IBTL!

Bah - one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter.
 
Whether or not Mandela subscribed to communism at one time or another is meaningless in the sense the so-called 'democratic' countries have and do support totalitarian dictatorships, and sickening apartheid regimes like the former SA (at one time too) - kinda makes the point moot.

You swim in the same water as everyone else when you try to do stuff as a politician. It was a remarkable smooth transition to democracy from apartheid. 
 
I would NOT want to live in SA though. Not with people like Winnie Mandela about.

Guitarhacker
It appears there are two different Nelson Mandela's.... the one we all see on the TV and the one who lived a life quite different from the fantasy presented on the TV and news.
 
“We Communist Party members are the most advanced revolutionaries in modern history ... the enemy must be wiped out from the face of the earth before a Communist world can be realized.”—Nelson Mandela, during his 1962 trial for terrorism. Quoted in The Wanderer, July 1, 1990, page 6
  

No. You couldn't be more wrong. That quote from the sixties just emphasizes how he could push that angry bitterness behind. It's not about being two faced, it's about growing as a human being. He even invited his prison guards to his inauguration. How many of us had done it?
 
In general, all the revolutionary movements back then were somehow lefties, because all the democratic (big) countries supported the dictators. Communist world was simply the only place to look for support, weapons and money. The most appauling example is the last 200 years of the whole of South America. Feodal slavery and genocide were accepted by international big money all through the continent, even during the very prosperous period around 1800's. 

Kalle Rantaaho

Guitarhacker
It appears there are two different Nelson Mandela's.... the one we all see on the TV and the one who lived a life quite different from the fantasy presented on the TV and news.
 
“We Communist Party members are the most advanced revolutionaries in modern history ... the enemy must be wiped out from the face of the earth before a Communist world can be realized.”—Nelson Mandela, during his 1962 trial for terrorism. Quoted in The Wanderer, July 1, 1990, page 6
  

No. You couldn't be more wrong. That quote from the sixties just emphasizes how he could push that angry bitterness behind. It's not about being two faced, it's about growing as a human being. He even invited his prison guards to his inauguration. How many of us had done it?
 
In general, all the revolutionary movements back then were somehow lefties, because all the democratic (big) countries supported the dictators. Communist world was simply the only place to look for support, weapons and money. The most appauling example is the last 200 years of the whole of South America. Feodal slavery and genocide were accepted by international big money all through the continent, even during the very prosperous period around 1800's. 

Well said Kalle.  He suffered for his beliefs and has become a symbol of hope for millions of people.  
 
Rimshot

My homage to this great leader.

not a fan of communism, but if you are put in a desert by a government that claims to be capitalist and the communist guy is the one that offers you a glass of water, it just might make you ally yourself with him for a bit. When western nations were turning a blind eye to apartheid, the likes of Fidel Castro and Ghadafi were offering aid.  Most likely self serving and an attempt to increase their own influence, but they at at least were publicly denouncing the regime.  I'm not saying he was right or wrong during that phase of his development, but the desert analogy does apply regardless.  R.I.P