Desmond Tutu, anti-apartheid icon, dies at 90 • Hacker News Board

Re: Desmond Tutu, anti-apartheid icon, dies at 90

#31

Post by SideburnsOfDoom » Sun, Dec 26, 2021, 1:14 PM UTC

throwawaylinux wrote: post #17

SideburnsOfDoom wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

1) why would a US president want to live in the White house in DC? It doesn't matter what they want, the official residence comes with the job. I do not think that Mr Tutu spent every single day of his tenure in Bishopscourt - you are right, it wasn't his scene. But he was a common sight there. 2) It was literally illegal for Mr Tutu to live there, then. Doing so anyway, with the backing of a major church, who chose…

That is not the case for the US president, they can live where they choose. But I did not realize the archbishop was required to live in that residence as part of the terms of their service. That answers my question then.

I don't know exactly what was "required", but I do know that the tradition of "going to where the organisation sends you" is far stronger in the clergy than it is in elected politicians.

Re: Desmond Tutu, anti-apartheid icon, dies at 90

#32

Post by rozab » Sun, Dec 26, 2021, 1:17 PM UTC

Where I live, a 2:2 university degree is still referred to as a 'Desmond' and many people don't even know why.

Re: Desmond Tutu, anti-apartheid icon, dies at 90

#33

Post by SideburnsOfDoom » Sun, Dec 26, 2021, 1:17 PM UTC

ragtagtag wrote: post #28

throwawaylinux wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Quoted post unavailable.

I think there are two elements at play. Consider a person of colour living in the eponymous mansion of the city's wealthiest neighborhood. For a racist government, it's a symbol of defiance. For other people of colour, who have been told by the government their whole lives that they are worthless, good only for manual labour -- one of their own is living in the oldest mansion in the fanciest neighborhood in town. It'…

Yes, and doing that in a disarming way, with cheerful friendliness, and everyday normality.

Re: Desmond Tutu, anti-apartheid icon, dies at 90

#34

Post by throwaway984393 » Sun, Dec 26, 2021, 1:26 PM UTC

Always loved this episode of Late Late Show where Craig interviewed Archbishop Desmond Tutu. "You know craig, I think you're crazy. We need your kind of crazy. giggles" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12OlAe2Sfes#t=14m

Re: Desmond Tutu, anti-apartheid icon, dies at 90

#35

Post by vidarh » Sun, Dec 26, 2021, 1:28 PM UTC

throwawaylinux wrote: post #29

gattilorenz wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can dismiss almost anything with that. "I didn't think sitting down on the bus would register much of a blip." The fact that we know about it means that it did register.

That's a non sequitur. I know about lots of things that were not civil disobedience.

But you don't know about many specific random people with no connection to you taking a jog or sitting down on a bus because it made enough of an impact on other people that they told you about it

Re: Desmond Tutu, anti-apartheid icon, dies at 90

#36

Post by dan_pixelflow » Sun, Dec 26, 2021, 1:44 PM UTC

'If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.'

Rest in peace.

Re: Desmond Tutu, anti-apartheid icon, dies at 90

#37

Post by authed » Sun, Dec 26, 2021, 2:21 PM UTC

No post body was provided.

Re: Desmond Tutu, anti-apartheid icon, dies at 90

#38

Post by secfirstmd » Sun, Dec 26, 2021, 2:25 PM UTC

There's a certain irony that many people who celebrate the life of Desmond Tutu and his fight against apartheid continue to ignore that he said Israel does the same thing and should be subject to boycott.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2002/apr/29/comment

Re: Desmond Tutu, anti-apartheid icon, dies at 90

#39

Post by jayflux » Sun, Dec 26, 2021, 2:27 PM UTC

rozab wrote: post #32

Where I live, a 2:2 university degree is still referred to as a 'Desmond' and many people don't even know why.

Yeah cockney rhyming slang (UK), if you get a 2:2 degree you’ve got a “Desmond”. I’m not surprised people don’t know why, when I first heard it I had to look it up. I don’t think kids grow up learning about Desmond Tutu.

Re: Desmond Tutu, anti-apartheid icon, dies at 90

#40

Post by pge » Sun, Dec 26, 2021, 2:48 PM UTC

SideburnsOfDoom wrote: post #31

throwawaylinux wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That is not the case for the US president, they can live where they choose. But I did not realize the archbishop was required to live in that residence as part of the terms of their service. That answers my question then.

I don't know exactly what was "required", but I do know that the tradition of "going to where the organisation sends you" is far stronger in the clergy than it is in elected politicians.

much less so in the anglican church (which doesn’t really send anyone anywhere) than in the catholic church where priests are assigned to positions