did he do to make SA a better place? the country is a hotbed of robbery, rape and murder. the country is now run by a load of blacks who are only in it for themselves!

Yes some blacks committed terrorism and what created this terrorism in the first place Nicko?
Apartheid, that does not justify any violence and murder, but helps explain the catalyst that created this in the first place where black people had been subjected to countless racial discrimination, treating them with torture and murder, so it is unbalanced to look at just one aspect fro the time. What you also fail to bring forth is that whilst under Apartheid Blacks did not have the same levels of education and jobs skills that were a given to all White people in South Africa, so who do you help a whole generation of people that have been denied any real education?

The fact is Mandela was a revolutionary as well as the Reconciliator, he never lost sight of his goal: democracy, equality and the rule of law for blacks, whites, Afrikaners and every other race in his tormented country. He could do it because he had the humility to know that it was not about him but about South Africa and its people. What you also neglect to show is he could have easily allowed what was very close to happening at the time a blood bath when he came to power, as after half a century of apartheid many would no doubt be seeking revenge, but he did not allow this, he sought reconciliation and said:

“Great anger and violence can never build a nation,” he declared. “We are striving to proceed in a manner and towards a result, which will ensure that all our people, both black and white, emerge as victors.”
“If you want to make peace with your enemy, you have to work with your enemy. Then he becomes your partner."

That seems the words of a very great man, who has overcome his own anger and looked towards peace, this from a man who was forced to work day after day in a limestone quarry without sunglasses under a merciless sun that destroyed his tear ducts and, for years, robbed him even of his ability to cry! He had no hate for his jailers either:

“I am not the only one who did not want revenge. Almost all my colleagues in prison did not want revenge, because there is no time to do anything else except to try and save your people.”


Yes there is much work to be done still in South Africa and no doubt some Black Politicians in the nation are as corrupt as they come and yet Whites still hold and own many of the industries in South Africa, but it takes time to bring a level of balance again when as stated a whole generation had been denied so much education and the country is not run solely by blacks. The way forward for South Africa is with unity, and to overcome the problems they have together, not divided, and that helps nobody!

Well that just sums it up perfectly, better than I ever could.

Well said Didge.

Good morning Irn


Nice to see you on board, hope you are well and thanks

I'll second that Didge.   It's no good being a pacifist when you are being mown down with guns, or when you are being beaten to death.   Steve Biko showed that.  Donald Woods, who wrote 'Biko' and who the film Cry Freedom was based on, finally had to leave S.Africa when his daughter (who was 6) was burnt with an acid-laced T.Shirt that Woods was sure had been done by the then Government.    You can't fight things like that with pacifism.

Good morning Sassy

Hope you are well too.

There are plenty of examples throughout history where oppression has been taken on with armed insurrection, you only have to look at the American war of Independence, nobody hardly looks back (unless they are Unhappy at the fact we lost) at George Washington and Co as terrorists, but they would be classed as such by Today's definition, which to me mulls the picture where clearly fighting against oppression is fighting for freedom. It does not mean in anyway I think any of the bombings were justified, far from it, but can see how such anger would lead to them.

What was great about Mandela even more so than freedom fighters before or since was his ability to not take retribution and to have reconciliation with what many saw as the enemy and he should be commended for that.

Not too bad Didge thanks. Agreed, when he came out of prison others were clamouring for revenge. He shook the hands of his oppressors and said, enough. That took great courage, because it could have rebounded on him. It also took great foresight and statesmanship.

Iron Brew said:

The struggle to fight against apartheid only turned into a military style campaign following the Sharpville massacre when the South African police opened fire and killed people who were protesting

From research:

It is likely that the police were nervous as two months before the massacre nine constables had been murdered under similar circumstances at Cato Manor.

On The 23 January 1960 an angry mob attacked 4 white and 5 black policemen at the Cato Manor Police station; they butchered the men and mutilated the bodies. The mutilated bodies, with genitals stuffed in their mouths, were then dragged through the streets by the mob.

I have been in the middle of nowhere to meet other people (sent there by our mighty leaders) with just a handful of other colleagues on many occasions. It is terrifying to know that if those people you go to meet want to turn on you and kill you you have almost no chance of surviving.

