Sat having a coffee at lunchtime I heard a little English boy asking his mum what all the noise was about last night. She told him they were all cheering on Ghana in the football match. He then asked why they were all cheering Ghana on. She replied that it was because they were the last black team left in the tournament. How bloody crass, patronising, pathetic and in some perverse way racist is that?
Throughout this World Cup I have found the attitude of the pinko liberal classes sickening and patronising, nothing new there then. Little black fella hero, big white European man bad. Obsessing about the emerging footballing nations, such as Ghana, South Africa, Nigeria and Ivory Coast but bollocks to emerging nations such as North/South Korea, Japan, New Zealand, Australia and the USA. No, they aren't black enough are they?
Yes we all have teams we favour when our own nation isn't playing, or has been thumped by the Germans in our case, but isn't choosing your team along racial lines a bit, you know, racist? I have a soft spot for Paraguay myself, not because of any patronising attitude to little Latinos but because I enjoyed spending some time there a few years ago. I suppose that makes me the racist by not supporting them for the 'right' reasons!
3 comments:
While I'm with you on the hypocrasy of the positive racism of the left, I don't think that's what it is in this case.
Just because they lady you overheard said it was because they are black does not make it the case.
At the World Cup in Japan / South Korea the commentators really wanted them to do well, and although Ghana weren't hosting this event, it being the first African World Cup and most Africans supporting them gave them the soft spot.
I'm sure it'll be exactly the same with Paraguay, Uruguay and Colombia or which ever under dogs make it through in Brazil.
I'm afraid I don't think you can call liberal patronising hypocrisy on this one.
We must agree to disagree.
The vomit inducing love fest for all things African in this World Cup is clear for all to see. Classic neo-liberal self-loathing.
I'll be glad when it's over.
I think the attitude of far too many has been race based yes, especially if you compare it to coverage of the World Cup in other developing footballing areas such as Asia in 2002.
Personally I'm glad that the tournament has been such a success and that African nations are developing in footballing terms, as I am when the game develops anywhere in the world.
In a nutshell I believe the attitude of the media and the neo-liberals has been patronising and full of their self-loathing for perceived ills perpetrated on Africa generations ago. A guilt I, in 2010, do not share.
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