27 YEARS TO FREEDOM: NELSON MANDELA In our eighth installment of The Black Fist: Best & Brightest Everyday Black History Series, We will publish an affirmation written by our South African Brother, Bro. Nelson Mandela. The life story of Nelson Mandela is a well-known -- overly told story and rightfully so -- Story of a black man who was imprisoned for 27 years for protesting, speaking out publicly and wanting freedom, justice, and equality for his brothers and sisters in South Africa. Nelson Mandela did his time, 27 long years and not once did he whine, cry or use the time he was allowed in the media to sing the same ol' "I was done wrong and these are the people who did me wrong" song. Which if he had he would've been 100% within his rights to do so. He knew all along he was innocent and truly speaking out for the salvation and liberation of the black [South African] nation, and that's the ONLY reason he was imprisoned. Bro. Nelson Mandela was imprisoned 27 long hard brutal years for trying to bring equality & justice to black people suffering under the racist and oppressive conditions in a country that originally belonged to Black people but stolen and ran by the white man. He fought FOR the black people of his country. He wasn't imprisoned for fighting AGAINST black people. There is a difference! The Black Fist as an organization, can and will always respect a black man who truly stands up for his people especially a black man who spent 27 years wrongly imprisoned, was released and got on with the business of living and continuing on his true lifes mission of fighting for the liberation and salvation of the black nation! So what we've decided to do in this installment, as stated above, is publish Bro. Mandela's affirmation he gave to all of us to reflect upon and ultimately live our lives by. I'd like to thank one of our Generals in The Black Fist, General Emerald, for bringing this affirmation to the faithful readers and supporters of this blog. General Emerald likes to call this installment...27 Years To Freedom. And this beautiful affirmation penned by Nelson Mandela is called "Our Deepest Fears".... OUR DEEPEST FEARS -- BY NELSON MANDELA Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our Light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who are we to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are we NOT to be? We are a children of the Universe. Our playing small does not serve the World. There is nothing enlightening about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around us. We were born to make manifest the glory of the Universe that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone of us. As we let our own Light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our fear, our presence automatically liberates others. Well there it is. Our beautiful brother Nelson Mandela gave us this thought-provoking affirmation and we are to take this and incorporate it into our black conscience thinking and in our daily actions in the best interest of the black nation as a whole. Whether it is the black nation in AmeriKKKa -or- the black nation of South Africa, we must always hold ourselves in the light of dignity, truth, respectablity, nobility, and love for ourselves and our black brothers and sisters. We must always tell the truth in the face of the enemy, but what [some] black people within this community and around the world should learn to do more often is tell the truth to....."Themselves." Michael Jackson, love him -or- hate him said it best, He stated boldly he's starting with the "Man in the Mirror".....and asking him to change his ways. Nelson Mandela looked deep within himself, "Will You?" STAY TUNED TO OUR NINTH INSTALLMENT COMIN' RIGHT BLACK ATCHA SOON. RIGHT HERE ON THE ONLY "OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF THE BLACK FIST," THE BLACK FIST BLOG! (And we'd like to give a mighty black powered hand to General Emerald for contributing the first and certainly not the last powerful article to this blog, That does not belong solely to General Nikki X, it never has-- but to ALL legitimate longstanding dedicated members of The Black Fist and our newest Black Fist recruits! This eighth installment was to be our last but due to the high public support and overwhelming demand for more Black History, we will continue on as requested. Thank you to all who have emailed, commented on this site, called and stopped us on the street to give us your support, your accolades and a strong "black power fist!!!") BLACK FIST, BLACK POWER, BLACK NATION!!!