de Klerk says Obama shows racial progress

Journalstar.com ^ | 2-10-2009 | Don Walton

[stan_sipple]

The election of President Barack Obama was a seminal moment in history similar to Nelson Mandela’s election as president of South Africa, F.W. de Klerk said Tuesday.

Obama’s victory represents “a crossroads in (demonstrating) we can successfully rise above all forms of racism,” de Klerk said.

“It was a powerful message not only for America and the world, but for us in Africa,” said the man who released Mandela from prison and presided over the end of apartheid in South Africa.

de Klerk was in Lincoln to deliver a lecture at the E.N. Thompson Forum on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus.

“We in Africa will have a more direct interest in America now,” he said during a news conference prior to his Tuesday night address.

While commending former President George W. Bush for increasing U.S. assistance to Africa, de Klerk said the time has come for America and the European Union to provide more developmental aid.

“The developed world can’t allow a whole continent to lag farther and farther behind,” he said.

“The gap is growing. It has not been narrowed.”

Africa has made progress in increasing its number of successful democracies and semi-democracies, he said, and its economic growth rate is improving.

“But it needs to enter into a partnership with the developed world,” de Klerk said.

“Reach out a hand to Africa and draw it nearer,” he urged.

As president of South Africa, de Klerk helped negotiate adoption of its first fully democratic constitution and shared the Nobel Peace Prize with Mandela in 1993.

The lesson from those negotiations, he said, was that “you only succeed if you create win-win situations” for both sides.

“You need to sit around a table,” he said, “and you cannot chose with whom you negotiate.

“It’s a process of give and take.” he said.

“We made major concessions. And I’m still being accused of (making) too many concessions.”

Applying what he learned to the dispute between Israel and the Palestinians, de Klerk said, both sides should agree to reasonable preconditions.

The Palestinians should be prepared to accept and recognize the state of Israel’s right to exist, he said, and Israel should recognize the right of the Palestinians to have a state of their own within reasonable borders.

“The extension of (Israeli) settlements within those borders should stop and should even be reversed,” he said.

de Klerk is founding chairman of the Global Leadership Foundation, a consortium of former heads of state dedicated to promoting peace, democracy and development worldwide by providing confidential peer-to-peer advice to governments.

[Canedawg]

BS

Blacks are the most racist people in the country today.

[coloradan]

Yet another article judging 0 on the color of his skin and not on the content of his character.

[coloradan]

“We in Africa will have a more direct interest in America now,” he said during a news conference prior to his Tuesday night address.

Racist.

[JacksonCalhoun]

South Africa has become such a desirable place to live since Saint Mandela took power. Widespread violence, kidnapping, rape. Of children.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Hurray! It’s now a clear race to the bottom! Way to go, ‘Spiffy!’

[reagan_fanatic]

While commending former President George W. Bush for increasing U.S. assistance to Africa, de Klerk said the time has come for America and the European Union to provide more developmental aid.

Here's an idea - how about developing your own @#&%$ resources and supporting your own people instead of running around looking for a #*&$@ handout.

[MyTwoCopperCoins]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederik_Willem_de_Klerk

Frederik Willem de Klerk (born 18 March 1936) was the last State President of apartheid-era South Africa, serving from September 1989 to May 1994. De Klerk was also leader of the National Party (which later became the New National Party) from February 1989 to September 1997. De Klerk is best known for engineering the end of apartheid, South Africa's racial segregation policy, and supporting the transformation of South Africa into a multi-racial democracy by entering into the negotiations that resulted in all citizens, including the country's black majority, having equal voting and other rights. He shared the Prince of Asturias Awards in 1992 and the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 along with Nelson Mandela for his role in the ending of apartheid.

[RushIsMyTeddyBear]

Visit the Liberty Bell in Philly at the Independence Hall Welcome Center.........and there is a HUGE picture of Mandela. Made my sister and I sick when we saw it.

[snowrip]

My sincerest apologies to the racially-sensitive, but... SO FRIGGING WHAT?

When you are shoving every American citizen down the crapper because of your own personal weakness and stupidity, it doesn’t matter what color your goddamned skin is. You can be white, black, brown, yellow or green... and still be a racist. Or a tyrant.

[nbhunt]

Like we all did not know this already.

[vladimir998]

I remember watching a late 1980s or early 1990s speech by PW Botha. All we heard about him on the US media was that he was a racist, of course. He was portrayed as having no humanity whatsoever.

I was amazed, however, by his sense of humor. He would speak in Afrikaans, then cut to English to tell some of the funniest political jokes I ever heard. Seriously, the guy had the timing and wit of a comedian!

[not2worry]

Africa is a Continent not a Country.

South Africans have been targeted for whites vs blacks. Mandela won that political “war”. Most white Afrikaans have moved out of South Africa. You will find them in Europe, Scandinavia and even the USA. IMHO, South Africa, with so many resources will become another Brazil.

As far as the other Countries in Africa, it's black against black. He who has the biggest stick is in power and that stick is a deadly weapon against their own people.

I've seen it and it's not a pretty sight.

The best quote I ever heard was from Cassius Clay A/K/A Mohammad Ali, who said, after he visited Africa was “I am sure glad my granddaddy jumped on the boat to the USA”.

Most people don't understand that there are “Joe the Plumbers” in all areas of the world. The silent majority whipped by equivalent of what we would call Congress.

[matginzac]

Barf alert?

[River_Wrangler]

Visit the Liberty Bell in Philly at the Independence Hall Welcome Center.........and there is a HUGE picture of Mandela. Made my sister and I sick when we saw it.

I lived in Africa and spent time in South Africa before Mandala's resurgence. He was in jail for multiple murders and terrorism.

Americans have a very lopsided view about South African politics and Apartheid.

[stan_sipple]

another sad do-gooder trying to buy his way out of a truth and reconciliation witch burning

[Vaduz]

He was in jail for multiple murders and terrorism it’s true yet the msa will not say a word about it he was also a communist now we know why the msm supports obama 100% 24/7.

[MBB1984]

Americans have been given a heavy dose of leftist propaganda on South Africa. Unfortunately, too many Americans have been deceived into believing leftist lies as truth.

[stan_sipple]

i thought about it but the paper staged it as a straight news story definitely qualifies for barf status