Happy 80th Birthday To Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Happy 80th Birthday To Archbishop Desmond Tutu

http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-world/world-figures-pay-tribute-to-tutu-in-book-20111003-1l4ex.html

World figures pay tribute to Tutu in book

October 3, 2011 - 10:33 A.M.


AFP

A new biography to mark Desmond Tutu's 80th birthday celebrates the South African icon as a tireless activist and playful inspiration in tributes from world leaders to rock stars.

The book contains intimate accounts from the diverse collection of friends won over in his globe-trotting campaigns to end apartheid rule and then for peace.

"I believe that God is waiting for the archbishop. He is waiting to welcome Desmond Tutu with open arms," said South Africa's first democratic president and fellow Nobel Peace Prize laureate Nelson Mandela.
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"If Desmond gets to heaven and is denied entry, then none of the rest of us will get in!"

The insights offer a glimpse behind the activist whose transformation from a clergyman to a global icon is traced alongside family snapshots and pictures of apartheid brutality.

"Emotionally and mentally, Bishop Tutu and I are very close. I call him my spiritual older brother," said Tibet's Dalai Lama.

Copies of letters to apartheid rulers and handwritten extracts of his notes reveal his relentless fight for democracy and his instinctive humanity.

A 1985 missive to FW de Klerk, who would become apartheid's last ruler, demands a passport to replace a document listing Tutu's nationality as "undeterminable at present".

The archbishop then goes on to blast the "policy of apartheid as utterly evil, unChristian and immoral" before signing off with "God bless you".

"I developed tremendous respect for his fearlessness. It wasn't fearlessness of a wild kind. It was fearlessness anchored in his deep faith in God," De Klerk said in the book.

Tutu's trademark playfulness is dotted throughout the book by his youngest daughter Mpho and veteran journalist Allister Sparks.

Mogul Richard Branson recalls teaching him how to swim, Burma's Aung San Suu Kyi calls him a "sort of giggle-maker".

The book also recalls his needless asking for directions in 1960s Britain, just to be called "sir" by a white policeman.

Irish rocker Bono describes the archbishop leading his unsuspecting band on their first meeting from his Cape Town office to a packed hall before smiling and and telling the crowd "Here are U2 to sing for you".

Intimate peeks are offered in moments like a tender airport hug with beloved wife Leah, the "Arch" outstretched on the floor taking a nap, and the couple kneeling to be blessed on their 25th wedding anniversary.

"When I was in high school, I thought he looked smashing! I don't know whether he looked smashing because he was the headmaster's son or whether it was really a crush," said Leah.

Yet, there is also a bluntness about the realities of Tutu's personal life.

"It's a challenge," said Leah, who admits to throwing clods of earth and fruit at tourist buses gawking over her fence in Soweto.

"Yes, there's definitely a challenge living with Desmond."

Bob Geldof calls him a showman and the "smallest giant I've ever met".

"For those in power, Arch is a complete pain in the arse," he says.

"He calls it as he sees it and he never shuts up."

One of the most personal accounts is from Mandela's current wife Graca Machel, who speaks of sometimes becoming "overwhelmed" with her responsibilities, especially to her famous husband.

"Sometimes I feel like I'm too small to know how to do the right thing. At these times, I will approach the Arch and he will give me the guidance I need to make me feel that everything is fine. So he has a very special - a very very special - place in my life."

Tutu: The Authorised Portrait was released on Monday ahead of Tutu's 80th birthday on Friday.

© 2011 AFP
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Desmond Tutu is turning 80 years old this Friday- October 7. I consider Desmond Tutu as one of my heroes. He is a freedom-fighter who helped end apartheid in South Africa through peaceful means. His humanitarian activities have helped so many people from all over the world. Archbishop Tutu has tirelessly campaigned against AIDS and TB all over the world. He supports pro-environmentalist efforts to curtail carbon-emissions to the atmosphere. Desmond Tutu has been championing human rights, civil liberties, racial equality, social justice, free elections, and so many other worthy causes throughout the world for so many years or decades now. Archbishop Tutu is a global icon for human rights and civil liberties and a true humanitarian hero. He is an inspiration to me because I'm also a freedom-fighter who champions non-violent means of struggling for reforms and progress in our world. Archbishop Desmond Tutu, thank you for being kind, humane and charitable. The good archbishop deserves all the happiness in the world. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO DESMOND TUTU!

