By Alejandro Grattan-Dominguez
Among the Greatest Men of the 20th Century
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ote: Though this article was written several years ago, Nelson Mandela is in the news again because of the new Clint Eastwood movie, Invictus, which stars Morgan Freeman as Mandela and Matt Damon as a star player on South Africa’s Olympic soccer team. The film has garnered glowing reviews all over the world and Freeman is considered a near-certainty to be nominated yet again presidency himself in a landslide for an Oscar.) vote, Mandela’s first official act was Toward the end of the last specto make de Klerk his deputy presitacular century, polls indicated that dent! people were almost evenly divided The world watched, enthralled as to who had been the “greatest by the noble actions of what was man of the 20th century,” Winston obviously an inspired political leadChurchill or Franklin D. Roosevelt. er. But how had it happened? How My vote would have been for could an impoverished, poorlyFDR, mainly because his achieveeducated black man spend more ments were two-fold: first, in guidthan two and a half decades in a 7 ing his country through its most catby 9 foot cell, and somehow emerge astrophic economic depression, and the brilliant leader South Africa had then leading the Allies to victory in been awaiting for a hundred years? the largest, most Mandela has ofalong ten shared some savage war in all of Somewhere recorded history. the line, he likewise of the secret. “I left My personal prison more in20th century hero, learned humility, as formed than when however, is a mod- well as the true mean- I went in. And the est, soft-spoken more informed you man who still walks ing of compassion. In are, the less arrogant among us, a giant daring not to hate his and aggressive you among men who enemies, he eventual- become.” In prison, after having been he devoured books imprisoned for 27 ly would disarm them. because he knew years in rabidly racthat freedom’s most ist South Africa, later became presipowerful weapon is knowledge. dent of that same (!) country, then Mandela also learned the subunited it in a way that had never lime art of how to defeat his oppobeen done before. That man is Nelnents without dishonoring them. son Mandela. Somewhere along the line, he likeHowever, this incredible accomwise learned humility, as well as plishment is only part of the story. the true meaning of compassion. In Soon after leaving prison a free daring not to hate his enemies, he man, Mandela joined with the white eventually would disarm them. leaders of South Africa in a heroic On the day he finally was released effort to stave off full-scale civil war. from prison, he asked that some of For their efforts, he and President his white captors gather at the gate, de Klerk were awarded the Nobel so he could thank them for the small Peace Prize. kindnesses they had shown him over Then, after being swept into the the years. Ever modest, he thought
there might be but a handful of guards there to say goodbye to him; instead the entire corps of prison personnel were there that morning to wish him well—and just past the gate were tens of thousands of his countrymen, and newsreel cameras from all around the world. Yet, despite the tumultuous reception, what very few suspected— perhaps least of all Mandela himself—was that his march toward the pantheon of the 20th century’s greatest leaders was about to begin.
ALEJANDRO GRATTAN is a former screenwriter/film director who has published seven novels. Two of his novels are in over 1000 libraries in the US and Canada. He co-founded the Ajijic Writers’ Group 21 years ago and has been the Editor of El Ojo del Lago for the past 14 years. grattan@prodigy.net.mx
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