Wow, what an embarrassment of a nation we have become as South Africans. If our sickening crime stats and demographic inequalities were not enough to throw-up, we have succumbed to a new low. These days it is not only the violent street mugger, alcoholic abusive father or child rapist all of whom we rightly chastise, who brings pain to society, but rather ordinary people like you and I. Don't get me wrong, these viles are sickening but surely we share some of the blame.Our jokes, puns and harsh judgements on the sensitive issues of February 14th 2013, turned a day of would be national mourning, to a mockery of the value of life. I really hoped that my first blog piece would be an upbeat sports piece, looking at sport from an alternative angle or a light-hearted view on the joke that is T20 cricket, but that was never to materialise with more pressing issues on my mind. The irony of the situation being, it was a sportsman who became the topic of my piece...Oscar Pistorius.
These societal flaws became all too apparent to me during the current Oscar Pistorius fiasco, as educated and non-educated alike, made a mock of the values and morals that we so dearly crave and "demand" in our beloved country. With the advent of technology and social networking, the platform for freedom of speech has never been stronger. Yet as a nation, we have once again forgotten that the basis of every right, is the underlying responsibility. The events of the early hours of February 14th remain unconfirmed and debatable up until this point, yet one consistency remains,a woman lost her life, tragically.To go along with the other serious crimes, on average 50 people are murdered everyday in South Africa. However, this case had one critical exception, a celebrity or world renowned sportsman was at the center of it. A man who many of us would have posted pictures up on our fridges with some inspiring quote, as a daily reminder that no matter what life throws you, you can overcome the odds and achieve it all. A man who fully emphasised the Adidas slogan that "Impossible is (indeed) Nothing". Many would have celebrated and felt heart-warmed as he lit up the Paralympics and more recently the Olympic Games.But hey, who am I to question the acclaim and characteristics the Olympian recently upheld. These factors only made the stakes higher for some, the jokes harsher, the scathing criticism more unforgiving, the "retweet" motivation stronger and sadly, the sensitivity absent.
I remain a firm advocate in the belief that people can change, either for the better or worse and the same belief I therefore hold true for almost all individuals. Many South African's question the motive of the "uneducated masses" for blindly placing their faith and trust in the ANC, yet their fault lies in the inability to adapt to new information and circumstances. One must surely admire though, their underlying sense of loyalty, despite they themselves being victims of their own doings. How different or better educated are we if we are swayed so easily by sensationalist journalism and the thrill of celebrity bashing ? Others might argue that they have indeed adapted to new information, but this can't be pre-determined as the course of justice has not been completed thus far. I am not for a second implying Oscar's innocence with respect to Reeva Steenkamp's death but I am questioning the character of individuals who are so easily influenced by (often false) media reports. We tend to kinder a spirit as South Africans, to hop on the bandwagon when the ride is smooth and pleasant, but abort the journey as soon as the road inclines and the potholes become apparent (the Proteas are partly to blame for this underlying tendency).
"What is it within these walls, that bonds the heart of men ?", is a famous quote from my alma mata that constantly reminds me of the power of unity, but recently I have begun asking; " What is it within these walls, that corrupts the heart of men?". My altered question has no connection at all to my high school, but rather looks at the national context, encompassing the choices and thoughts of society. Living in a country rooted in a past of ill-treatment and unjust behaviour, have we forgotten the pain that pre-meditated judgement brings about ? True corruption of the heart is when we mock the pain of others and seek enjoyment, if not a thrill from the misfortune of another human being. Much as a rapist will rape to fulfill a masculinity insecurity and enforce power domination rather than a sexual desire, we judge others, not so that we can hold a moral viewpoint, but rather to make ourselves feel 'better'. A scholar once offered a piece of advice , stating that if we viewed our wealth, based on what people less fortunate than ourselves possessed, but judged our actions based on people better than us, the world would be a different place.
The fate of Oscar Pistorius now rests in the hands of the judicial system of South Africa. Magistrates and Judge's are in no way influenced by the public's rantings on social media sites, but public perception is likely to be influenced. It is ironic that the public reaction prior to a judgement being passed was pre-meditated, much like the type of murder charge Oscar faces. It is ironic that the pain we overcame pre-1994 has now been replaced by the pain we inflict on others. It is ironic that the oppressed now sit behind their keypads and keyboards as oppressors. It is ironic that in the spirit of personal freedom of speech, we look to take away the liberties of others. The irony with a name like Oscar and the events that transpired, is plain to see.
Oscar. Ostracised.
Arguing differently can be deemed ... The Inconvenient Lie.
