Re: “Chileans forgotten amidst Haitian aid, Olympic craze” March 2, 2010

To the editor:

While it appears — and I sincerely hope, that Lauren Pelley was trying to use satirical prose to call to readers to action, her piece was poorly executed and this message was lost in heavy sarcasm.  Instead the piece was offensive, particularly to those affected by the tragedy in Chile. Pelley would have better served the cause by exploring the social and political reasons why many will ignore it, and/or utilized personal stories from within the Western and London community of those with affected family and friends in the region, adding a personal touch that may have better convinced readers to take the time to learn about the situation and help those in need.  I expect better quality writing and delivery of such a piece from a senior editor, particularly since no other mention of the catastrophe can be found in that or following issues of the Gazette.

—Christine Boston

PhD Candidate, Anthropology