http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-25249520

Name sounds familiar...

Damn. Why does it feel as if everyone is dying this year? I mean Mandela was extremely old already so you kind of saw it coming sooner or later but still.

What a sad day for the world, and South Africa in particular. Truly a great man. He definitely lived a full life though.

RIP, at least he got to sort out those issues about where he was going to be buried that popped up when he was in a coma.

Found out about this a few minutes ago. He was a really cool guy. I can't say I find this particularly sad though. Dying at that age is a good thing, in a way.

95 years old....damn he was stubborn.

Don't like everything he did or what he believed in, but he did do some good. "Don't speak ill of the dead"

Great man, great life. I cannot say it is sad that he passed away, mostly because that diminishes his character imo.

Great man. He was 95 years old and after years of struggling with illness I wouldn't say his death was a surprise, but it's still kind of sad.

a very great man.. whenever you saw pictures of him he was always smiling, even after all he had to go through...

In honor of him, I am currently listening to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fm7p-RLFg2I

morgen freemen?

Not much can be said about his death that wasn't said while he was alive, he was a great man who did great things. The one thing that is going to bother me is that his death will probably be less relevent then the death of that guy from Fast & Furious to most people which is really sad.

Rest in Peace, you have earned it. The world will remember you and your deeds.

The dying before your time thing strikes a louder chord than most kinds of deaths are likely to do. It is simple human nature imo. We fear dying young and that is more relevant to us than someone who was truly a great man passing away at a ripe old age. Mandela accomplished most of his endeavors, or at least he accomplished much more than most people would have expected and he had done most of what he was likely to have done by the time of his death. His time had simply passed. It isn't controversial (yet! Damn media will likely try something), and he was an example of a good life that should be held up and sought after in many ways. Righting wrongs and making change for the better. Social equality and progress. Great things, but they pretty much already happened in most people's minds imo. Thus I would think it WOULD be less relevant for most people in the US.

However, Mandela's death will have MUCH more publicity and attention than Paul Walker's death. Maybe not outside the United States, but again, Mandela was never all that relevant to the US in any case, at least not as far as most people are concerned. Which is sad, as his actions certainly affected the US. Paul Walker was a good guy as well though, he did a lot of good and set up charities and donated often, and not exactly sparingly either, from the accounts I have read. Both deaths svck. Relevance is a highly subjective thing that is determined at the individualistic level.

This is of course pulled right out of my ass.

Ninety-five is pretty damn good when you consider he spent twenty-seven of them in prison. That's gotta take a toll.

RIP Mr. Mandela.

Respect to the great man.

RIP. Great man.

"When a man has done what he considers his duty to his people and his country, he can rest in peace. I believe I have made that effort, and that is, therefore, why I will sleep for the eternity."

RIP Mr. Mandela

RIP to a great leader and human being. While I don't agree with his advocating violence (founding the Umkhonto we Sizwe which used bombings to try to advance their cause), he was still an amazing, forgiving politician and statesman after he was realeased from prison in 1990. He could have taken the low road and been vindictive and seeking retribution when he became president, but he was the opposite and it won over the country and the world. I did a university paper on the 1995 free elections and it really sparked my interest in South Africa. Its an amazing country with a fascinating history and blend of peoples and cultures. I'd love to visit one day.

RIP Mr. Mandela. I hope your people don't lose your teachings that you worked and suffered so much for.

Sad day for the world, imo. Very few people have a heart like he did, and even fewer go so far for so many. RIP, Mr. Mandela.

His ability to survie prison and rise to president is a great note for "you can do anything".

I'll leave it at that.

A great man has passed.

He will be remembered much longer, too.

I heard. I remember when he was released from jail.

Wonderful man, he will be missed.

Wait I thought he died in prison a long time ago... Regardless he was a good man.