What happened to those police at Cato Manor reminds me of Corporals Woods and Howes in Northern Ireland and the RMPs in Iraq - they showed so much restraint that they lost their lives.

The police at Sharpville protected themselves. They may not have needed to do what they did but we will never know.

Now they honour that day, they don't honour the day the police at Cato Manor wore their penis' in their mouths.

Surprise surprise.

Hardly, Corporals Woods and Howes were not part of a force that had been inflicting horrors on men, women and children for years, just because of the colour of their skin.

Sassy wrote:Hardly, Corporals Woods and Howes were not part of a force that had been inflicting horrors on men, women and children for years, just because of the colour of their skin.

The British Army have killed more than most sassy.

Do I deserve to be killed because I was part of that force?

Who did those 9 policemen kill in South Africa before they wore their penis' in their mouths?

What force are Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale part of - the "muslim force"?

Give it a rest do. You referred to the killings in N. Ireland. No, we certainly have not been angels in N.Ireland. Nor have we spent decades there killing and maiming men, women and children because of the colour of their skin. As for the mutilations, that was something the S.African police had done to black men for years.

Sassy wrote:Give it a rest do.   You referred to the killings in N. Ireland.   No, we certainly have not been angels in N.Ireland.   Nor have we spent decades there killing and maiming men, women and children because of the colour of their skin.   As for the mutilations, that was something the S.African police had done to black men for years.  

Give it a rest - one of my favourite arguments, along with oh do shut up and i'm not arguing with you.

Except I was debating with you, so answer the points. And here's another one.

Yes or No, should the black S.Africans have fought against apartheid or should they have sat back and taken it, in your everso humble opinion?

Ah, that old tactic, start another thread when you can't answer a question.

Well Andy, can't you bring yourself to say whether the black man should have fought back from apartheid?

a picture paints a thousand words, would you like to see a picture of the carnage after that nail bomb?

I can hardly bear to think about the unspeakable atrocities used by the blacks and whites in S africa and those are the reasons why I would not invest financially in that awful place.

nicko wrote:a picture paints a thousand words,  would you like to see a picture of the carnage after that nail bomb?

Really?   Would you like to see picture(s) of the children the S.African government forces killed during apartheid, or a picture of Steve Biko after they had finished with him.

I'll ask you the same question Nicko - do you think the black S.African's should have fought back of just accepted apartheid?   If you think they should have fought back, there are are things that are going to happen.   If you don't think they should have fought back, then it's easy to see where you are coming from, white rule is something you think is ok.

Irn Bru wrote:I think the amount of coverage the BBC and the media in general are giving to the death of Nelson Mandela reflects the measure of the man and how revered he is in the interntional community.
He was given the freedom of the City of Edinburgh in 1997 and there is a statue in the city to commorate the struggle against apartheid.
A picture paints a thousand words.

What a rather odd statue which rather looks like a Scottish child pickpocketing a Russian peasant.VERY ODD!

PhilDidge wrote:

nicko wrote:I was in s.a. when a bomb was detonated in a shopping center,bits of bodies scattered all over.one lump of flesh and bone was a 3yr old, it was a little girl could not tell what it was till later. mandela did not place the bomb himself,it was the ANC but he ordered it. a man who was friends with Mugabe,gadafi and castro and many other dictators all soaked in the blood of innocents.this world wide display of grief is sickening.just exactly what did he do to make SA a better place? the country is a hotbed of robbery, rape and murder. the country is now run by a load of blacks who are only in it for themselves!

Yes some blacks committed terrorism and what created this terrorism in the first place Nicko?
Apartheid, that does not justify any violence and murder, but helps explain the catalyst that created this in the first place where black people had been subjected to countless racial discrimination, treating them with torture and murder, so it is unbalanced to look at just one aspect fro the time. What you also fail to bring forth is that whilst under Apartheid Blacks did not have the same levels of education and jobs skills that were a given to all White people in South Africa, so who do you help a whole generation of people that have been denied any real education?

