Every
year since 9/11/2001, I take time to remember those who lost their lives in
such a public tragedy. Sometimes it’s as simple as changing my Desktop
wallpaper to “The Flag Remains” photo. This year was no exception and even
though we’ve past the 10th anniversary, I expected the local media
to do a somber tribute to the victims or
detail the lingering emotional effects on DC workers and residents.
To my
horror, the Washington Post Express free
edition took a page out of Fox network’s play book. The 9/11/12 headline story entitled “Now Arriving: The Party” wasn’t even about the celebration of life
after 9/11. It was about MARC riders who drink alcohol and eat their way home
from work on a regular basis.
When we get to Page 9, with the inflammatory subheading,
“High-Speed Happy Hour”, writer Ted Trautman continues to slant the article
based on the behavior of the “three” people he interviewed. Even looking
closely at the pictures of a half-empty train, I couldn’t help feel that
despite his careful wording in the article, he created a misimpression of us all as
cliquey passengers who are a bunch of drunks with munchies.
Mr.
Trautman, was 9/11/12 really that slow a news day in the DC area?
