Time line: May 2009-- The following piece relates to a conference I was honored to attend, and participate in. I believe the success of the Freedom, Democracy, and Social/Economic reform efforts being spear headed by the Nelson Mandela Foundation, are not only critical to the people of the South African Nation, the African continent, but the global community as well. In nations like the United States, as well as others who perhaps have come to take their freedoms, or economic advantage for granted. These nations find that their processes aimed at reform of all type, the advancement of freedom/civil, and economic rights, have been mired in entrenched bureaucracy, and well established intractable "institutions?" within our political/social/legal processes. In South Africa the process is, in my opinion, far more fresh/vibrant, the importance of freedom and the harms and costs resultant from it's absence is still a part of the real and living memories of the people. It is very much more fluid, and less restrained by those processes that have hamstrung other societies.. The opportunity for real progress, and creative solutions exists, in a way, that it may not, any where else on the planet.

(I wanted to provide an update, over the last 2-3 years it looks like the most vibrant freedom movement has shifted from the work being done in South Africa, to the U.S. and global efforts we see in the struggle for LGBT equality.) {6/29/11} I also feel obligated to comment on the mid-east struggles taking place, I hope and wish for the best for the brave people involved, I have nothing but respect and admiration for the women in Saudi Arabia putting themselves at risk in trying to gain a greater level of equality. I am concerned what the final outcomes will look like in the effected regions.

{ Update-10/26/11 In regards to the story/article posted below. Rwanda passed sweeping laws in 2008, stated purpose being to eliminate those inappropriate Rwandan based governmental/social/cultural processes that contributed to the genocidal horrors the Rwandan people went through in the early 1990's. Recent reports concerning abuses, legal/civil right suppressions...I.E. freedom of speech/expression..as well as functional/real failures concerning the rights of an accused to a non-corrupt legal criminal/civil legal right to due process--"one that adheres to accepted international standards"..have been coming out of Rwanda--With some excellent work having been done by Amnesty International.  This writer had hoped that the story's of abuse/or the appearance/reality of the corrupt application of the laws in question would not have risen to the level that it has--that the vagueness of some of the language contained in these laws, and that these laws themselves would have been tightened up . This writer now hopes that the Rwandan government under President Kagame will continue the reform process, move to quickly improve the structure of these laws in question, while at the same time working to review and quickly correct/compensate for any harms associated with failures of application tied to these same laws.} -- Amnesty International distributed material indicate that at this time the Rwandan government has agreed to review reported shortcomings within this process.