The fact is Mandela was a revolutionary as well as the Reconciliator, he never lost sight of his goal: democracy, equality and the rule of law for blacks, whites, Afrikaners and every other race in his tormented country. He could do it because he had the humility to know that it was not about him but about South Africa and its people. What you also neglect to show is he could have easily allowed what was very close to happening at the time a blood bath when he came to power, as after half a century of apartheid many would no doubt be seeking revenge, but he did not allow this, he sought reconciliation and said:

“Great anger and violence can never build a nation,” he declared. “We are striving to proceed in a manner and towards a result, which will ensure that all our people, both black and white, emerge as victors.”
“If you want to make peace with your enemy, you have to work with your enemy. Then he becomes your partner."

That seems the words of a very great man, who has overcome his own anger and looked towards peace, this from a man who was forced to work day after day in a limestone quarry without sunglasses under a merciless sun that destroyed his tear ducts and, for years, robbed him even of his ability to cry! He had no hate for his jailers either:

“I am not the only one who did not want revenge. Almost all my colleagues in prison did not want revenge, because there is no time to do anything else except to try and save your people.”


Yes there is much work to be done still in South Africa and no doubt some Black Politicians in the nation are as corrupt as they come and yet Whites still hold and own many of the industries in South Africa, but it takes time to bring a level of balance again when as stated a whole generation had been denied so much education and the country is not run solely by blacks. The way forward for South Africa is with unity, and to overcome the problems they have together, not divided, and that helps nobody!

This is an absolutely wonderful piece which gives an overview of the S Africa problem in a balanced way.Although I do wonder if the prison conditions were as harsh as described in rags like the odious Sun and Daily Mail?

£BILLION£ wrote:

Irn Bru wrote:I think the amount of coverage the BBC and the media in general are giving to the death of Nelson Mandela reflects the measure of the man and how revered he is in the interntional community.
He was given the freedom of the City of Edinburgh in 1997 and there is a statue in the city to commorate the struggle against apartheid.
A picture paints a thousand words.

What a rather odd statue which rather looks like a Scottish child pickpocketing a Russian peasant.VERY ODD!

Perhaps you need to look at it from another angle:

http://www.demotix.com/news/3430214/mandela-floral-tributes-anti-apartheid-sculpture-edinburgh#media-3429976

Pictures of the statue from different angles. The woman is obviously protecting the child.

£BILLION£ wrote:

PhilDidge wrote:

nicko wrote:I was in s.a. when a bomb was detonated in a shopping center,bits of bodies scattered all over.one lump of flesh and bone was a 3yr old, it was a little girl could not tell what it was till later. mandela did not place the bomb himself,it was the ANC but he ordered it. a man who was friends with Mugabe,gadafi and castro and many other dictators all soaked in the blood of innocents.this world wide display of grief is sickening.just exactly what did he do to make SA a better place? the country is a hotbed of robbery, rape and murder. the country is now run by a load of blacks who are only in it for themselves!

Yes some blacks committed terrorism and what created this terrorism in the first place Nicko?
Apartheid, that does not justify any violence and murder, but helps explain the catalyst that created this in the first place where black people had been subjected to countless racial discrimination, treating them with torture and murder, so it is unbalanced to look at just one aspect fro the time. What you also fail to bring forth is that whilst under Apartheid Blacks did not have the same levels of education and jobs skills that were a given to all White people in South Africa, so who do you help a whole generation of people that have been denied any real education?

The fact is Mandela was a revolutionary as well as the Reconciliator, he never lost sight of his goal: democracy, equality and the rule of law for blacks, whites, Afrikaners and every other race in his tormented country. He could do it because he had the humility to know that it was not about him but about South Africa and its people. What you also neglect to show is he could have easily allowed what was very close to happening at the time a blood bath when he came to power, as after half a century of apartheid many would no doubt be seeking revenge, but he did not allow this, he sought reconciliation and said:

“Great anger and violence can never build a nation,” he declared. “We are striving to proceed in a manner and towards a result, which will ensure that all our people, both black and white, emerge as victors.”
“If you want to make peace with your enemy, you have to work with your enemy. Then he becomes your partner."

