The Legacy of Desmond Tutu

In the face of overwhelming evil, can one forgive the unforgivable? This video looks at the work of South African apartheid foe Bishop Desmond Tutu. Since the fall of apartheid's system of segregation and the demise of white minority rule, Tutu has been busy crisscrossing the country as head of the Truth and Reconciliation Committee, pledged to promoting healing and racial unity by exposing the harsh truth about the human toll of apartheid's brutality. Tutu compares the work of his group to opening a wound in order to cleanse it. While we hear blacks giving emotional testimony on police atrocities, the video flashes back to earlier footage of Tutu, sometimes fiery, charming, but always eloquent, as he battled apartheid from within the belly of the beast. Tutu is an eternal optimist who feels "this crazy thing called grace" can lead South Africa to a brighter future, and while he is no stranger to the hard realities of politics, he is motivated by "faith first," with everything else flowing from his deep belief in the essential goodness of people. A well intentioned look at a great man, The Legacy of Desmond Tutu is, unfortunately, somewhat disorganized and too brief to qualify as a satisfying biography. Libraries with collections specializing in South African current events will want to consider; for others, this is an optional purchase. (S. Rees)