HUMOR: Words Of Wisdom From George Constanza

CULTURE/SOCIETY: Mandela Celebrates 90th Birthday

This is a pretty good piece from NPR on Mandela's 90th birthday last week. I edited down a little bit, but you can read the full piece at this link. - OlderMusicGeek

Mandela Celebrates 90th Birthday
by Ofeibea Quist-Arcton

Morning Edition, July 18, 2008 · Nelson Mandela, one of the world's most revered elder statesmen, turned 90 on Friday.

The Nobel Peace Prize laureate, South Africa's first democratically elected leader, spent decades in prison, as did many others who dedicated their lives to the anti-apartheid struggle. They fought for liberation and equality in a free, democratic and non-racial South Africa.

The first time many heard Mandela's voice was in the 1960s, when he was on trial, charged with treason. In a three-hour closing argument, Mandela — a lawyer by profession — defended his actions to end white minority rule. He told the judge:

"It is an ideal for which I hope to live for and to see realized but, my Lord, if it needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die," he said.

Mandela was found guilty in 1964 and began serving what was arguably the most celebrated life sentence in history.

On Feb. 11, 1990, 27 years later, Mandela was a free man. He was elected South Africa's first black president in 1994, heading a multiracial government for five years.

Praise singers, presidents and paupers celebrated his inauguration.

But Mandela warned that tough times remained ahead for South Africans on a Long Walk to Freedom, the title of his autobiography.

"I have travelled this long road to freedom. I trust I did not falter. I made missteps along the way. But I have discovered the secret that, after crossing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to cross," he said.

After just one term as president, Mandela handed over the reins of power. But he kept working. His compatriots thanked him for promoting racial harmony and national unity — and choosing forgiveness and reconciliation over revenge. At the grand old age of 86, after dedicating himself to children, education, eradicating poverty, and a new struggle — the fight against HIV/AIDS — Mandela had this message for South Africans and the world:

"What I've come to do here this morning is to make an appeal more than an announcement. I'm turning 86 in a few weeks' time — and that is a longer life than most people are granted. I am confident that nobody present here today will accuse me of selfishness if I ask to spend time, while I'm still in good health, with my family, my friends and also with myself."

Mandela, fondly known by his clan name, Madiba, has always said that what he missed most during his many years in jail was the sound of children's voices.

On his 90th birthday, he received tributes from all over the world and messages from many children across Africa, including this one from a young South African girl: "Dear Madiba, on your happy day, we thank you for uniting the people of our country, so that all children can grow up together, never mind what language they speak or color they may be. Happy 90th birthday."

A link to the original article

POLITICS: Man Retires Rather Than Honor Helms

Ernest T Spoon sent me this article from The Charlotte Observer. I edited it down some, but here's a link to the original piece. - OlderMusicGeek

Man retires rather than honor Helms
By Ryan Teague Beckwith
(Raleigh) News & Observer

RALEIGH --
L.F. Eason III gave up the only job he'd ever had rather than lower a flag this week to honor former U.S. Sen. Jesse Helms.

Eason, a 29-year veteran of the state Department of Agriculture, instructed his staff at a small Raleigh lab not to fly the U.S. or N.C. flags at half staff Monday as called for in a directive to all state agencies by Gov. Mike Easley.

When a superior ordered the lab to follow the directive, Eason decided to retire rather than pay tribute to Helms.

“I … understand that my decision is not acceptable. You cannot ignore that fact. There is the law, but there is also a higher law I must follow as a matter of conscience,” he wrote to Easley and Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler.

“Regardless of any executive proclamation, I do not want the flags at the North Carolina Standards Laboratory flown at half staff to honor Jesse Helms any time this week,” Eason wrote just after midnight, according to e-mails released in response to a public records request.

He told his staff that he did not think it was appropriate to honor Helms because of his “doctrine of negativity, hate and prejudice” and his opposition to civil rights bills and the federal Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.

When the lab opened Monday morning, the flags were not put out at all, but an employee called Eason's boss, Stephen Benjamin. Around 10:45 a.m., Benjamin told one of Eason's co-workers to put the flags at half staff.

No one in the governor's office was aware of any times in recent memory when a state employee refused to lower a flag. Brian Long, a spokesman for the Agriculture department, said Eason's refusal was unexpected since he has not had similar problems in the past.

In a string of e-mails with his superiors, Eason, 51, was told he could either lower the flags or retire immediately.

He pleaded to be allowed to stay.

Eason, who had worked for the agriculture department since graduating from college, was paid $65,235.

It was not the first time Eason felt uneasy about lowering the flag.

A registered Democrat who said he frequently votes a split ticket, Eason said he had no problems lowering the flag for former Sen. Terry Sanford or President Ronald Reagan. But he remembers wondering whether he would be able to lower the flag after President Richard Nixon's funeral.

He never had to make that decision, since it rained both days.

But it was sunny Monday. And Eason is now out of a job.

A link to the original article