Comments for LEE JASPER ON MANDELA'S BIRTHDAY CONCERT at http://www.voiceofafricaradio.com , comment 1 to 4 out of 4 comments http://www.voiceofafricaradio.com Fri, 21 Nov 2008 05:01:54 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://www.voiceofafricaradio.com/News/mandela-birthday-concert-is-a-whitewash.html#comment-40 I am writing in reaction to the above story on your website. While I do appreciate the fact that there was not enough Africanness about the Madiba birthday, we also need to realise that this was not an occassion to celebrate Africa. We gave Mandela to the world and what happens after that is up to the man himself and the dynamism of world affairs. You would even have figured it dumb of Mandela to come all the way to Europe for his birthday treat, but then it was not! He was out to make money for his charity work, and, in my opinion, if that meant coming to Europe to do that, then so be it. He is not giong to have many more like so if he can raise a few cool millions, why not! I dont think the Mandela concert was an African event. Trouble with us Africans (maybe even blacks in general) is that we love being associated with good things but can not work for, or support them! If there were not blacks in the performance line-up, how many bought tickets for the show? Just so they can help the old man raise more money. Editor, Eyecon magazine and ECO Media News - Enock K. Kimbowa Thu, 03 Jul 2008 01:10:13 +0100 http://www.voiceofafricaradio.com/News/mandela-birthday-concert-is-a-whitewash.html#comment-33 Nelson Mandella is a living icon of our time. People in Europe decided that they wanted to commemorate his life time achievements in celebration of his 90th birthday. Now Lee Jasper is complaining that there were very few African acts on the stage. The party was in the Uk for the people of the UK to celebrate with Mr Nelson Mandella. These people are not African they are European. The question that should be asked is not why there are no African acts, but why there was no thought given by Africans to organise a celebration of his life works in Africa and we Africans are the ones that should be hold commemorative concerts not waiting for Europeans to do it and complaining that we are not invited. - Nii Addy Sun, 29 Jun 2008 09:11:14 +0100 http://www.voiceofafricaradio.com/News/mandela-birthday-concert-is-a-whitewash.html#comment-26 I respectfully disagree. There's another way to look at this: If most everyone in attendance was black (instead of white), we could infer that whites simply weren't interested in Mandela anymore and didn't care to attend his birthday party. Would that have been better? Also keep in mind that the UK is still largely white (89% white, 4% black) --if Mandela chose to have it in South Africa (80% black, 10% white), then the outcome would likely have been reflected the demographics. Perhaps, it was Mandela's choice to have his birthday party in London because he thought he'd get better publicity for his cause as his dinner and concert seemed to be covered heavily now throughout the global, mainstream media outlets. I'm just flabbergasted and *extremely* grateful that this man, even at the age of 90, is still out there fighting for racial harmony and unity wherever that may be. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MANDELA!!! :-) - Mimi in NYC Wed, 25 Jun 2008 23:16:18 +0100 http://www.voiceofafricaradio.com/News/mandela-birthday-concert-is-a-whitewash.html#comment-24 This is typical of the organisers. Who do they consist of anyway? VOAR, keep on raising such issues for all to know. Doing a good job. ;D - Joe Peace Wed, 25 Jun 2008 12:11:10 +0100