The Occasional Perspective - 12/29/21

Opinions and Reflections

Thank You Desmond Tutu For Bending History – Desmond Tutu died at the age of 90 on Christmas Day 2021. He was a physically short but tall in global stature and served as the Anglican archbishop for South Africa. He will be remembered for bending history. He was one of the leaders for a global campaign to end the racist policies of South Africa that brought about a global awareness on the issue. But, not only did he lead the campaign of awareness and change, he also helped – along with his friend Nelson Mandela – to lead his nation to bring about a healing of the wounds that traversed throughout society. He was 90 years old. President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa captured the Archbishop’s impact on the world by noting that Desmond Tutu “…articulated the universal outrage at the ravages of apartheid and touchingly and profoundly demonstrated the depth of meaning of ubuntu[1], reconciliation and forgiveness.” A full reading of Desmond Tutu’s legacy is available in The Wall Street Journal. Also, his seminal work, “No Future Without Forgiveness” published in 1999 speaks to everyone in their own personal circumstances.

 

[1] SOURCE – Google: “from the Nguni phrase, 'Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu' – is a concept found throughout Africa. It literally means that 'a person is a person through other people'. It describes the philosophy of kinship across race and creed, and represents an openness that all people could have to one another.”