I believe the world lost a great leader and a great human when Nelson Mandela died a few days ago. His courage in the fight for freedom and equality for his countrymen was remarkable. And when he (and his comrades) won that fight, he showed even more remarkable traits of courage, grace, forgiveness, and leadership.The apartheid regime of South Africa was exceptionally brutal in its oppression of Black Africans -- and once those people gained political power, the country could have easily slid into an orgy of violence and revenge. Many other freedom movements have done that. But Mr. Mandela stepped forward, and convinced the people of South Africa that the right path was reconciliation, and the people followed his example by making reconciliation a reality. It was a moment of greatness for both Mandela and his countrymen (of all colors).
And most Americans recognized that. The chart above is made from information contained in a 2011 Rasmussen Poll (where 1,000 nationwide adults were queried, and the survey had a 3 point margin of error). I doubt that these attitudes have changed much, if at all, since 2011 though.
It turns out that nearly seven out of ten Americans (68%) had a favorable opinion of Mr. Mandela, while only a tiny minority (20%) had an unfavorable opinion. That makes me feel good to know that most Americans feel this way. It is sad though that the minority couldn't see past their own prejudices to recognize the greatness of this good man.
