SPECIAL ISSUE

October 6, 2001: Why US media ignores us?

Dear Readers:
Two countries top list of nations in the contemporary world for their contribution to the humanity. The US is known for its food, financial and material contribution, and India for its spiritual contribution and peace message. Charity and generosity are the identities of these two democratic countries.
The US has always been in the forefront to support any country that needs help. India will never forget the US contribution of wheat to India under the PL480 in sixties, when the country faced severe food shortage. India is now a food- surplus country. India, too, rushes its food and material aid to its neighboring countries, whenever there is a need.
The US generosity is so exemplary that it sends wheat and other food products even now to Afghanistan, the country which harbors “America’s enemy number one,” Osama Bin Laden.
Both the countries have been the victims of the terrorist activities. While India lost 60,000 people in the past 10 years, the US lost 3,000 lives in less than one hour on September 11. In both the case, innocent people were the victims. While India’s continued loss remains an endless cry, the incident in US shook the world. It raised wild resentment. The US, which vowed to punish the culprit, received strong support. How did it happen?
The news media made all the difference. The media generates or mars the intensity of an incident. The American media is powerful, so is its effect on the world. But, the American media has an inherent shortcoming. It has the habit of taking lightly the painful vis-à-vis positive experiences of India and Indians, and at the same time magnifying their trivial issues.
Otherwise, can anyone explain why the mainstream media conveniently ignored an important fund-raiser arranged by an Indian group with the active involvement of former US president Bill Clinton in Chicago on September 25?
The event was arranged by American Indian Foundations that raised $300,000 of which 50 per cent would go to the New York Firefighter Fund. Of course, the remaining amount would be donated to the Gujarat earthquake victims.
Besides $150,000, which is not a small amount by any count, the issue relates to total involvement of Indians in the country in its hour of sorrow. The organizers did invite mainstream media representatives. But nothing appeared in the mainstream media except a passing remark on WBBM News Radio about the presence of Clinton in Chicago, and no mention about the fund-raising efforts by Indians.
Could the US media ignore if such an event was arranged by the Jewish or any other community? It is an enigma, why the US media ignores an active community like Indians in this county?

Sincerely,

Prashant Shah
Editor & Publisher