That seems the words of a very great man, who has overcome his own anger and looked towards peace, this from a man who was forced to work day after day in a limestone quarry without sunglasses under a merciless sun that destroyed his tear ducts and, for years, robbed him even of his ability to cry! He had no hate for his jailers either:

“I am not the only one who did not want revenge. Almost all my colleagues in prison did not want revenge, because there is no time to do anything else except to try and save your people.”


Yes there is much work to be done still in South Africa and no doubt some Black Politicians in the nation are as corrupt as they come and yet Whites still hold and own many of the industries in South Africa, but it takes time to bring a level of balance again when as stated a whole generation had been denied so much education and the country is not run solely by blacks. The way forward for South Africa is with unity, and to overcome the problems they have together, not divided, and that helps nobody!

This is an absolutely wonderful piece which gives an overview of the S Africa problem in a balanced way.Although I do wonder if the prison conditions were as harsh as described in rags like the odious Sun and Daily Mail?

They were worse, the Sun and Daily Mail at the time glossed over the torture that was normal.

Sassy wrote:

£BILLION£ wrote:

Irn Bru wrote:I think the amount of coverage the BBC and the media in general are giving to the death of Nelson Mandela reflects the measure of the man and how revered he is in the interntional community.
He was given the freedom of the City of Edinburgh in 1997 and there is a statue in the city to commorate the struggle against apartheid.
A picture paints a thousand words.

What a rather odd statue which rather looks like a Scottish child pickpocketing a Russian peasant.VERY ODD!

Perhaps you need to look at it from another angle:

http://www.demotix.com/news/3430214/mandela-floral-tributes-anti-apartheid-sculpture-edinburgh#media-3429976

Pictures of the statue from different angles.   The woman is obviously protecting the child.

Terribly sorry and no offence meant.Silly me without my Pradas on.

Sassy wrote:

£BILLION£ wrote:

PhilDidge wrote:

nicko wrote:I was in s.a. when a bomb was detonated in a shopping center,bits of bodies scattered all over.one lump of flesh and bone was a 3yr old, it was a little girl could not tell what it was till later. mandela did not place the bomb himself,it was the ANC but he ordered it. a man who was friends with Mugabe,gadafi and castro and many other dictators all soaked in the blood of innocents.this world wide display of grief is sickening.just exactly what did he do to make SA a better place? the country is a hotbed of robbery, rape and murder. the country is now run by a load of blacks who are only in it for themselves!

Yes some blacks committed terrorism and what created this terrorism in the first place Nicko?
Apartheid, that does not justify any violence and murder, but helps explain the catalyst that created this in the first place where black people had been subjected to countless racial discrimination, treating them with torture and murder, so it is unbalanced to look at just one aspect fro the time. What you also fail to bring forth is that whilst under Apartheid Blacks did not have the same levels of education and jobs skills that were a given to all White people in South Africa, so who do you help a whole generation of people that have been denied any real education?

The fact is Mandela was a revolutionary as well as the Reconciliator, he never lost sight of his goal: democracy, equality and the rule of law for blacks, whites, Afrikaners and every other race in his tormented country. He could do it because he had the humility to know that it was not about him but about South Africa and its people. What you also neglect to show is he could have easily allowed what was very close to happening at the time a blood bath when he came to power, as after half a century of apartheid many would no doubt be seeking revenge, but he did not allow this, he sought reconciliation and said:

“Great anger and violence can never build a nation,” he declared. “We are striving to proceed in a manner and towards a result, which will ensure that all our people, both black and white, emerge as victors.”
“If you want to make peace with your enemy, you have to work with your enemy. Then he becomes your partner."

That seems the words of a very great man, who has overcome his own anger and looked towards peace, this from a man who was forced to work day after day in a limestone quarry without sunglasses under a merciless sun that destroyed his tear ducts and, for years, robbed him even of his ability to cry! He had no hate for his jailers either:

“I am not the only one who did not want revenge. Almost all my colleagues in prison did not want revenge, because there is no time to do anything else except to try and save your people.”


Yes there is much work to be done still in South Africa and no doubt some Black Politicians in the nation are as corrupt as they come and yet Whites still hold and own many of the industries in South Africa, but it takes time to bring a level of balance again when as stated a whole generation had been denied so much education and the country is not run solely by blacks. The way forward for South Africa is with unity, and to overcome the problems they have together, not divided, and that helps nobody!

