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Free Nelson Mandela Anniversary T-shirt

27 years in captivity. Nelson Mandela was finally released by South Africa’s Apartheid regime on 11 February 1990 two decades ago. And this year the country, which he was democratically elected President of, celebrates 20 years of freedom as well as hosting Africa’s first World Cup. Philosophy Football’s 20th anniversary ‘Free Nelson Mandela’ T-shirt is…

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securedownload 27 years in captivity. Nelson Mandela was finally released by South Africa’s Apartheid regime on 11 February 1990 two decades ago. And this year the country, which he was democratically elected President of, celebrates 20 years of freedom as well as hosting Africa’s first World Cup. Philosophy Football’s 20th anniversary ‘Free Nelson Mandela’ T-shirt is the perfect kit for 2010, whatever your team. Available from Philosophy Football.

During the magnificent campaign for Nelson Mandela’s release one song stood out, The Specials AKA’s  ‘Free Nelson Mandela’  revisit it  at 
Philosophy Football’s  shirt both celebrates this message that inspired a generation to dance, march and boycott but also South Africa’ achievements in its two decades of freedom. Plus the shirt helps raise funds for Action for Southern Africa,www.actsa.org,  the successor to the Anti-Apartheid Movement.

(On an autobiographical note – Mandela Hall in the students’ union in QUB used to be called the Mc Mordie Hall in honour of a Belfast industrialist slagged off by James Connolly. I moved the motion changing the name. Thankfully I was prevailed upon to change my original proposal which had been to call it the Arthur Scargill Hall. But as the man said “those were different times”.)

15 responses to “Free Nelson Mandela Anniversary T-shirt”

  1. fiannanahalba Avatar
    fiannanahalba

    Trendy stuff- im getting one so i can be laughed at.

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  2. decent interval Avatar
    decent interval

    “im getting one so i can be laughed at”
    Oh save your money, people already laugh at you.

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  3. Ciarán Avatar
    Ciarán

    The shirt’s a bit out of date, isn’t it?

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  4. Mark P Avatar
    Mark P

    Its the twentieth anniversary of Nelson Mandela’s release! Aren’t 20 years of South Africa’s freedom something to celebrate?

    Mark P

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  5. fiannanahalba Avatar
    fiannanahalba

    A friend of mine who was in the ANCs military wing and served over ten years and took a bullet from the SADF wont be buying a tee shirt or celebrating 20 years of SA “freedom” but im sure all the ANC millionaire ruling class will be getting one alongside the brit left for dear old Nelson and the freedom to be a member of the black bourgeois and drive a top of the range BMW.

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  6. Duncan Avatar
    Duncan

    Will we also have a t-shirt to celebrate the release of political prisoners held by the ANC-led neoliberal government? http://southafrica.indymedia.org/news/2002/08/1823.php

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  7. decent interval Avatar
    decent interval

    So this mythical invisible friend of yours genuinely doesn’t think Mandela’s release, the overthrow of apartheid and the election of a democratic government are worth celebrating?

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  8. decent interval Avatar
    decent interval

    Duncan, by all means feel free to issue a t shirt commemorating the release of several people held for a few days in 2002 for not paying their train fare. It would doubtless easily outsell the hated Mandela shirt, and would highlight the keen sense of mass consciousness and political priorities, not to mention sharp business acumen, which is almost synonymous with the term Trotskyism.

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  9. Liam Avatar
    Liam

    Whatever our views of the trajectory of the ANC in office I’m at a loss to understand why anyone has problems with marking Mandela’s release.

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  10. fiannanahalba Avatar
    fiannanahalba

    Decent interval nothing mythical or imaginary about my friend, he was fighting for a democratic socialist South Africa – not the empowerment of a black elite/ruling class/middle class.

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  11. decent interval Avatar
    decent interval

    Yes, can you imagine that in a situation where, say, the majority of Scottish people were unable to vote or move freely around their country, and the leaders of the SNP had been held in prison camps for decades, you might greet the ending of this situation as a cause for celebration?

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  12. fiannanahalba Avatar
    fiannanahalba

    The freedom of my class should go hand in hand with the freedom of my country. Many times in history ruling classes and their imperialist allies have emptied the gaols of political prisoners with whom they can do business with and transfer a degree of power over to safely, knowing that their wealth, power and control over the means of production will not be threatened. Mandela is in this category, Adams if theyd gaoled him would have been the same for the Brits etc

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  13. decent interval Avatar
    decent interval

    “The freedom of my class should go hand in hand with the freedom of my country”
    What does this bluster even mean? That you would be indifferent to the creation of an independent Scotland which was not socialist? Aren’t you supposed to be an SNP supporter or something?
    “Mandela is in this category” Pity they didn’t notice that 27 years earlier when they jailed him, isn’t it? Now it’s the weekend so you can go off to the hills to fantasise and drill with your plastic Kalashnikov, while pouring scorn on those who have shown genuine courage and fortitude.

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  14. fiannanahalba Avatar
    fiannanahalba

    No not indifferent to independence at all but realistic that such independence on a capitalist basis still leaves the liberation of the working class and therefore real independence ie a workers republic as a necessity. Think Connolly or MacLean etc

    Mandela was known to be someone they could do business with he was no Steven Biko- i read everything i could get my hands on about him as a kid and i was arguing this point when the bulk of the left were singing his praises. Sure he did a whack of time but so have others. Theyd have killed him if he was coming out to call for a socialist SA. The real problem was the fall of the USSR and the capitulation of the CP.

    Glencoe this weekend DI its public knowledge. You trying to suggest something to the Branch pal?

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  15. Mark Victorystooge Avatar
    Mark Victorystooge

    A quote attributed to Mandela went something like this (I forget the exact words).
    “People say the South African Communist Party is using the ANC. But who is to say we were not also using them?”
    I don’t think he is all that left-wing, and I tend to agree that if he had had socialist revolution on his agenda and Marxian class analysis, he would never have got out of jail. They would have arranged an “accident”.
    In his memoirs he mentions talking in prison to an SACP member who tried to explain Communism to him by dividing up a sandwich as an illustration of it. Mandela was unconvinced.

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