You think sometimes that maybe if the person who hurt you is clobbered you will feel a little better. But it actually doesn't.

Africans believe in something that is difficult to render in English. We call it ubuntu, botho. It means the essence of being human. You know when it is there and when it is absent. It speaks about humaneness, gentleness, hospitality, putting yourself out on behalf of others, being vulnerable. It embraces compassion and toughness. It recognizes that my humanity is bound up in yours, for we can only be human together.

I say somewhat facetiously, "I'm so glad I'm not God." Can you imagine being God and looking at Syria and saying: "These are my children. Look at what they're doing to each other."

But God can only smile because only God can know what is coming next.

In order to turn around and do something better, we must first escape the vicious circle of self-righteousness and denial. And that calls for the humility to say "I'm sorry. Please forgive me."

Men and boys, we show our manhood through the way we treat our women. Our wives, our sisters, our mothers.

I have struggled against tyranny. I didn't do that in order to substitute another.