Letter: Mandela in 'Vogue'
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Sir: Ruth Picardie in her open letter to Nelson Mandela (29 October) gives him a verbal spanking for deciding to edit the Christmas 1993 number of French Vogue which, of course, she has not seen.
The fact is that Colombe Pringle, unusual humanist editor of French Vogue, has given Nelson Mandela an unprecedented amount of clout/column space in which to communicate his people's past, present and hopes for the future. What other powerful organ of the establishment has done that? What on earth has it to do with Joan Collins and Marie Claire? And why should Ruth Picardie be, as she puts it, 'Frankly . . . out of my mind with worry' about Archbishop Desmond Tutu being involved? What would a Christmas issue on South Africa be without its most famous Christian?
Finally, does Ms Picardie have to accuse Colombe Pringle of not having overturned the Chinese government and liberated Tibet - all in under 11 months - although she dedicated her last Christmas issue to the Dalai Lama? The pen may be mightier than the sword but that is ridiculous.
Is it not enough that we owe to French Vogue one of the finest accounts of the Tibetan people ever to reach a mass readership? Is it not good that the phenomenon be repeated this Christmas on behalf of the South African people?
Yours sincerely,
MO TEITELBAUM
London, NW8
30 October
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments