(For new reader and those who request 好友请求, please read my 公告栏 first)

The passing of Mandela started a world wide praise of his accomplishments and  nonstop reporting in the media. The US gave him an unheard of honor (in my memory) of lowering the National flag for four days – nothing like it have been done for a foreign national  before, and a singular statement that Mandela belong to the world  and the Ages not just to SouthAfrica.

This brought to mind my own visit to SA in 1984 just prior to the dissolution of  Apartheid. Things are already began to loosen (otherwise, I doubt I’d be invited since Chinese and  Indians are classified as 2^nd class people under Apartheid)and I was treated as an  honorary  white and did not have to endure unequal treatment. This was just  after my month long (2^nd visit) to China where many remnants of the Cultural  Revolution are still in place and Deng’s opening up has just beginning to take root.  The contrasts of these two different societal system with that of the US at  the time were striking and impressive.

Anyhow,these events bring to mind my own observations about race relation among majority and minorities under any governmental and societal system.

1.    Minorities are never a serious problem under any system if they are small  minorities,  say, under 5% of the population. Example, the native  Indians in the US,  the Aborigines in Australia, and the 55 minorities in China under the current  situation. The majority can afford to be magnanimous or choose  to ignore any inequality.

2.    When a minority become a significant minority in the population, problems start to arise. But the majority cannot successfully use any suppressive techniques to maintain unequal treatment for long. The history of the US from the start to the Civil War to the 20^th century is a prime example.

3.    If a minority somehow is the ruling race, the situation is even more extreme.  South Africa, the colonial India, and the former Rhodesia come to mind.

4.    Competition between races seems to me to be a basic animalistic instinct.  Neanderthals were completely wiped out by homo-Sapiens. Germany under   Hitler is another example. Native Indians in North America and Aborigines in  Australia did not fare much better under European invasion.  As globalization  and educational level spread, the world and countries are certainly moving towards more diversity and peaceful co-existence. I am hopeful about the future of race relations.

I realize my personal views above about races may be controversial or even  unacceptable to some. We can all think and reflect within ourselves.  Readers can comment but I will not start a debate with anyone.

Note added 12/7/13: Another sign of respect for Mandela in the US. Three of the five living and serving president of the US will travel to South Africa to attend the funeral services of Mandela (the elder president Bush in his late eighties wanted to go but is too frail to travel; Carter had no dealing with Mandela since he was in jail during Carter's term) Carter actually joined the US delegation at the last minute.

Another added note 12/8/2013: Apparently the act of lowering national flag for a foreign national is very rare but NOT unprecedented. Winston Churchill was accorded this honor upon his death. I stand corrected by CNN.