In reply to Ian Black:
> Many innocent people including women and children were brutally murdered by Mandellas 'MK terrorists'. Thatcher got absolutely slated on here when she died. It's called freedom of speech and that's what should happen in a democracy. We can't always agree on everything...
Yes, true, and while I have some sympathy with those taking the line "the guy just died, can't we all just be nice" I also find your view pretty disgusting so I feel compelled to say something.
For me, there's a massive problem with taking the view that violence simply destroys moral credibility regardless of circumstance and context. I don't know a lot about the history of the ANC, but I thought that after a long peaceful struggle while blacks were being shot dead by the SA police, there was a reluctant giving in to the use of violent tactics. By removing all of the context of what was achieved by violently oppressed people against a repulsive and powerful regime and drawing the completely wonky parallel to Northern Ireland I think you're putting forward a pretty twisted view of the world.
If you can suffer under an oppressive regime and then overthrow it peacefully, I might begin listening. Until then, I'll just assume that you're grasping at ways to cling on to support for politicians who - because of their own self-interest and political allegiances - took the view you're expressing here at the time. After all, the British government under any of the recent administrations doesn't exactly have a clean record on avoiding violent tactics at all costs, does it? (Oh wait, when it's about terrorism isn't it, that's always evil once you've applied the label, no more thought required, but if you've got an army and you can do things properly then that's fine...)