# Nelson Mandela has died **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 5, 2013, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nelson-mandela-has-died/675604 "2013-12-05T21:50:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Teacake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Teacake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teacake)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2013, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nelson-mandela-has-died/675604/1 "2013-12-05T21:50:42Z")
I can’t think what to say. [url=][http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-25249520](http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-25249520) ---
**Author:** ![Dervorin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Dervorin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dervorin)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2013, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nelson-mandela-has-died/675604/2 "2013-12-05T21:52:37Z")
I think it was hardly unexpected, and lord knows he’s done enough in this lifetime. RIP Mr. Mandela. ---
**Author:** ![Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Man_With_a_Cat)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2013, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nelson-mandela-has-died/675604/3 "2013-12-05T21:54:17Z")
Yes, RIP, what an incredible life. His timing however, sucks. I already had him penciled in my 2014 Death Pool. Whichever, he deserves the peace he’ll have now. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2013, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nelson-mandela-has-died/675604/4 "2013-12-05T21:55:16Z")
> [@Dervorin](#): > > I think it was hardly unexpected I’d say when you’re 95, it’s never really unexpected. Still, I’m sorry to hear of his death. ---
**Author:** ![DragonAsh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/db5fbb/32.png) [@DragonAsh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DragonAsh)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2013, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nelson-mandela-has-died/675604/5 "2013-12-05T21:55:46Z")
Not unexpected, but still sad… ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2013, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nelson-mandela-has-died/675604/6 "2013-12-05T21:59:58Z")
The end of an incredible journey by a man who had the courage of his convictions. I wonder if they’ll tack a trailer obit onto the new film. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2013, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nelson-mandela-has-died/675604/7 "2013-12-05T22:01:37Z")
Sorry to hear this. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2013, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nelson-mandela-has-died/675604/8 "2013-12-05T22:03:52Z")
He helped make history in South Africa. Now Mandela can rest with MLK, Gandhi, and other champions of freedom. Imagine the stories they can share with each other. R.I.P. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2013, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nelson-mandela-has-died/675604/9 "2013-12-05T22:04:43Z")
Got a lotta stuff done. ---
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Alex](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atomic_alex/32/175_2.png) [@Atomic\_Alex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Alex)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2013, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nelson-mandela-has-died/675604/10 "2013-12-05T22:05:25Z")
> [@Dervorin](#): > > I think it was hardly unexpected, and lord knows he’s done enough in this lifetime. RIP Mr. Mandela. Agreed, but you just know the media, social and otherwise, is going to lose its collective mind over this. I hope the coverage is as dignified as he was. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2013, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nelson-mandela-has-died/675604/11 "2013-12-05T22:09:07Z")
Mandela leaves a tremendous legacy behind. In 200 years, his name will still be invoked in South Africa, as George Washington’s is in the U.S. ---
**Author:** ![Dervorin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Dervorin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dervorin)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2013, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nelson-mandela-has-died/675604/12 "2013-12-05T22:20:41Z")
> [@Disposable Hero](#): > > Agreed, but you just know the media, social and otherwise, is going to lose its collective mind over this. I hope the coverage is as dignified as he was. Yep. I know… it’s going to be one long outpouring of… something. Lots of people trying to outdo each other in grief, and I’m worried about what’s going to happen to his political and social legacy. I would love to think the coverage will be dignified, but I fear it won’t be. I was a bit confused, because just yesterday or the day before, there was a news report about how he was fighting from his deathbed. I hadn’t thought the end would be quite so close. But yes, he was undoubtedly one of the foremost people of the 20th century, and I was reflecting the other day on “quiet” revolutionaries, who managed in their own way, to change the world in a tremendous way. Mandela, Gandhi, MLK - they shook and changed societies. ---
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2013, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nelson-mandela-has-died/675604/13 "2013-12-05T22:31:08Z")
What a life. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2013, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nelson-mandela-has-died/675604/14 "2013-12-05T22:32:58Z")
I’m not sad at his passing, but glad that he went, at a great age, in his own bed, surrounded by his family. That seemed an unlikely outcome for the longest time. There have been very few who have changed the world by sheer force of character, and even fewer who have done so for the better. He’ll be missed, and we could do with a few more like him. ---
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2013, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nelson-mandela-has-died/675604/15 "2013-12-05T22:43:19Z")
Nicely put **Baron Greenback**. He led his country peacefully from apartheid to democracy, an almost unbelievable feat. Rest in peace, Mr. Mandela, and thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Rodgers01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@Rodgers01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodgers01)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2013, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nelson-mandela-has-died/675604/16 "2013-12-05T22:43:32Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > The end of an incredible journey by a man who had the courage of his convictions. I wonder if they’ll tack a trailer obit onto the new film. (For anyone else who’s as completely out of the movie loop as I am, I think [this](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2304771/) is what Chefguy is referring to.) RIP. What a life… ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2013, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nelson-mandela-has-died/675604/17 "2013-12-05T22:44:21Z")
I was only 10 when he became president of South Africa, and it wasn’t until years later that I learned about the road he took to get there. He achieved more in one lifetime than most of us could in two or three. ---
**Author:** ![lisiate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f05b48/32.png) [@lisiate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisiate)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2013, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nelson-mandela-has-died/675604/18 "2013-12-05T22:45:08Z")
Obligatory link to [The Specials](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgcTvoWjZJU) So who is the nigh universally-agreed Greatest Statesman now? ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2013, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nelson-mandela-has-died/675604/19 "2013-12-05T22:54:15Z")
Indeed, an amazing life. Thank you for your service to humanity, sir. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2013, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nelson-mandela-has-died/675604/20 "2013-12-05T22:57:48Z")
My mom’s first reaction was whether they’ll cancel tonights live _Sound of Music_ broadcast. I reassured her they wouldn’t dare. Not after such a large cast spent weeks rehearsing. But I bet the news division wants desperately to run their Mandela coverage. > [@Disposable Hero](#): > > Agreed, but you just know the media, social and otherwise, is going to lose its collective mind over this. I hope the coverage is as dignified as he was. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nelson-mandela-has-died/675604.md?page=2)