Nelson Mandela is one of the most incisive and moral political leaders of modern times. He was an activist, lawyer, father, prisoner, survivor and eventually president. Being a staunch believer in human dignity and equal rights of all people regardless of origins or background, he has become the face of equality and freedom. Throughout his constant struggle for the freedom of all South African people from the white forces of apartheid, he was constantly dominated by the corrupt structure of government. Mandela was sent to prison for twenty-seven years after raising numerous riots against apartheid forces with the support of the African National Congress, or ANC. His sentence revealed the true cruelty that human beings can possess. However, thanks to strong willpower and the complete support of the African people, Mandela survived his prison sentence and became the first democratically elected president of South Africa. Nelson Mandela is considered one of the most inspirational figures in history. No matter what language or country his story is told in, his legacy serves as a beacon of hope and healing. It's a powerful reminder that the power of the human spirit can overcome seemingly impossible odds. In the face of oppression, she had the courage to resist and fight for change. His life is an example of how the power of passion and perseverance can change the world. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay As we have learned, solidarity is the conscious decision to form a bond and show compassion towards someone or something that is suffering. Pope John Paul II said that it is a decision to commit one's feelings and compassion to the common good. Nelson Mandela stood in solidarity with his people every day of his life. He embodied a spirit of giving and service to the needy, standing alongside the poor and marginalized members of his nation. He encouraged everyone to pursue justice on behalf of all people. Nelson Mandela was to be executed because he was one of the leaders of the ANC who opposed the segregationist policies of the South African government. Instead, the government decided to prolong his suffering and he was sentenced to 27 years in prison for fighting to dismantle the country's apartheid regime. However, this suffering did not stop him. In his book Barking to the Choir: The Power of Radical Kinship, Father Greg Boyle of Homeboy Industries stated that “the more you take things personally, the more you suffer. You observe it, hold it up to the light, release it and move on. You can choose to let suffering be the elevator to a high place of humble love.” Nelson Mandela chose not to let suffering get the better of him. In the book The Cross and the Lynching Tree, James Cone's theology is that through Jesus, God came to identify with those who had been overlooked such as the poor and those who were suffering. For blacks in the American South, the promise that their suffering would one day end was simply not enough. They wanted God to understand and be a part of their suffering, while at the same time freeing them from their afflicted state of being in the present world. This was in line with the suffering that Nelson Mandela and the blacks of South Africa were going through. Nelson Mandela knew that his suffering was part of his fight for human dignity and the common good of all. The fundamental principle of the common good is that all human beings, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, etc., have the God-given right to live, work and.