Nelson Mandela... the terrorist.

[EarnedStripes44]

It was a republican Reagan administration that put Mandela on the terrorist watch list in the first place, following the suit of South Africa's then white minority controlled government which he also sypported. He embarked on a good will tour in the United States in the early 90's. You'd think someone in government, be it democrat or republican, would say well maybe this guy should not be listed.

And speaking of reading carefully, I maintained in this thread that this type of designation (among other things) is humiliating.

ANC party members are flagged for questioning anytime they apply for visas to visit the U.S. As late as 2002, former ANC chairman Tokyo Sexwale was refused a visa. In 2007, Barbara Masekela, South Africa's ambassador to the US for 4 years from 02 to 06, was denied a visa. She was trying to visit an ailing cousin. What "presumed" imminent threat did this woman pose to National security. The waiver wasnt issed until afther the cousin passed.

Michael Chertoff raised some interesting points however, he is a republican, but I believe wholeheartedly with the following statement. For it is you who presumes that my liberal inclinations inhibit any reasonable agreement with those of different party standards.

" [The issue] raises a troubling and difficult debate about what groups are considered terrorists and which are not."
-Michael Chertoff

Am I asking to much of the U.S. State Department? A state department under the current administration that obviously has some familiarity with issue here.

You stated that I have an agenda, I do have an issue, all things considered, with such designations and I am going to hold firm to these.

How am I not being clear. I will concede at the very least that this is an embarrassing mistake, although I have my own private reservations, how does this reflect some agenda I have being that I "look around for stories that suit your political ideologies and post them without actually being informed about what you're posting?"

Please, I encourage you to provide more examples, since I am so uninformed.