(NOTE: The picture that contains a logo of a greeting for the 80th birthday of Archbishop Desmond Tutu was taken from i gifts.ie and its website could be found at this address: http://www.gifts.ie/gifts/balloon-in-a-box-happy-80th-birthday ..... The picture of Archbishop Desmond Tutu came from the web page called "Famous People" with its address at http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/desmond-tutu-75.php ..... Thanks.)

On Charters That Can Help Curtail Slavery, Human Trafficking And Abuses Against Migrant Workers

Dear UNITED NATIONS,

Please help in the global campaign to end modern-day slavery and human trafficking. Since you’re a broadcast-journalist and writer, I know you can help in promoting 2 charters that peaceful activists from all over the world are advocating.

As a human-rights’ campaigner and cause-oriented blogger from the Philippines, I sincerely believe that the UN should establish 2 new international charters that can effectively curtail modern day slavery, human trafficking and stop the abuses against migrant workers, These 2 charters are the following:

1.) International Charter Against Modern-Day Slavery And Human Trafficking

2.) International Charter On The Protection Of Migrant Workers’ Rights

An international charter against modern-day slavery and human trafficking should ensure that every country in this world must have effective measures that would systematically curtail modern-day slavery and human trafficking. Such a charter can prevent children from being exploited and forced to do hard labor as well as protect women from being sold to sex-slavery.

The second one is an international charter against the abuses being done to migrant workers. There is really a necessity to establish a charter that will protect the rights of the migrant workers. Many migrant workers are being abused by their employers and somehow are forced to work as though they are slaves. Migrant workers easily become victims of human-rights’ violations. Hence, there is really a need to establish an international charter that will protect the rights of the migrant workers.

I have been advocating the necessity of an international charter that will protect and guarantee the rights of the migrant workers since the 1990s up to this present year of 2011. Many Filipino migrant workers had returned to the country with horrific stories of being abused by employers or treated like slaves under dangerous working conditions. I’m hoping that activist groups from all parts of this globe can make this dream become a reality soon.

The mentioned charters are necessary so that we can gauge how effective are the measures of every government on this planet in curtailing or preventing modern-day slavery, human trafficking and the abuses against migrant workers. I hope that non-governmental organizations, workers’ associations and civil-society groups would all unite in persuading the United Nations to establish the proposed international charters.

Please help us in campaigning for the said charters. Please click these links: http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-603399 and http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-568656 ….. Thanks.

Sincerely,

Rupinera

RUMMEL PINERA

I HOPE WIKIPEDIA WOULD STOP USING THE WORD "MONGOLOID" AS A RACIAL LABEL FOR ASIANS.....

Dear Wikipedia,

Since I'm a Filipino, I do belong to the Yellow race. The Yellow race includes the Northeast Asians (e.g. Chinese, Koreans, Japanese), the Malays (Filipinos, Malaysians, Indonesians), Polynesians, Native Americans and the indigenous tribes of Siberia. I would rather prefer to be labeled racially as either Yellow or Beige. I wish to be called racially as either Light-Brown or Asian, not Mongoloid. The word 'Mongoloid' is politically incorrect when used to describe any member of the Yellow race. The said word makes you think that all members of the Asian race have a chromosomal condition called as the Down syndrome.