This is an absolutely wonderful piece which gives an overview of the S Africa problem in a balanced way.Although I do wonder if the prison conditions were as harsh as described in rags like the odious Sun and Daily Mail?

They were worse, the Sun and Daily Mail at the time glossed over the torture that was normal.

Fortunately I'm not so old so I do not remember those dark times.But those two rags are horrendously in favour of right wing bigots and other distasteful thugs.

Odd how it's usually men who cause the most violence don't you think?

£BILLION£ wrote:

Sassy wrote:

£BILLION£ wrote:

Irn Bru wrote:I think the amount of coverage the BBC and the media in general are giving to the death of Nelson Mandela reflects the measure of the man and how revered he is in the interntional community.
He was given the freedom of the City of Edinburgh in 1997 and there is a statue in the city to commorate the struggle against apartheid.
A picture paints a thousand words.

What a rather odd statue which rather looks like a Scottish child pickpocketing a Russian peasant.VERY ODD!

Perhaps you need to look at it from another angle:

http://www.demotix.com/news/3430214/mandela-floral-tributes-anti-apartheid-sculpture-edinburgh#media-3429976

Pictures of the statue from different angles.   The woman is obviously protecting the child.

Terribly sorry and no offence meant.Silly me without my Pradas on.

No offense taken, it just seemed a shame you obviously couldn't see it properly from that angle.

Sassy wrote:

£BILLION£ wrote:

Sassy wrote:

£BILLION£ wrote:

Irn Bru wrote:I think the amount of coverage the BBC and the media in general are giving to the death of Nelson Mandela reflects the measure of the man and how revered he is in the interntional community.
He was given the freedom of the City of Edinburgh in 1997 and there is a statue in the city to commorate the struggle against apartheid.
A picture paints a thousand words.

What a rather odd statue which rather looks like a Scottish child pickpocketing a Russian peasant.VERY ODD!

Perhaps you need to look at it from another angle:

http://www.demotix.com/news/3430214/mandela-floral-tributes-anti-apartheid-sculpture-edinburgh#media-3429976

Pictures of the statue from different angles.   The woman is obviously protecting the child.

Terribly sorry and no offence meant.Silly me without my Pradas on.

No offense taken, it just seemed a shame you obviously couldn't see it properly from that angle.

How dare you react in such a prickly way as I have apologised to you already.Really there's no need for such an irrational response.

£BILLION£ wrote:

Sassy wrote:

£BILLION£ wrote:

Sassy wrote:

£BILLION£ wrote:

Irn Bru wrote:I think the amount of coverage the BBC and the media in general are giving to the death of Nelson Mandela reflects the measure of the man and how revered he is in the interntional community.
He was given the freedom of the City of Edinburgh in 1997 and there is a statue in the city to commorate the struggle against apartheid.
A picture paints a thousand words.

What a rather odd statue which rather looks like a Scottish child pickpocketing a Russian peasant.VERY ODD!

Perhaps you need to look at it from another angle:

http://www.demotix.com/news/3430214/mandela-floral-tributes-anti-apartheid-sculpture-edinburgh#media-3429976

Pictures of the statue from different angles.   The woman is obviously protecting the child.

Terribly sorry and no offence meant.Silly me without my Pradas on.

No offense taken, it just seemed a shame you obviously couldn't see it properly from that angle.

How dare you react in such a prickly way as I have apologised to you already.Really there's no need for such an irrational response.

Ah, thought you were putting on an act and had a hidden agenda. Carry on.

I'm sorry but I have no idea what you are talking about but please accept my apologies as I seem to have over reacted.Sorry but I thought you were being rude.

Fine, but it wasn't really an over-reaction was it, as there was nothing to react to. Never mind.

Sassy wrote:Fine, but it wasn't really an over-reaction was it, as there was nothing to react to.   Never mind.

You are quite right and it's good of you to be so magnaminous.

That's fine, don't worry about it.

Sass did you see the selfie pic of David, Obama and the Dutch MP?

SEXY MAMA. wrote:Sass did you see the selfie pic of David, Obama and the Dutch MP?

