An amazing person. A true hero. Just read a very moving obit in the economist about Beyers Naude.
He was a hard core aparteid Afrikaner, leader of the church and preacher in favor - some thought he would run the country. But after the Sharpville massacre he turned completely. He became a relentless but never grandstanding protestor against aparteid, alienating all his friends and family, courting assasination and arrest and worse, denounced as a traitor, kicked out of his church etc. His type is a true, sublime hero - one who changed himself, not out of personal need but because of deep reflection and realization of what's right.
Now they have streets named after him. Nice in these times to hear about people like him.
Posted by johnza at September 18, 2004 10:10 AM | TrackBack