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| Oscar Pistorius |
After the initial court hearing Pistorius was granted a million rand - £73,000 - bail and released under strict conditions which included probatory supervision, compulsory drug and alcohol testing, an interdiction to return to his home, or to approach witnesses, and an interdiction to travel, either inside or outside of South Africa. That which appears reasonable given the gravity of the charges.
Today however it is reported that he has decided to challenge these bail conditions. All of them. Because he thinks they are "unfair".
In other words, Oscar Pistorius, a man who has been charged with cold-blooded murder, considers it to be injust that he be subjected to almost any kind of surveillance or obligation whilst awaiting trial later in the year. He wants to be able to go abroad at will (albeit with police permission), live in his home, next to those of witnesses, and he doesn't want to be under supervision.
Let's be clear about this. Here is a man who has been charged with a vile assassination who wants to have all the freedoms accorded to all free citizens, a man who, by challenging his bail conditions, has given a slap in the face to Steenkamp's memory and her family, a man with no compassion or feelings except when it comes to his own well-being.
Guilty or not of Steenkamp's murder, Oscar Pistorius epitomises the macho and sexist culture of white South Africans in a country where gun crime and the rape and killing of women have reached massive proportions. He has a revoltingly smug sense of entitlement which - and let's be honest - finds its origins in the apartheid era, and if the courts grant him his wishes then all I can say is god help women in South Africa.
As an ex South African resident I feel you are being more than harsh on the average South African. I have to agree with you so far as Oscar P is concerned, and I cannot see how he can get away with it. He is a murderer and nothing more to my mind. I agree there are a FEW white South African who will never change and a gun will come first but they are not by any means in the majority.
ReplyDeleteI am a woman and I was always treated with respect in S.A. Most of the killings are either black on black or black on white for stupid things like theft. We left for family reasons, and we have many friends there who live a perfectly normal life without fear of rape and guns! Have a good weekend Diane
Hi Diane, and long time no see! I've been very busy this last month and haven't had much time for my blog.
DeleteAnyway, I agree (according to my admittedly limited knowledge) that the majority of white South Africans are not gun toting killers, and it is also well-documented that the majority of gun crimes are committed by blacks. Still, there remains the fact that handgun ownership is "not unusual" there and that white people feel they need to defend themselves. Who said that? Pistorius' father no less (URL below), and it has been reported in the SA press that the runner's father, three uncles and grandfather own 55 firearms between them – ranging from handguns to rifles.. Pistorius himself distanced himself from his father's comments of course, but then again he would wouldn't he, given the position he finds himself in.
Have a good evening and vivement le printemps!
(Rats. Forgot the URL. Sorreee..:)
Deletehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/05/henke-pistorius-family-oscar-guns_n_2810340.html?utm_hp_ref=sports
While living in both Rhodesia and Zimbabwe I had two hand guns. They were seldom far from me if needed as the crime rate is very high, but I can happily say they were never fired except on the range. Diane
DeleteRats LOL that was supposed to be Rhodesia and South Africa!
DeleteThe whole thing is disgusting! And I don't buy his 'burglary' story one bit.
ReplyDeleteHi Sara Louise, and I don't either. This story is indeed "disgusting", and it's fast turning into a farce, what with the friend of Pistorius saying that Pistorius is "on the verge of suicide" and his family retorting that "no he isn't." I can't imagine how angry Steenkamp's family must feel about all this 'poor Oscar' milking sympathy sniff sniff drivel being plastered all over the front pages of the press every day...
DeleteYup, disgusting.
I knew of a man who was taking steroids. He had big muscles alright, always exercising but he was also very dangerous. He was always angry and flew off the handle for nothing. He hated women, dated them and beat them up. He had been sued few times and might have done some jail time. The last time I saw him, he was chasing the first assistant director in a parking lot. Maybe this is what happened to Pistorious. I am not excusing him, but steroids are known to change chemicals in the brain. I hope he is locked in for good.
ReplyDelete(I know 5 South Africans who live in the US. They all love South Africa. Their children's school or work are keeping them from returning back, but they left their heart in their beautiful country).
Hi Nadege, how are you? Yes, steroids are indeed known to increase aggressivity, particularly in high does and/or over long periods. I just googled 'steroids aggressivity' and the results show that most research agrees that steroids can lead to paranoia, dramatic mood swings and aggressivity. That said, from what I read the % of steroid takers who develop these characteristics seems to be in dispute - anything from 5 to 20% depending on which source you read.
DeleteWhatever the true figures though, I won't be taking steoids anytime soon because if there are three conditions I would not at all like to suffer from they are paranoia, mood swings and aggressivity.
Many of us go through some crazy times I suppose, but at 59 my crazy days are behind me. I'm more than happy with that state of affairs..