Analyse
The statement matches a well-documented passage from Mandela’s book, where he writes: *'No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.'* Obama’s rendition omits a preceding clause (*'I’m not a saint, unless you think of a saint as a sinner who keeps on trying'*) but otherwise replicates the text verbatim. The quote’s authenticity is corroborated by multiple editions of the book and Mandela’s public speeches, including his 1993 address in Miami. No credible sources dispute its attribution.
Achtergrond
The quote originates from *Long Walk to Freedom* (1994), Mandela’s memoir co-written with Richard Stengel, where he reflects on racism and reconciliation. It was later echoed in his speeches during the post-apartheid transition. Obama invoked it during the eulogy for Reverend Clementa Pinckney, one of nine Black parishioners murdered in the 2015 Charleston church shooting by a white supremacist, framing it as a call for racial healing.
Samenvatting verdict
Barack Obama accurately quoted Nelson Mandela’s 1994 autobiography *Long Walk to Freedom* during his 2015 eulogy, with minor stylistic adjustments that preserved the original meaning.