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World Cup and Racism
Today (Wednesday) I am flying to Indianapolis for a meeting. My flight was at 10:15am so I planned to get to the airport by 9am so I could watch the World Cup game. It was Spain vs. Ukraine and it was set to be a good match. I haven't been able to watch a lot of World Cup so I am glad I caught the first half of that game at least. I am writing because I wanted to note of of the great things about soccer. In the same bar was a guy from Spain, and a Mexican guy. We instantly started talking soccer. They talked about the crazy opening game Bolivia had in 1994 when our best player got a red card. We talked and taught the bar tender a little about soccer. He noted how nice everyone watching the games has been. We all stuck around as long as we could watching the game before we had to leave... Spain lead at the half 2-0.
Before the cup there was a lot of talk about racism in Germany. They often times jeer black players, doing monkey calls and even going as far as throwing bananas on the field. So prior to the cup FIFA (the international soccer authority) did a lot of work and set up a lot of security to be sure no problem occurred. There have been a few small incidents, but fortunately nothing major.
Last night I had a little run in with someone. I was at KMart, buying some stuff and at check out, the woman in front of me got all mad that the little card swipper had spanish on the screen (mind you small and at the bottom). She joked to the cashier and to me about it... saying this isn't Mexico... why is it in Spanish. I replied to her, "That is the lamest thing I heard all day." She turned and got mad... saying if you come to this country you need to speak the language... blah blah... saying once again this isn't Mexico. I kept very cool, and replied to her that at one point everyone was an immigrant to this country. She paid and left.
What is crazy is that just this past weekend my father and I watched a clip on the news about a place in Philly that put up a sign that said, "This is America, speak English". It was the famous cheese steak place and they said if you can't order in English don't eat here. WOW.
There was more I wanted to say... looking back while standing in line I remember seeing a tattoo on her husbands arm of a four leaf clover. I did not see what was written around it, but I am assuming it had something to do with being of Irish decent. Weren't the Irish discriminated upon when they came to this country? So why would you turn and do it to the next wave of immigrants? How quickly we forget.
It really hits home with me because my family immigrated here without speaking English (well except my mom). I learned and fortunately so did my Brothers because we were so young. My father learned but he struggled, learning a new language in your late 30s is hard. He knew to be successful in this country he had to learn the native tongue. He learned the language, bought a home, paid taxes, raised his kids, and now is retiring before the age of 60... he lived the American dream. Sometimes the backwardsness of the American debate on immigration and language kills me.
That night, was a very timely rerun of the episode Carlos Mencia (Mind of Mencia - Comedy Central) did on immigration. He did a skit when a Native American came out and told everyone to get out of his country or learn his language...
No one owns the earth... we are renting it from god and last time I checked he speaks just about any language out there, even pig latin. So lighten up.
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