Lol, can anyone believe this guy? Still running with that same line of thought that since I'm Australian, I have certain inherent attitudes, and have obviously been overly influenced by the media here to hold certain views.

In this country, 80% of the media believed Tony Abbott was exactly what the doctor ordered after the 'disastrous' Labor years, 98% believes Obama is doing just fine and is one of the best US presidents of all time, 99% believe the global economy is 'back on track' in steady recovery mode since the GFC, and all but 100% believe in the aforementioned Gallipoli myths. Somehow, I believe in none of those things. There's a reason why I'm now keenly studying International Relations at the honours level, and it's because I love critically analysing history and contemporary affairs, and being able to determine who wants you to think what rather than towing some media-driven line of opinion.

The only way I can justify you not getting the point of why I admire Mandela, is because you genuinely seem like the kind of person who got beat up at school and did practically nothing to really stand up for yourself rather than sulk about it. Fortunately, Mandela was of the opposite spectrum of humanity - the kind who didn't take shit, stood up for freedom (rather than hid behind it), and then even more rare by human standards was that he offered forgiveness to his most brutal oppressors when the tables of power were turned (otherwise, he probably would have been a Mugabe-type). The wrongs he did as an early liberation leader genuinely weigh little compared to the massive good he achieved.