Conservatives Attack Gingrich For Mandela Praise

"And so we come into a new week with a new litmus test to end all litmus tests for True Conservative politicians: Do they have kind words for the recently deceased Nelson Mandela? Because if they... do?... then they may be secret liberal communists who love terrorism. Most people in the world went on their Facebook or Twitter pages last Thursday night to share some positive thoughts or a quote after the former South African revolutionary-turned-president died at 95. "Most people in the world," in this rare case, included the Republican politician Newt Gingrich. Gingrich — admirably — was one of the House Republicans who (tried) to push President Reagan to speak and act more strongly against the apartheid government in the '80s. It is a stance he is deservedly proud of taking...".* The Young Turks host Cenk Uygur breaks it down.

[fjoo]

The US ruins words and strips them of all meaning. 
"communism", "liberal", "socialism", "terrorism". All of them has become just a sound people make towards people they want to dehumanize.

It's so simple minded it makes my head hurt.

[mintyvision]

people that say "socialist communist" or "communist socialist" are always idiots with little grasp on what socialism and communism are. It's like saying I'm a Catholic Christian, or a Christian Catholic. What form of communism isn't based on socialism? and socialism isn't the same as communism at all. Socialists and communists have very different social beliefs. People should be mocked for displaying such stupidity. 

[ShaynaLynn]

It's really a shame that the people that really need to hear and comprehend this, never will.

[Zenobiwan]

I don't know what worse, those comments, or the fact that they had 'likes'

[jnkmstrt]

I'm a 13 year old girl, born and raised South African.

(Mr Mandela was an amazing man. The only reason he got arrested was for stating in an interview that if the government kept ignoring their voices in peace, they might have to make their voices heard physically. In his statement during the trial that followed, the infamous Rivonia trial, he said he was not only fighting against white domination, but he was fighting against black domination as well.

I cannot accurately express in words how peaceful he was. Rational, passionate, loyal, unbiased. There's so much bias in the media, politics, in the community I live in.
I wish everyone would just forget about white and black, and start focusing on vividity. You're only worth how you treat those around you. I have ideas, you have ideas, we all do.)

It disgusted and confused me to read those Facebook comments, calling him a terrorist or mass-murderer.
I can't help wondering, if those are the people who are against abortion, saying every human life deserves love and happiness, why do they spread so much anger and ungrounded hatred?

[TheVanOorschot]

Gingrich is an opportunist. He praises and pays lip service to anyone or anything that's popular.

Remember SOPA? 

[leedaomillz]

Like him or not Newt Gingrich is incredibly smart

[guy]

This is one of those rare times when I have to give Gingrich credit.
While a huge percentage of American conservatives only saw the South African conflict in the cold war prisim and refused to back economic sanctions (even to the extend that Reagan tried, failed, to veto a sanction bill) Newt was more like the PC party up here or a wing of 'red tories' in England.

The guys on the websites, yeah... what can you say about people who will vent hatred on a dead man but not take two minates to google the guy they are only now leanring to detest on command? The least said about them the better, people like that carry a vial of posion around in thier heart and the more they stir it up the sooner it will crack.

Which is a neat little segway to my point about the politicans who only now care about Mandela since he gave up the ghost. Shoe on the other foot and he had recovered, the nthe next news cylce he's be labled as a thug and commie agin by the same people who are ready to buy tickets for his fuenral photo op.
 
Yes, I am a bit cynical.

[dewalddelange]

Im from South im white. strange thing im still alive and very happy here.  Madiba (our nick name for Mr. Mandela) was a great man. take care of your own bulshit in your country and please make sure of your facts are correct before you make bulshit statements. I am proud to have been part of his lifetime. and yes I AM WHITE. 

[eiyukabe]

I wish people would use words like "marxist" or "communist" correctly (hint: they aren't synonyms for "dictatorship").

[raegen]

I've actually gone to South Africa and talked to the poor BLACK African people and they despise Mandela, and say that they were better off when the white people were in charge. 

[Bolgernow]

when you're to the right of Newt, you're lunar

[kinglink]

Wow. People are going so far right that the Tea Party isn't right wing enough for them.

[Kemonokami]

"He has a soul! Shame on him!"

[RayZon]

disagreed with Mandela on political/economic issues as I definitely am a capitalist. He was definitely a great servant to his people however, and restored human rights to South Africa. Sometimes you have to look beyond political/economic differences and judge people by their morals and character. RIP Nelson Mandela

[demxxxxx]

I could compare Mandela to my Lord Jesus Christ's Apostles, he was a man of peace and love, he stood against the Greed and Violence that Great Britain brought on that country! Also, Do you think that Jesus was communist or socialist? I Do and I thought that Mandela was doing the best thing at the time that he thought he could do for his country! I hope that I would do the same thing!  

[joeydavis]

Wow.
I have a whole new level of respect for Newt Gingrich, now.
Seriously.
I'm not saying that I'm o.k. with things that he did in the past; yet, if he is sincere in his views, and demonstrate repentance regarding Nelson Mandela, -I should give him room to prove that he deserves to be seriously heard.
Too bad we didn't see THIS  side when he was campaigning for President. Perhaps the g o p would have nominated a more viable candidate!

[tankweeb]

The reason Mandela did not do any of those horrible things is because he lost his Soviet backing when the USSR fell, He suddenly realized he would only be supported by the people of south Africa if he was nice, However his wife was responsible for the torture off many black political prisoners, and Mandela let her get away with it...

[mirandansa]

_Nothing has contributed so much to the corruption of the original idea of socialism as the belief that Russia is a socialist country... I had seen little evidence that the USSR was progressing towards anything that one could truly call Socialism._
-- George Orwell

_Association of socialism with the Soviet Union and its clients serves as a powerful ideological weapon to enforce conformity and obedience to the state-capitalist institutions._
-- Noam Chomsky

[RedroomStudios]

I think a lot of these commenters are confused between South Africa and what has happened in Zimbabwe... of course that's what conservatives like to do is conflate issues and regions without any critical thinking or checking of facts.

I'm no fan of Newt Gingrich but the guy does know his history and I agree with his assessment of the SA story. there is a video on youtube of a debate between Gingrich and Hitchens where I first realized that Gingrich is no lightweight when it comes to understanding world history... some of his analysis I may disagree with but I give the guy respect for knowing what he is talking about... in stark contrast to today's right wing voters who are nothing but knee jerk reactionaries who make judgements based on dog whistle words.