The Dutch Prime Minister, yea I did. To be honest, I'm not as down on it as some. It wasn't supposed to be a miserable occasion, it was supposed to be a celebration of his life, and S.Africans themselves were laughing and dancing. However, i do think they should have realised how it would look and shown better judgement, but the Dutch PM is a very relaxed person and very un 'proper' lol

Sassy wrote:

SEXY MAMA. wrote:Sass did you see the selfie pic of David, Obama and the Dutch MP?

The Dutch Prime Minister, yea I did.   To be honest, I'm not as down on it as some.   It wasn't supposed to be a miserable occasion, it was supposed to be a celebration of his life, and S.Africans themselves were laughing and dancing.   However, i do think they should have realised how it would look and shown better judgement, but the Dutch PM is a very relaxed person and very un 'proper' lol

I understand that it was a celebration of Mandel's life but i still think it was in very poor taste!

SEXY MAMA. wrote:

Sassy wrote:

SEXY MAMA. wrote:Sass did you see the selfie pic of David, Obama and the Dutch MP?

The Dutch Prime Minister, yea I did.   To be honest, I'm not as down on it as some.   It wasn't supposed to be a miserable occasion, it was supposed to be a celebration of his life, and S.Africans themselves were laughing and dancing.   However, i do think they should have realised how it would look and shown better judgement, but the Dutch PM is a very relaxed person and very un 'proper' lol

I understand that it was a celebration of Mandel's life but i still think it was in very poor taste!

Well, it certainly won't win them a good judgement award!

Hello ladies. Not that it matters that much but the woman in the photograph is actually the Danish prime minister and I'll tell ya I'd vote for her no problem.
Anyway, here's the view of the guy that actually took the photograph followed by plenty of comments.

By Roberto Schmidt

So here’s the photo, my photo, which quickly lit up the world’s social networks and news websites. The “selfie” of three world leaders who, during South Africa’s farewell to Nelson Mandela, were messing about like kids instead of behaving with the mournful gravitas one might expect.

I later read on social media that Michelle Obama seemed to be rather peeved on seeing the Danish prime minister take the picture. But photos can lie. In reality, just a few seconds earlier the first lady was herself joking with those around her, Cameron and Schmidt included. Her stern look was captured by chance.

http://blogs.afp.com/correspondent/?post/Selfie

SEXY MAMA. wrote:

Sassy wrote:

SEXY MAMA. wrote:Sass did you see the selfie pic of David, Obama and the Dutch MP?

The Dutch Prime Minister, yea I did.   To be honest, I'm not as down on it as some.   It wasn't supposed to be a miserable occasion, it was supposed to be a celebration of his life, and S.Africans themselves were laughing and dancing.   However, i do think they should have realised how it would look and shown better judgement, but the Dutch PM is a very relaxed person and very un 'proper' lol

I understand that it was a celebration of Mandel's life but i still think it was in very poor taste!

Hi SM. Great to see you here. You're a sight for sore eyes.

 :D 

Irn Bru wrote:Hello ladies. Not that it matters that much but the woman in the photograph is actually the Danish prime minister and I'll tell ya I'd vote for her no problem.
Anyway, here's the view of the guy that actually took the photograph followed by plenty of comments.

By Roberto Schmidt

So here’s the photo, my photo, which quickly lit up the world’s social networks and news websites. The “selfie” of three world leaders who, during South Africa’s farewell to Nelson Mandela, were messing about like kids instead of behaving with the mournful gravitas one might expect.

I later read on social media that Michelle Obama seemed to be rather peeved on seeing the Danish prime minister take the picture. But photos can lie. In reality, just a few seconds earlier the first lady was herself joking with those around her, Cameron and Schmidt included. Her stern look was captured by chance.

http://blogs.afp.com/correspondent/?post/Selfie

She is very attractive. You know, I can't think of one male MP I'd find fanciable!

Irn Bru wrote:

SEXY MAMA. wrote:

Sassy wrote:

SEXY MAMA. wrote:Sass did you see the selfie pic of David, Obama and the Dutch MP?

