George,

When I heard the news, I just froze; a transformative figure had just passed from the global scene. I always marveled about how someone who had experienced such hate would be able to stress peaceful reconciliation.

Having spent substantial time with Bishop Desmond Tutu and having traveled to South Africa, seeing Soweto and Mandela's home, I developed a deeper appreciation for what he and others went through. And his death brought back the fact that Charlottesville was the first city in the South to divest its stock holdings from businesses which did business in South Africa. I am convinced that the global divestment efforts made a huge difference in getting Mandela released and helping that country move toward Democracy.

While the problems of South Africa remain substantial, the absence of Mandela would likely have meant years of violent racial strife, and a future more uncertain for its citizens.

(David Toscano, Electronic mail, December 9, 2013)