OK, I get it: Nelson Mandela has died. And with him being one of the most important people of the late 20th century, father of a reunited country. And all that. But it seems that all regular programming was cancelled for well over 24 hours. We had to listen to endless tributes from politicians of all hues, pontificating on how wonderful Mandela was and how they were in awe of him. Sporting figures had to, apparently, put a sporting perspective in his passing.
But it was all a little two-faced for me. Especially from those politicians of a blue hue, coming as many Young Conservatives of the day were to be seen wearing 'Hang Nelson Mandela' badges in response to the lefties ones stating 'Free Nelson Mandela'. Now I don't know if our great moonfaced leader, Cameron, wore one of those badges declaring that he should be hung, but is the leader of the party that under Thatcher reaffirmed that Mandela was a terrorist right up to the end of the 80s. Of course, he might say that people should be allowed to change their mind, something the Daily Hate Mail doesn't think Ed Miliband should be allowed to do. Cameron was only 23 in 1989, and yet he accepted an expenses-paid trip from a company that defended apartheid, which is boss described as a 'jolly'.
Sportsmen broke the embargo, as did some musicians. They cared little for the oppression of the majority, or that they were kept in 'townships'. As long as they could make their money....
I became aware of Mandela thanks to a record. I was born and grew up in deepest Suffolk, where a black face was something we hardly ever saw. There were just two in my school, not that this make me a racist, it was simply something we never saw. I mention this as the situation in South Africa was hardly mentioned, except when the SA police had committed another mass murder.I persuaded my Mother to not buy Cape fruit and vegetables; a small step, but one that many made in the realisation of the brutality of the regime there. Then, a record came out. Free Nelson Mandela was a wonderful, upbeat song with a simple message: Free this man who had been in captivity for so long. That more than anything else brought the name Mandela to our attention.
In due course, concerts were organised and the pressure grew. But in the end it was the fact the police in South Africa could not cope, the country was heading towards civil war. They freed Mandela. During his years in prison, he realised the way forward was through reconciliation, not through warfare. And that is what happened. Against the odds, free elections were held; Mandela won. The rugby union world cup was held there and South Africa won, Mandela presenting the trophy wearing the colours of a team that until very recently had been something only white could wear.
Let us remember how things really were, not how politicians would like us to remember how things were. Mandela was the person we all would like ourselves to be; universally loved and liked, the world wanted to have their photograph with the great man: The spice Girls, David beckham and the rest of the z list stars liked to bask in his spotlight. But all through it he remained dignified, serene and wonderful.
In other news.....
The high tide on Thursday night brought some minor flooding, but the next high tide was due to be at twenty to two, and so an hour before I headed down from the office to see if anything interesting was happening.
There was: the incoming tide was overflowing the lock gate which separated the inner from the outer harbour. The rushing water was creating rapids some 25m long. As time went on the levels drew closer and the rushing sound grew quieter until the levels were the same.
But still the tide kept coming, inch by inch getting nearer the top of the quays. But in the end it stopped some six inches below the top of the quayside, the water stopped coming in and all was still. And then the tide turned. I went back to the office to finish the day's work, and then head home to pick Jools up from the bus stop and the weekend start.
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