The Dutch Prime Minister, yea I did.   To be honest, I'm not as down on it as some.   It wasn't supposed to be a miserable occasion, it was supposed to be a celebration of his life, and S.Africans themselves were laughing and dancing.   However, i do think they should have realised how it would look and shown better judgement, but the Dutch PM is a very relaxed person and very un 'proper' lol

I understand that it was a celebration of Mandel's life but i still think it was in very poor taste!

Hi SM. Great to see you here. You're a sight for sore eyes.

 :D 

Hiya Heart   

Thanks and I'm so glad you are posting here too xxx

Irn Bru wrote:

nicko wrote:I was in s.a. when a bomb was detonated in a shopping center,bits of bodies scattered all over.one lump of flesh and bone was a 3yr old, it was a little girl could not tell what it was till later. mandela did not place the bomb himself,it was the ANC but he ordered it. a man who was friends with Mugabe,gadafi and castro and many other dictators all soaked in the blood of innocents.this world wide display of grief is sickening.just exactly what did he do to make SA a better place? the country is a hotbed of robbery, rape and murder. the country is now run by a load of blacks who are only in it for themselves!

The struggle to fight against apartheid only turned into a military style campaign following the Sharpville massacre when the South African police opened fire and killed people who were protesting against the draconain pass laws that restricted the movement of the black population and where they were able to reside. If that situation was reversed here in the UK what would you do?
The bomb in the shopping centre was the nail bomb attack I believe which was carried out by a more extreme ANC supporter who ignored the campaign which was supposed to be against military targets only. Much like our own BNP nail bomber, Copland, who nail bombed a London pub frequented by people from the ethnic and the gay connunity.
And just for the record. The blessed Margaret Thatcher was also friends with Mugabi and Gaddafi both of whom were on her christmas card list as well as Saddam Hussein.
Choose your friends carefully is always good advice - in hindsight.

you would have thought by the time of that handshake that people knew what Mugabe was like

Sassy wrote:

nicko wrote:a picture paints a thousand words,  would you like to see a picture of the carnage after that nail bomb?

Really?   Would you like to see picture(s) of the children the S.African government forces killed during apartheid, or a picture of Steve Biko after they had finished with him.

I'll ask you the same question Nicko - do you think the black S.African's should have fought back of just accepted apartheid?   If you think they should have fought back, there are are things that are going to happen.   If you don't think they should have fought back, then it's easy to see where you are coming from, white rule is something you think is ok.

yes I would like to see both pictures and then I could decide which one was justified.

Irn Bru wrote:Hello ladies. Not that it matters that much but the woman in the photograph is actually the Danish prime minister and I'll tell ya I'd vote for her no problem.
Anyway, here's the view of the guy that actually took the photograph followed by plenty of comments.

By Roberto Schmidt

So here’s the photo, my photo, which quickly lit up the world’s social networks and news websites. The “selfie” of three world leaders who, during South Africa’s farewell to Nelson Mandela, were messing about like kids instead of behaving with the mournful gravitas one might expect.

I later read on social media that Michelle Obama seemed to be rather peeved on seeing the Danish prime minister take the picture. But photos can lie. In reality, just a few seconds earlier the first lady was herself joking with those around her, Cameron and Schmidt included. Her stern look was captured by chance.

http://blogs.afp.com/correspondent/?post/Selfie

quite right, Danish PM, married to Neil Kinnocks son, and in true left style guilty of fiddling their taxes if the papers are to be believed.
Should the rest of the thousands there have been silent and less exuberant as well. Why funerals have to be morbid affairs is beyond me. A celebration of a life should be the reason, not dwelling on the death.
"Selfies" what an awful word, "vainies" might be better, are pretty stupid in the first place, what is wrong with asking someone to take the picture for you, it's not like they each did not have numerous bodyguards and other hangers on available.

Cantankerous wrote:

Irn Bru wrote:

nicko wrote:I was in s.a. when a bomb was detonated in a shopping center,bits of bodies scattered all over.one lump of flesh and bone was a 3yr old, it was a little girl could not tell what it was till later. mandela did not place the bomb himself,it was the ANC but he ordered it. a man who was friends with Mugabe,gadafi and castro and many other dictators all soaked in the blood of innocents.this world wide display of grief is sickening.just exactly what did he do to make SA a better place? the country is a hotbed of robbery, rape and murder. the country is now run by a load of blacks who are only in it for themselves!

