There was all this hub-bub this week, and some of it wasn't about the elections. It was about the New York City Marathon and the fact that many news outlets announced that an American had won it for the first time in nearly thirty years.
Pretty cool, huh?
But then Darren Rovell of CNBC thought it right to remind us that the winner wasn't a "real" American, but a "naturalized" American, saying:
"It's a stunning headline: American Wins Men's NYC Marathon For First Time Since '82. Unfortunately, it's not as good as it sounds. Meb Keflezighi, who won yesterday in New York, is technically American by virtue of him becoming a citizen in 1998, but the fact that he's not American-born takes away from the magnitude of the achievement the headline implies...Given our disappointing results, embracing Keflezighi is understandable. But Keflezighi's country of origin is Eritrea, a small country in Africa. He is an American citizen thanks to taking a test and living in our country. Nothing against Keflezighi, but he's like a ringer who you hire to work a couple hours at your office so that you can win the executive softball league. The positive sign was that some American-born runners did extremely well in yesterday's men's race. If any of them stand on the top step of the podium in Central Park one day, that's when I'll break out my red, white and blue."
"It's a stunning headline: American Wins Men's NYC Marathon For First Time Since '82. Unfortunately, it's not as good as it sounds. Meb Keflezighi, who won yesterday in New York, is technically American by virtue of him becoming a citizen in 1998, but the fact that he's not American-born takes away from the magnitude of the achievement the headline implies...Given our disappointing results, embracing Keflezighi is understandable. But Keflezighi's country of origin is Eritrea, a small country in Africa. He is an American citizen thanks to taking a test and living in our country. Nothing against Keflezighi, but he's like a ringer who you hire to work a couple hours at your office so that you can win the executive softball league. The positive sign was that some American-born runners did extremely well in yesterday's men's race. If any of them stand on the top step of the podium in Central Park one day, that's when I'll break out my red, white and blue."
Wow, such ugliness, right there on CNBC. See, according to fothermucker Darren Rovell, you aren't a real American lest you're born here. That all Keflezighi did to become an American was live here and take a test. But guess what, Darren? I didn't even have to take the test to pass to the front of the class. And I imagine that you didn't either. We just had the good fortune of being born here.
And let me remind you, Darren, if we want to trace back our roots you'll find that we all came from someplace else. None of us, unless you're Native American, can safely say we're "real" Americans, if we choose to define ourselves by your dimwitted world view.
A naturalized American is as American as any of us, asshat. And he's probably a lot more aware of it than you.
Amazing that he wasn't self aware enough to realize what he was saying!
ReplyDeleteIt's really not that amazing when you think about it, frogponder. Americans are so quick to judge and detest everything "unAmerican" but we've failed to see who the "real" Americans are, the Native Americans. We might remember those as the indigenous peoples and cultures who came in friendship and helped us survive as settlers so we could increase our numbers and eventually cheat, rape, pillage, and murder them until they all but disappeared. And after that, we were able to help them help the gambling industry take over various parts of the country, so our political base could support and encourage gambling while still giving the impression of supporting its illegality. What a great society of hypocrites we have become. It is sometimes so embarrassing to admit I was born here.
ReplyDeleteSorry for the rant. Good post, by the way. :)
OMG - and these are supposed to be educated journalist?
ReplyDeleteI'm shaking my head, rolling my eyes, and not able to form sentences about this crap.
ReplyDelete