We must remember July 27

THE EDITOR: The anniversary of the World Trade Towers’ bombing is coming up. Most likely the dailies’ editors will have a hard time sorting through the many Reuters and AP stories and pix to choose the ones to run. There are going to be a few sad stories and self righteous articles denouncing terrorism. Meanwhile the anniversary of our country’s “the day that changed the world” passed by without even an acknowledgement in the dailies. Yes, July 27 passed by without a murmur from the papers, the buildings, lives, and institutions destroyed were forgotten or ignored. The perpetrators of the attempted coup and their gangs drive around in their illegally tinted vehicles with impunity. They have become cult hero figures with the help of the media who turn to them for opinions on everything from union affairs to matters of national security.

It would be funny if it were happening in a different country. The whole country knows that there are groups using religion as a mask for their mob activities which support the kidnapping, gang violence and robbery “industries.” So when you the editors choose the stories and pictures to commemorate September 11, spare a moment to consider why our Bin Laden has become a “hero of the people” created by the media. There’s a generation growing up who don’t know of the atrocities committed by the Jamaat-al-Muslimeen. The media has the power and the responsibility to let them know, as often as possible.

RICHARD DWARIKA
Port-of-Spain