Why should I care about Nelson Mandela?

Nelson Mandela was born in South Africa in 1918 which makes him about 94 years old this year.  He has been very sick lately and by some reports might even be on life support. He has been in the news a lot this week, possibly because our president, who has African roots, will be visiting that continent at a cost to American taxpayers of about $100 million (not counting  Billions in foreign aid which will likely follow).  Not a small amount. Just think of the income taxes you paid last year and see how far this “big number to you” goes toward making your country a better place when L. L Cool Prez blows a hundred mil on his summer vacation at taxpayer expense.  Martha's Vineyard is so much cheaper (you don't hear that often).  

Why should you or anyone else care about Nelson Mandela other than as a curiosity, like you would any historic or biographic figure? Like Che’ Guevara?  I really don’t know.  My life is no better as a result of his time on this planet.  I tried to think of ways it might be but I came up empty. I couldn’t find a solid reason to care any more about him than I cared about,  say…Kurt Cobain.    Mandela was President of South Africa, not the one I grew up learning about in high school but the other one, the post-apartheid one with the violence and crime. 

In fact, the whole damn thing seems pretty inconsistent.  Here in America we are supposed to be all enthusiastic about TSA and Homeland Security and be anxious to line up to be frisked and have our phone calls and e-mails monitored for the good of all.  We are taught obedience to our flag and to our government and respect for the National Anthem.  Violently opposing the American Government, could be considered an act of treason.  Yet, in South Africa, Mandela was arrested, convicted of sabotage and imprisoned for 27 years, where he became the symbol for government oppression.  There were good reasons to call him a terrorist and he was aligned with anti-government interests.  Like our President, Mandela won the Nobel Peace Prize, but I can't tell why for sure. I still don’t get why Mr. Obama won it, he had yet to do anything significant at the time of its awarding, 15 milliseconds after his election.  Some would say he still has not.  Maybe the whole prize is just a popularity contest where leftists get to cast all the votes. 

Anyway, I love my country and wouldn’t want some rabble-rouser overthrowing the government and changing the whole country to fit a new model, which is what happened in South Africa.  So, it comes around again to “Why do I care about this guy?” I don't and I wonder why the press is so invested in this story.  They like big government more than most people do and Mandela's life work was overthrowing one.  Just rebellion?  Unjust?  Who is the judge of that?