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5

Changing the World

Nate Beeler/Cagle Cartoons

Consider this political cartoon created in response to Mandela’s passing in 2013.
In what ways does this cartoon capture the essence of Mandela’s rebellion against apartheid?
Based on your understanding of this excerpt from his speech, why is this image an appropriate
representation of him or not?

I, and the others who started the resorted to a show of force to crush opposition
organisation, did so for two reasons. Firstly, we to its policies, only then did we decide to answer
believed that as a result of Government policy, violence with violence.
violence by the African people had become But the violence which we chose to adopt 5
inevitable, and that unless responsible was not terrorism. We who formed Umkhonto
leadership was given to canalise and control the were all members of the African National
feelings of our people, there would be outbreaks Congress, and had behind us the ANC tradition
of terrorism which would produce an intensity of non-violence and negotiation as a means of
of bitterness and hostility between the various solving political disputes. We believe that South
races of this country which is not produced even Africa belongs to all the people who live in it,
by war. Secondly, we felt that without violence and not to one group, be it black or white. We
there would be no way open to the African did not want an interracial war, and tried to
people to succeed in their struggle against the avoid it to the last minute. [. . .]
principle of white supremacy. All lawful modes In the words of my leader, Chief Lutuli, who
of expressing opposition to this principle had became President of the ANC in 1952, and who
been closed by legislation, and we were placed was later awarded the Nobel Peace Prize:
in a position in which we had either to accept a
permanent state of inferiority, or to defy the Who will deny that thirty years of my life
government. We chose to defy the law. We first have been spent knocking in vain, patiently,
broke the law in a way which avoided any moderately, and modestly at a closed and
recourse to violence; when this form was barred door? What have been the fruits of
legislated against, and then the government moderation? The past thirty years have seen
50
Copyright © Bedford/St. Martin’s. Uncorrected proofs have been used in this sample chapter.
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