n I happened to pick up a copy of The Daily Free Press today and saw your 9/11 coverage (“Five Years Later,” Sept. 11, p.1). I was an undergrad at Boston University in 2001 and remember what it was like that day. In fact, I still have the 9/12 issue of the paper lying around somewhere. A lot of crazy things happened that day that had an immediate impact on campus life. Among them, the internet and cell networks came to a grinding halt as everyone tried to use it at the same time. Unfortunately for us students, those were the two main ways we got information. Cable was unavailable on campus — except for Danielsen — and all the dorms had incredibly shoddy TV reception, as you could see in the picture you printed in the Free Press today. Three years later, many cited this inability to get the news as a reason why we now have cable on campus. I liked that you included the article and photo from 9/12. A picture is worth a thousand words.

That being said, I was really amazed by the coverage of Khatami’s visit to Boston on the same page (“Khatami talks of peace, democracy,” Sept. 11, p.1). It’s a really sad state of affairs when the Metro has better coverage of something than the Free Press even though the event took place at a local university. On one hand, in your editorial, you call for talk and understanding, but on the other, for whatever reason, your reporters decided to omit some information the BU community might have found very useful in promoting understanding and acceptance of differences.

During that talk, someone asked Khatami about Iran’s execution of gays. He replied that homosexuality was forbidden under Islam and execution of gays was part of the religion. I think that was a rather relevant comment, one which counters the rosy picture you paint of him in your article. I would also recommend you Google the name Atefah Sahaaleh. She was a 16-year-old girl executed by Khatami’s “moderate” government in 2004. She was charged with “crimes against chastity” for removing her hijab and having intercourse out of wedlock. In this case, she committed the horrible crime of being raped by a 51-year-old married Republican Guard. This girl would be 18 now — about the same age of many BU students.

You can talk all you want about peace and understanding, but what do you mean? Think to yourselves, how do you deal with Islamic radicals if Khatami is considered a moderate? What do you think is worth compromising in the name of peace? I suppose if you allow them to kill Jews, gays and rape victims that they will be happy for a while, but do you think that will be the final demand?

Anurodh Pokharel

CAS ’04