Cashing in on Nelson Mandela with T-shirts

News: Cashing in on Nelson Mandela with T-shirts 

Nelson Mandela is second only to Coca-Cola in terms of being a world recognized brand.  As a frail 94 year-old, Mandela is recovering from a lung infection in his Johannesburg home, South Africa is airing the reality show "Being Mandela" which is seen as a horrific defamation to the character of Nelson Mandela.  And, more importantly, some of his children and extended family are racing about offer all manner of products and services bearing the name of Nelson Mandela to cash in on his respected name.

In addition to a T-shirt with his image and the slogan "Long Walk To Freedom", there is a wine being offered, boxing matches, the above mentioned reality show and many more.  It has degraded to such a point that that some of his children filing lawsuits to gain control of financials of Mandela.

T-shirts can say a lot about the person wearing it; their likes, beliefs, but this is a case where we have to interrogate who is offering the T-shirt.  The motive here is purely money.  Monetary gain with maximum profit and minimal effort.  Who doesn't like those odds, but at what costs?  Aside from being a walking canvas to display great art, T-shirts in our current age have become synonymous with making a strong statement, and helping people in need.  

When I read stories about Nelson Mandela's children fighting over his money and cashing in on name, or brand, if you will, for the sake of maximum cash value before he dies is troubling to say the least.  If the party involved with offering the T-shirt with Mandel's image on it were to donate a percentage to a charity then we'd see this in an entirely different light.  The stain of bickering children over vaults of money can't be erased, but we'd see the desire to put those funds, which were prostituted from Mandela's image were going to a good cause.  

But, instead, all we see is greed.  Pure, primal, greed.  I can dream though.  I can have hope that those lusting over the fortunes of Mandela will see that good things come to those who give.  Give, and you shall receive.

Let them hear me quote one more time; Do good things.