Timeline - Mandela haters - Buckley, Falwell, and *gulp* Abramoff

[underpants]

http://thinkprogress.org/home/2013/12/06/3029871/wing-timeline-mandela/

Sorry I can't post text from my iPhone.

Great read - I think Thomas Frank detailed Abramoff and other YR's & YAFFIs in "the Wrecking Crew"

[okaawhatever]

1. Surprised at this statement in the article:

"Now, it would be unfair to say conservatism spoke univocally in condemnation of Mandela. A group of upstart Republicans in the mid-80s, led by Reps. Vin Weber, Robert Walker, and Newt Gingrich pushed hard for the United States to take a more critical stance on apartheid."


Note: Newt Gingrich did vote against the first sanctions, but I guess he later changed his position.

[Ash_F]

2. Think the opening gives too much credit to anti-communism as a motivator

It says they overlooked the racism to fight communism. But the reality is that they liked the racism and that was the primary motivator for their actions.

The body of the article seems to support that. Overall, pretty spot on.