From Mr G. Xerri

The shameful saga of this insignificant incident regarding the statue of San Gorg in Toronto seems to be fading away. It doesn’t need a think-tank to conclude that the condescending comments and downright vulgar insults posted on timesofmalta.com and YouTube, had absolutely nothing to do with the statue itself much less with our religious beliefs. Equally misleading were the many insinuations that this was all a village pique.

The truth is that it was a blatant cowardly attempt to discredit the committee and volunteers of the Festa San Gorg Association in Toronto – period. They were targeted because of their success in organising the festa San Gorg, a yearly cultural event attended by hundreds of Maltese and Gozitans.

Those pontificating to us lesser (fanatic?) mortals about getting a life missed the point by miles. It wasn’t so much the giggling and side-splitting (?) laughter (move over Monty Python) which outraged the Maltese community in Toronto, but rather the deliberate humiliation inflicted upon them by the moronic comments on the websites accompanied by giggling and laughing.

This leads me to wonder what journalistic award the Times of Malta and TV Malta were aspiring to when they decided to air this video clip. A trivial mishap, which had no news value yet it was exploited to the point of ridicule by the antics of a giggling female newscaster. Instead of a cheap laugh, we witnessed a campaign of vulgarities and hateful insults thrown by Maltese at decent Maltese. You played straight into the hands of the cowardly outcast who submitted the video clip purely out of envy and vindictiveness.

Ironically, the coward’s personal vendetta which kick-started this onslaught, backfired, giving instead the Festa San Gorg Association, albeit inadvertently, great exposure. It was a blessing in disguise for these ambassadors whose sterling work enhances our heritage abroad thanks to their commitment and dedication, as they have done unselfishly over the years.

While wishing the organisers continued success for Festa San Gorg, a truly newsworthy event, I watch the curtain close on the gigglers giggling inanely as they fade away into oblivion.

Gorg Xerri

RABAT