During the last few days while I was surfing through blogs, I have read tributes to this great man. How he had brought Americans through many great moments; the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, the Vietnam War, and the Apollo 11 Moon landing. And in another blog post, the lady wrote how he had inspired her to write from a young age. I believe he has inspired many more in a lot of ways.

In a statement by President Barrack Obama, “For decades, Walter Cronkite was the most trusted voice in America. His rich baritone reached millions of living rooms every night, and in an industry of icons, Walter set the standard by which all others have been judged.”

Quotes originally from EVliving.com

Since the end of apartheid, many have frequently praised Mandela, including former opponents. In South Africa he is often known as Madiba, an honorary title adopted by elders of Mandela’s clan. The title has come to be synonymous with Nelson Mandela.

1. I greet you all in the name of peace, democracy and freedom for all! I stand here before you not as a prophet but as a humble servant of you, the people. Your tireless and heroic sacrifices have made it possible for me to be here today. I therefore place the remaining years of my life in your hands.

2. True reconciliation does not consist in merely forgetting the past.

3. Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.

4. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

5. For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.

6. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.

7. During my lifetime I have dedicated myself to this struggle of the African people. I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to see realized. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.

8. I detest racialism, because I regard it as a barbaric thing, whether it comes from a black man or a white man.

9. We are really appalled by any country, whether a superpower or a small country, that goes outside the U.N. and attacks independent countries, No country should be allowed to take the law into their own hands.

10. I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.

11. How can I be expected to believe that this same racial discrimination which has been the cause of so much injustice and suffering right through the years, should now operate here to give me a fair and open trial?….consider myself neither morally nor legally obliged to obey laws made by a Parliament in which I am not represented. That the will of the people is the basis of the authority of government, is a principle universally acknowledged as sacred throughout the civilized world.

12. I have never cared very much for personal prizes. A man does not become a freedom fighter in the hope of winning awards, but when I was notified that I had won the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize jointly with Mr de Klerk, I was deeply moved. The Nobel Peace Prize had a special meaning to me because of its involvement with South African history…. The award was a tribute to all South Africans and especially to those who fought in the struggle; I would accept it on their behalf.

13. We must use time wisely and forever realize that the time is always ripe to do right.

14. Education is the great engine of personal development. It is through education that the daughter of a peasant can become a doctor, that a son of a mineworker can become the head of the mine, that a child of farm workers can become the president of a great nation. It is what we make out of what we have, not what we are given, that separates one person from another.

15. I have walked that long road to freedom. I have tried not to falter; I have made missteps along the way. But I have discovered the secret that after climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb. I have taken a moment here to rest, to steal a view of the glorious vista that surrounds me, to look back on the distance I have come. But I can only rest for a moment, for with freedom comes responsibilities, and I dare not linger, for my long walk is not ended.

16. I was called a terrorist yesterday, but when I came out of jail, many people embraced me, including my enemies, and that is what I normally tell other people who say those who are struggling for liberation in their country are terrorists. I tell them that I was also a terrorist yesterday, but, today, I am admired by the very people who said I was one.

17. Freedom would be meaningless without security in the home and in the streets.

18. I really wanted to retire and rest and spend more time with my children, my grandchildren and of course with my wife. But the problems are such that for anybody with a conscience who can use whatever influence he may have to try to bring about peace, it’s difficult to say no.

19. Democracy is based on the majority principle. This is especially true in a country such as ours where the vast majority have been systematically denied their rights. At the same time, democracy also requires that the rights of political and other minorities be safeguarded.

20. As I have said, the first thing is to be honest with yourself. You can never have an impact on society if you have not changed yourself.. Great peacemakers are all people of integrity, of honesty, but humility.

21. If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.

22. It is better to lead from behind and to put others in front, especially when you celebrate victory when nice things occur. You take the front line when there is danger. Then people will appreciate your leadership.

23. If you want to make peace with your enemy, you have to work with your enemy. Then he becomes your partner.