As the son of a Mexican father and a blindingly pale Alabaman mother, I was raised on equal portions of Mexican soccer, pork chops, and mashed potatoes. While the effects of the southern cuisine were undone by growth spurts in my early teens, my fascination with Mexican soccer has endured. Ramoncito Morales, Carlos Hermosillo, San Oswaldo. These were the heroes of my youth, not Brian McBride or Alexi Lalas. While they were busy developing American soccer with adventures at home and abroad, I was preoccupied with how the Chivas of Guadalajara seemed elated to disappointment me whenever the opportunity arose. On the international scene, my support veered in the same direction. Rather than support the country of my birth, I supported1 the nation whose footballing culture indiscriminately stole my heart.
Now, considering that I’m as Caucasian as one could be without washing out into the ether2, I’m often privy to conversations that presume my agreement because of some sort of racial/socio-economic/cultural “White people have to stick together” mindset. Living in central California for much of my life, these discussions typically involved illegal immigrants, lost jobs and well-develop plans to resolve the immigration crisis.3
The disquiet has occasionally flowed into conversations about football, specifically in regards to the Mexico-US rivalry. “Make sure those wetback fans have green cards” was an annoying statement, but I always felt there was a distinction between the people who spoke out of turn in general conversations, and those who blew hot air in discussions involving sports. The first group frustrated me with their small-minded racism, while I welcomed the second as soccer fans simply taking part in a bit of gamesmanship. They couldn’t actually mean what they said, right?
It seems that in the aftermath of the Gold Cup Final, the US-Mexico rivalry is becoming increasingly defined by an ethnic undercurrent, perpetuated by the elites of the American soccer community. Racist comments deriding Mexicans on Twitter or the comment section of Soccer by Ives have been ever-present. Everyone in the soccer community knows this, but we’ve refused to publicly discuss the matter for fear of being derided by the larger group. Rather, small-minded racism has always engendered a nervous chuckle from the American soccer community.
However, in recent days, what was once a tacit approval by silence, has shifted to an active approval that perpetuates notions of cultural superiority. First, there were Tim Howard’s comments regarding the Gold Cup trophy presentation. Uninformed and largely incorrect, his statement is understandable as an effect of post-game frustrations. Unfortunately, regardless of his true feelings towards Mexicans, his words have been taken to heart by a vocal minority of US fans, resulting in the type of banter that plagues the internet.
Russell Jordan’s letter regarding the experiences of American fans attending the Gold Cup Final has propagated a similar response. Unintentionally xenophobic to the point that Jordan claims that it’s only a matter of time “until someone is killed, or a girl is raped” at a US-Mexico match, the letter has quickly spread through the internet on the back of RT’s by American soccer elites like Alexli Lalas and Real Salt Lake. I don’t mean to downplay Jordan’s story, but it only portrays one narrative of Saturday’s events, ignoring the countless number of fans who had positive experiences. As a result, much of the support Jordan has received has been based on notions of cultural superiority, rather than any real concern for security at soccer matches.
Of course, the number of American soccer fans who spout racist nonsense is an infinitesimally small minority. In fact, a number of US supporters have even published accounts of their positive experiences to counter Davis’ story. Unfortunately, no media outlet or American soccer elite has publicized these alternative views. Rather, conversations regarding Howard’s statement and Davis’ experiences continue with an ethnically-charged tinge.
The danger lies in the fact that as American soccer elites ignore the ethnic-undercurrent that colors the Mexico-US rivalry, cultural distinctions will harden, and racist sentiment will grow more accepted as a presumed natural result of the match-up. Newcomers will hear the ethnically charged statements of their fellow supporters and feel free to join in, while long-term fans might let out a racist term after hearing countless horror stories of savage Mexican fans. It’s an unhealthy development that can be resolved.
American soccer elites like Tim Howard and Alexi Lalas have a responsibility as leaders of the community. The statements they make and the content they choose to publicize reaches an extraordinary amount of people who value their opinion. By suffering from loose lips and popularizing one version of events over alternative views, these elites present a skewed version of events that hardens the ethnic undercurrent that belies the Mexico-US rivalry. A neglect to retract their statements or present alternative experiences strengthens ethnic tensions. These elites have to acknowledge that what they say and promulgate carries great weight in our media-driven world.
Take responsibility, make a statement in opposition to the racism, do something! Until then, the idiots who denigrate American football will continue unabated. Once these elites acknowledge their burden, maybe I’ll be able to discuss a US-Mexico match without hearing tired racism. I’d certainly enjoy it.
- and continue to support [↩]
- I love Bob Marley and Gentrification [↩]
- Not really. “Send ‘em back into the river! Hyuk Hyuk.” [↩]
13 Comments
Thank you for your side of the story. I assure you that our story has more to do with the security issues at the stadium. None of us are racist, we were all talking and having fun with Mexican fans before the game, but a few bad ones ruined it and the security let them do seemingly whatever they wanted. I would also like to point out that very few of the nice Mexican fans seemed interested in policing the ones that were not so nice, though maybe they were scared to do so which is a legitimate concern. Lastly, you have a factual error. The author of that article is named Russell Jordan and he is from Davis, California as I am.
