Pistorius’ Twitter Silence Broken: Oscar Posts New Messages As Trial Nears Final Arguments
Oscar Pistorius’ Twitter silence is over, as the athlete on trial for his former girlfriend’s death has now started posting again. The double-amputee had not tweeted since February, and now he seems to be focusing on quotes and prayers.
The first post after months of Pistorius’ Twitter silence came on Sunday when he posted a collage of photos showing him with children also dealing with amputations. The post included a quote that says, “You have the ability to make a difference in someones [sic] life. Sometimes it’s the simple things you say or do that can make someone feel better or inspire them.” Another tweet quoted a psalm and a third was a picture of a passage in a book.
As ABC News notes, Oscar Pistorius’ faith has come up before in the months since Reeva Steenkamp’s death in February 2013. He has been seen during the trial holding a rosary, and he spoke about Steenkamp being “a very good Christian” while he was testifying. The psalm he posted Sunday read, “Lord, today I ask that you bathe those who live in pain in the river of your healing. Amen.”
As for the book passage shared after Pistorius’ Twitter silence, The Week shares that it is from a work by concentration camp survivor Viktor Frankl. The section posted by Oscar shares Frankl’s belief that “the salvation of man is through love and in love.” Another portion reads, “I understood how a man who has nothing left in this world still may know bliss, be it only for a brief moment, in the contemplation of his beloved.”
The trial regarding Steenkamp’s death, which prosecutors say was intentional and Oscar’s team says happened because he thought she was an intruder, is slated to have final arguments begin on August 7. If convicted, Pistorius faces up to 25 years in prison. As The Telegraph notes, Judge Thokozile Masipa will consider the options of premeditated murder, murder or culpable homicide, and of course he could be acquitted entirely.
Though the athlete has refrained from posting much since Reeva Steenkamp’s death, other than to mark the anniversary of her death in February, many are curious to see what more he may post leading up to the trial verdict. Was this just a brief break from Oscar Pistorius’ Twitter silence or is there more yet to come? Will it have an impact on what people think of him and his actions that led to Reeva’s death?
[Image via Ouest France]