The struggle to fight against apartheid only turned into a military style campaign following the Sharpville massacre when the South African police opened fire and killed people who were protesting against the draconain pass laws that restricted the movement of the black population and where they were able to reside. If that situation was reversed here in the UK what would you do?
The bomb in the shopping centre was the nail bomb attack I believe which was carried out by a more extreme ANC supporter who ignored the campaign which was supposed to be against military targets only. Much like our own BNP nail bomber, Copland, who nail bombed a London pub frequented by people from the ethnic and the gay connunity.
And just for the record. The blessed Margaret Thatcher was also friends with Mugabi and Gaddafi both of whom were on her christmas card list as well as Saddam Hussein.
Choose your friends carefully is always good advice - in hindsight.

you would have thought by the time of that handshake that people knew what Mugabe was like

They knew what he was like before both these handshakes took place. The second one was at a Commonwealth head of state meeting in 1997 and a couple of months later Claire Short wrote to Mugabe and more or less told him to get stuffed by saying that the UK would would only support his land reform programme to reduce poverty in his country and nothing else.
Thatcher's earlier letter was quite different.



Like I said, hindsight is a wonderfull thing.

Cantankerous wrote:

Irn Bru wrote:Hello ladies. Not that it matters that much but the woman in the photograph is actually the Danish prime minister and I'll tell ya I'd vote for her no problem.
Anyway, here's the view of the guy that actually took the photograph followed by plenty of comments.

By Roberto Schmidt

So here’s the photo, my photo, which quickly lit up the world’s social networks and news websites. The “selfie” of three world leaders who, during South Africa’s farewell to Nelson Mandela, were messing about like kids instead of behaving with the mournful gravitas one might expect.

I later read on social media that Michelle Obama seemed to be rather peeved on seeing the Danish prime minister take the picture. But photos can lie. In reality, just a few seconds earlier the first lady was herself joking with those around her, Cameron and Schmidt included. Her stern look was captured by chance.

http://blogs.afp.com/correspondent/?post/Selfie

quite right, Danish PM, married to Neil Kinnocks son, and in true left style guilty of fiddling their taxes if the papers are to be believed.  
Should the rest of the thousands there have been silent and less exuberant as well. Why funerals have to be morbid affairs is beyond me. A celebration of a life should be the reason, not dwelling on the death.
"Selfies" what an awful word, "vainies" might be better, are pretty stupid in the first place, what is wrong with asking someone to take the picture for you, it's not like they each did not have numerous bodyguards and other hangers on available.  

What!!! The Danish prime minister and her husband were fiddling their taxes? Hard to believe that but if that's what the papers are saying then maybe you have a link to that.
Hardly a left wing thing though is it bearing in mind that the newspapers were claiming just recently that Thatcher was involved in some tax fiddling scam as well.
Whether taking a selfie at the event was that bad is a matter of opinion and I don't see an awful lot wrong with it myself. In fact, I wouldn't mind having my picture taken with the Daniish PM but Cameron can 'do one'.l

Cantankerous wrote:

Sassy wrote:

nicko wrote:a picture paints a thousand words,  would you like to see a picture of the carnage after that nail bomb?

Really?   Would you like to see picture(s) of the children the S.African government forces killed during apartheid, or a picture of Steve Biko after they had finished with him.

I'll ask you the same question Nicko - do you think the black S.African's should have fought back of just accepted apartheid?   If you think they should have fought back, there are are things that are going to happen.   If you don't think they should have fought back, then it's easy to see where you are coming from, white rule is something you think is ok.

yes I would like to see both pictures and then I could decide which one was justified.

Well the images are freely available on the internet so why don't you go take a look and come back and say which one(s) you believe are justified?

ALLAKAKA wrote:

Mrs Thatcher and even the Queen came round. Why can't you?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/nelson-mandela/10503262/Nelson-Mandela-How-Thatcher-and-the-Queen-were-charmed.html



Amazing huh!!!