Rodriguez, Joseph Lorenz S.

CEIT-08-502P

Justice and Inequality

Mandela was accused on 2 counts, inciting persons to strike illegally and leaving the
country without a valid passport. He conducted his own defense. Mandela was on a trial, he
being a black man judged in a white court of justice. Mandela pointed that this case is a trial of
aspirations of the African people, so he wanted to state perfectly clear that the remarks he was
going to say were not addressed to Your Worship, nor integrity of the court. Mandela stated
that he detested racism whether it comes from a black person or a white person. First, he
challenged the grounds of the case because he feared that he would not be given a fair and
proper trial because it involves a clash of the aspirations of the African people and those
whites. Its improper and against elementary principles of justice to entrust whites with cases
involving blacks. A judiciary controlled entirely by whites will manipulate the verdict, said
Mandela; sadly, there was no such court. Mandela continued to show the unfair discrimination
throughout his life full of injustices; by effect, he feared that this court would be result of the
same injustice. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states to equal protection of the law,
but the real truth was that there was no equality before the law whatsoever among blacks and
whites. Also, Mandela explained how the white men create the laws and judges’ blacks
according to them. "I feel oppressed by the atmosphere of white denomination" and recalled
that it was the white vote which really counted Mandela demonstrated his first ground of
application: That he wouldn't receive a fair trial. The second was that he wasn't obligated to
obey laws made by a parliament in which he did not represented. Black people struggle against
color discrimination and pursuit of freedom and happiness, while whites struggle for power.
Mandela's plead was dismissed by the judge and the trial began.

Consider yourself a black person living in a South African society where whites thrived in
many aspects of life while those of color were treated very poorly and inferiorly. This would
have been the country's current situation if it hadn't been for one individual who transformed
the entire country from a place of inequality and injustice to one of prosperity and hope. This
person was able to endure racism, including being wrongfully imprisoned for nearly 27 years, in
order to ensure that his country would one day regard everyone as equal regardless of skin
color. Nelson Mandela was the man who completely reshaped the entire nation of South Africa
for the betterment of black people.
 After a long battle against the National Party, Nelson Mandela, a remarkable leader, led
South Africa out of apartheid. He dedicated himself to achieving equal rights for all people,
regardless of race, and he pursued his goals despite a volatile and uncertain environment.
Mandela is well-known for advocating peaceful protests and the ideals of a democratic society
"in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities." However, when
nonviolent means failed, Mandela persuaded the ANC leadership to use armed struggle, and he
led the ANC's army, Spear of the Nation.