In memoriam How do you assess the life and work of Nelson Mandela? Like Obama, he was a pioneer as his nation's first black president and a Nobel Peace Prize winner. What's not to love? I agree with Obama: He's one of the 'most influential, courageous and profoundly good' people to ever have lived He was a beloved hero of both South Africa and the world Mandela was an anti-apartheid hero, world statesman and symbol of the strength of the human spirit He was a worldwide symbol of resistance to racial oppression He was a great revolutionary leader - in the tradition of Fidel Castro, Hugo Chavez, Che Guevara and Nicolae Ceausescu I fear his influence that prevented a racial bloodbath has died with him He was inspirational when he appeared on Sesame Street One of his greatest accomplishments was having a species of spiders named after him Although he was, indeed, a violent communist revolutionary in his younger days, his transformation into a great statesman was genuine He was a violent communist revolutionary who never should have been released from prison Mandela was the quintessence of political correctness Other View Results Loading ...