There have been many appalling aspects to this Reeva Steenkamp/Oscar Pistorius tragedy... ...The fact that beauty is the antithesis of death; that a violent death is incomprehensible to normal, sensate people; that no amount of justice, or sorrow, or remorse, can reverse the finality of death; that the pre-trial condemnation of Pistorius rendered us all a little less than the divine; and that the post-trial anger, frustration, continuing blood lust, and, yes, the stupidity of the mob in the end, tarnishes our attempts to be civilised... Which is why we must have the rule of law. And why we must obey it... All law is flawed. Nevertheless, we must bow before it, because without the law, society would descend into anarchy and chaos. In terms of our South African law, a learned judge has ruled. And what an example she has set for the world. She has been unobtrusive, calm, cautious, balanced, meticulous, and just. In a shoddy recent past, I have never felt more proud to be a South African. My pride has nothing to do with the guilt or otherwise of Oscar Pretorius, who, no matter what else he may be, is a bloody fool, a socially unevolved brat. I am irritated by two matters... The first is easily dealt with. The distinction has once again been drawn between justice for the rich (for which read white - it wouldnt be South Africa if you didnt!) and the poor (for which read black). The lie is given to this interesting Orwellian doublethink by the president of our republic, who is not entirely without substance (and who, for those who havent noticed, is black) and who certainly deserves to serve a long period in the slammer. The second irritation is the anti-South African nature of the scurrilous reportage by Sky News... The front persons of this scurrility are Alex Crawford, who has all the inviting feminine charm of an unmade bed. And Jeremy Thompson, who, in order to give substance to the no doubt early career compliment that he had a ballsy voice, has talked down his not inconsiderable nose ever since. He sounds like the Dover ferrys fog horn announcing its arrival home from Calais. Sky News (on its World Service) has given more coverage to the Oscar Pistorius trial details than it did to Jimmy Saviles sixty year career as a paedophile. Shiny-faced Alex and Nasal Jeremy have to dredge up the word ApartHIDE in just about every South African news story they report on. And what about the notorious Pretoria Central Prison where prisoners were once hanged... Of course there has never, ever been social injustice in Great Britain, has there? Except, perhaps, for such minor aberrations as stealing a loaf to feed a starving child and being transported to Australia as a consequence... But at least we were never going to put Oscars head on a spike on London Bridge, no matter what he had done. And finally, the record will show that far fewer South African judges have been caught shagging in the bushes in St Jamess Park, than English ones. Have a nice day, yall...
Posted on: Wed, 22 Oct 2014 05:39:34 +0000
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