What The Internet Did With Nelson Mandela's Death
The Internet is an unpredictable space and proves to be yet again, with some of its responses to the death of South African anti-apartheid revolutionary Nelson Mandela.
By Melody Oei — 09 Dec 2013, 01:03 PM — Updated over 10 years ago
1. They Put Morgan Freeman Up On A Billboard Aimed At Paying Tribute To Nelson Mandela
The memorial to Mandela was placed in the city of Coimbatore and paid for by a local cloth merchant, according to the Agence France-Presse. It featured a large photo of Freeman alongside smaller photos of Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Teresa and Martin Luther King Jr.
The text, written in Tamil reads, "Among today's politicians who cannot think beyond the next election cycle, Nelson Mandela was a leader who thought of the well-being of future generations. He went to join Mother Teresa, Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King on 5.12.13. We bow down to him, proud to have lived during his time on earth and praise his message of love, non-violence and sacrifice. 'The farmer may sleep, but the seeds he planted never will.'"
3. Others Found It Funny And Followed Suit
A tweet remembering the late Nelson Mandela with Morgan Freeman's photo attached.
Image via imgur.com4. Some Others Spotted It And Couldn't Help But To Point It Out On Social Media
A reaction to a tweet about the death of Nelson Mandela with Morgan Freeman's photo attached.
Image via imgur.com5. Fake Morgan Freeman Got Sick And Tired And Decided To Shut Everyone Up
Fake Morgan Freeman responds to the confusion between himself and Nelson Mandela.
Image via imgur.com
7. Some Even Quoted Nelson Mandela On Stuff He's Never Said
Words attributed to Nelson Mandela that are actually from bestselling book by self-help author and spiritual teacher Marianne Williamson.
Image via imgur.comAs The New York Times reported more than 2 years ago, the quote "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure," actually comes from a bestselling book by self-help author and spiritual teacher Marianne Williamson.
cnn.comThe misattribution to Mandela was already well established in 2011, The Times says, and how he came to be given credit for the quote "remains a mystery."
cnn.com
9. The Daily Currant Faked Kanye West's Reaction By "Quoting" Him, "I Am The Next Nelson Mandela...I'm Going To Be A Bigger Hero Than He Ever Was."
"Kanye West is under fire today for claiming that he will soon be a bigger cultural and civil rights icon than Nelson Mandela."
dailycurrant.com
"Nelson Mandela did a lot of good work, don't get me wrong. But I think I'm on track to do something even bigger. I liberate minds with my music. That's more important than liberating a few people from apartheid or whatever," The Daily Currant wrote in the fake article (of what Kanye West 'said').
dailycurrant.com
A photo illustration of Kanye West, an American hip hop recording artist, songwriter, record producer, film director, entrepreneur and fashion designer from Chicago, Illinois, who is now engaged to Kim Kardashian.
Image via zalebs.com"I've blazed a trail with my career. I faced immeasurable racism when I entered this profession. I mean how many black rappers can you name that came before me? I was a pioneer...Mandela was working in South Africa, which has, like what, six people? I started my magic here in the USA and then I took my business global," wrote satirical site The Daily Currant in Kanye West's fake interview.
dailycurrant.com
11. 3 Deaths In 2 Weeks Proved Too Much For Some, "First Brian Griffin, Then Paul Walker...Now Nelson Mandela, What's Going On?"
One of the main characters on TV show "Family Guy" was killed off on 26th November 2013; Paul Walker passed away in a car crash on 30 November and Nelson Mandela on 5 December 2013.
Image via imgur.com
Nelson Mandela's death was linked to the death of Brian Griffin and Paul Walker on Twitter.
Image via imgur.com12. Someone Faked A Paris Hilton Tweet, To Which She Responded With, "Whoever Made That Stupid Fake Tweet Lacks Respect To The Loss The World Is Mourning Right Now."
"I Have a Dream" is a public speech delivered by American civil rights activist Martin Luther King, Jr. on August 28, 1963, in which he called for an end to racism in the United States - the speech was a defining moment of the American Civil Rights Movement.
archives.govParis
Hilton later fired back angrily, tweeting, “Whoever made that stupid fake tweet lacks respect to the loss the world is mourning right now. Same goes for all the blogs who ran with it.”
fox13now.com
