Saturday, June 12, 2010

Pride? What about loyalty?

On the road today, I saw a car with one of those window mount flags (like the ones everyone had after 9/11), and it was the flag of England. In the United States of America, on the day when the USA played against England in the World Cup, a citizen (presumably) of this country was waving a flag of England.
This is something that I could never fathom. Why would a citizen of the United States champion for a foreign country over their own? Of course you also see shows of support for other countries as well from Americans. I just don't get it. I mean, when you were in high school or college, did you redirect your allegiance towards the school that your parents or grandparents went to (especially if they were playing against your school)? Some may say that it's not the same thing. Well, yeah...it is. If you are a citizen of the USA, you are an American, plain and simple. I don't care if you're of Italian, Greek, Portuguese, or Irish descent. If you're a citizen and resident of the USA, you're an American. You're a part of "team" America.
If you're ashamed to call yourself an American before your country of ancestry...if your "motherland" is so much better, then please, by all means don't let the door hit you on the ass on the way out.

Oh, and before some wise-ass tries to call me out on the fact that I am a Miami Dolphins fan living in New Jersey, forget it. That's NOT the same thing, and I'll explain why.
When the USA has a team, it is made up of Americans. As Americans, we are by default a "part" of it. When you are a student of a school, that school's team is made up of other students of that school. Again, by default you are a part of them.
But in the case of professional American sports, the Miami Dolphins are not comprised of residents of Miami. They are paid employees doing a job for an employer that happens to have it's office in Miami. Even the residents of Miami are not a direct "part" of the team. They just happen to share real estate with the team's office.
It's not the same thing.

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