2

12/29/2009 12:21:28 AM

Quote :

"and do none of you remember 1990 or the election? really? this country was watching south africa very closely, it should not be that hard to understand why their story resonated so clearly in this country. so maybe this country isn't that involved in international politics but this is a story that is well known in this country. the news talked about it daily, school kids read about it in class, it was discussed in homes across the country."

Most people here were 2-10 years old then. No, we don't remember it.

I had heard of him around that time, but all I knew was Mandela was some famous black guy who did something cool in South Africa. What else would I know? I was 7, and it's probably abnormal even to know that much. My parents made me watch the news.

Some of us have read/learned more about him much later, but it is simply not reasonable to expect most people to know much beyond the quick 1 or 2 bullet points that made him well-known.

12/29/2009 12:42:43 AM