Since I'm an online activist, I have recently started an online campaign that would request to legitimate websites, blogs and online encyclopedias to stop using the word 'Mongoloid' in referring to any member of the Yellow race. The word 'Mongoloid' refers to a person who has Down syndrome. The word 'Mongoloid' is a degrading term for an Asian since it would suggest that all members of the Yellow race have Down syndrome. Since most inhabitants of Asia belong to the Yellow race, it is only proper to call members of the Yellow race as Asians. I think I can be labeled racially as either Light-Brown or Beige or Yellow. I don't want the label 'Mongoloid'. The term "Asiatics" is for all inhabitants of Asia- whether they're Whites, Blacks or Yellows. But since most inhabitants of Asia belong to the Yellow race, the term "Asian" is an appropriate racial label for any member of the Light-Brown or Yellow race. I hope your group can help in campaigning against the use of the word 'Mongoloid' in labeling any member of the Yellow race. Such term should not be used anymore in the international circles.

I'm requesting Wikipedia to delete the word "Mongoloid" as a racial label for all members of the Yellow race. The M-word is still listed on articles by Wikipedia regarding the 3 major racial divisions of humanity. The M-word is offensive to all members of the Yellow race. I would rather like to be labeled racially as Yellow or Asian. Other intellectuals suggested the word Asianic as an alternative term for a member of the Yellow race. I think the word Asianic is another acceptable racial label for any member of the Yellow race.

I hope that Wikipedia will really take action about this issue. Your group should be responsible enough in upholding racial equality in the whole globe.

Please search or click this link to know more about this advocacy of mine:

http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-579584

..... Thanks.

Sincerely,

Rupinera

Rummel Pinera

The UN Must Endorse And Sponsor A Peace Agreement In Libya Now.....

The international community, through the UN Organization, is now effectively enforcing a no-fly zone over Libya. The role of NATO in Libya is to enforce a NO-FLY ZONE. It's the people of .Libya who will have to create a democracy for their own country.

However, the international community can sponsor a peace agreement in Libya that will ensure a smooth transition of the country towards democracy. Col. Moammar Ghadaffi, being an international outlaw and a leader who has committed various crimes against humanity, should definitely exit away from Libyan governance. The armed oppositionists and the commanders of the Libyan Armed Forces should now hold dialogues that would pave the way for a peace negotiation towards national reconciliation and democratization. I'm sure that several generals of the Libyan Armed Forces don't want to see the Libyan military completely annihilated by air strikes from NATO forces and armed attacks from rebels. The international community can now push for and sponsor a peace agreement between the rational state officials, minus Ghadaffi, and the opposition leaders in Libya. Such negotiation should happen within the framework of the international`law and must accept the Libyan people's general will. Such negotiation should pave the way towards the creation of a legitimate constitution and the holding of democratic elections in Libya. The ultimate objective of such peace negotiation should be to establish a national consensus in Libya towards building democratic governance. I wish the Libyan people success in their efforts to have democratic governance for their nation.

Libya’s Socialist And Military Dictator Is On The Verge Of Being Overthrown…..

Gadhaffi is on the verge of being overthrown. He knows that his own people are already tired of hearing and seeing him as their sovereign leader over and over again. Such "socialist despot" must admit to himself that he can not go on anymore as Libya's dictator. Libya has now awakened from a deep sleep! Gadhafi should not be spoiled anymore by Western leaders just because his country is rich with oil. The leaders of the international community must unite in condemning Libya's despotic regime and, as responsible statesmen who will uphold international law, should take action against the Gadhaffi regime if it goes on in killing heinously the unarmed civilians.

The Gadhaffi regime should not be allowed to go on with its cruel means of curtailing human rights and freedom in Libya. Gadhaffi must realize that his regime has now been deserted by his own people. The leaders of the international community do know that the Gadhaffi regime is really a backer of terrorist groups that are out there to destroy the global civilization that modern humans have built and are now enjoying. Libya should walk away from being a major sponsor of terrorist groups and despotism. Libya should join the free world in defending the global civilization and in upholding international law. Libya needs to embrace democracy and freedom now! Amen.

Gadhaffi should resign now as dictator of Libya! Amen.