You leave out the small fact that it is a rather large contingent of Mexican fans that are throwing bottles, beer, bodily fluids, coins etc. Not to mention booing the National Anthem. In your haste to condemn American fans for taking offense to these provocations, you fail to note, and by extension endorse, the disgusting actions of these fans.
But if there’s one thing American soccer fans have learned, it’s that any attempt to talk about these issues is immediately met by those apologists willing to cry racism and let slip the dogs of lawlessness.
“Rather large contingent” is a bit of hyperbole. Yes, there was a group of bad eggs who displayed idiotic behavior that has no place in a football match. I sympathize with Russell Jordan, as no fan should ever feel unsafe in a sports match, and agree with the idea that security issues have to be addressed.
My gripe is with the disproportionate coverage of the incident in regards to how many US fans experienced it. Thousands of other US fans had a great time, with welcoming and cordial Mexican fans, but the dominating narrative of the incident that’s being popularized is how US fans across the Rose Bowl were terrorized. That’s not a complete representation of events.
Nevertheless, that’s the way the game has been portrayed, and the lowest sort of people, who don’t deserve to be called US fans, have come out. My issue is with media representation.
And honestly, to say that I’m “crying racism” and then describe Mexicans as “dogs of lawlessness?” That’s a bit ill-considered, no?
Sorry Maxi, not going to work
Ive never described Mexicans as lawless, just a contingent who were behaving in a lawless manner. After all, every time an American fan makes an asshole remark about visas or makes an overtly racist comment, there’s a whole round of tut-tutting about it, but when opposing fans actually commit violent acts, well….it’s the media representation. So yeah, I’m not buying it.
The first step for US Soccer to do their job and lean on the cops to actually eject and arrest troublemakers. Then we can all attend matches safely. And let’s not pussyfoot about who the troublemakers are. If it’s someone wearing Red, White and Blue, get rid of them. If it’s someone wearing some other color, they need to go as well.
After all, dont blame the media for reporting the news. If you don’t want reports of crowd trouble, get rid of the troublemakers, not their victims.
Hah! Didn’t think it was going to work.
I completely agree with you. Get rid of every trouble-maker and tut-tut about BOTH racism AND crowd violence. Totally fine with that.
Let’s be real though. The story about the game that’s going around is that Mexican fans harassed and attacked US fans throughout the whole of the Rose Bowl, and that’s not entirely true. The one-sided story contributes to generalizations and stereotypes about ALL Mexicans. A group of bad eggs deserved to get tossed, but the way the story is being presented indicts ALL Mexicans.
The bad eggs caused the problems, but the media isn’t helping race relations by only showing one side of the story.
I think you and this racist person in your comments is sadly mistaken about the level of racism written on the internet and in private conversations. If you read any of news websites, soccer/sports, and fashion/celebrity coverage you will find a WIDE swath of people who make very racist comments and hide behind the anonymity of the internet. I think you are correct that people are not openly racist…but on the internet? It is a whole other story…
Two things Citlali.
1) I’m not sure I made a statement about how many racist things you’ll find on the internet, but yeah, there’s tons. No doubt. In fact, I talk about it here – http://futbolintellect.com/2011/05/throwing-stones.html.
2) Please don’t refer to other people who make comments as “racists.” You criticize those who hide behind the anonymity of the internet, and then make a misguided judgment about someone you’ve never met. That’s why we have problems in the first place. Please be respectful of others.
Despite the debate in the comments section, good piece…
1) No getting around it: you are dismissing Russell Jordan’s comments
2) By minimizing the Mexican fans throwing bottles, you are by extension condoning them as well as the other fans around them not putting a stop to them
3) secondary to 2) and 3) you lose all credibility
Whatever happened to “sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me?”
Seems to me your position is the opposite of that old adage.
I don’t think I’ve dismissed Russell Jordan’s comments. In fact, I’ve spoken with Russell’s group, and completely agree that security at the Rose Bowl was awful, and that corrective steps need to be taken. Those Mexican fans who engaged in horrible behavior deserve to be punished.
My gripe is with the discussion that’s developed after the fact. Generalizations about the whole fan base have developed from the actions of a small minority of Mexican supporters. The racism that’s colored the discussion is in no way justified.
@Maxi Rodriguez I agree that some of the racist comments posted on the message boards have been beyond the pale, but I’m not convinced you’re very sympathetic to the victims of violence at the Rose Bowl after reading your belittling of Russell’s comments: “Unintentionally xenophobic to the point that Jordan claims that it’s only a matter of time ‘until someone is killed, or a girl is raped’ at a US-Mexico match.” Labelling worry of escalating violence as xenophobic is in itself callous and deplorable.
I’m as sympathetic to them as I am to the people who have to suffer ongoing racism. Neither party should have to deal with that, and should be free to enjoy football without worry.
A worry of escalating violence is perfectly acceptable, but it’s a bit extreme to suggest that someone will get raped at a football match, no?
@Maxi Rodriguez I agree with you, but you really have to put yourself inside the mind of the person suffering the bottle throwing and groping to see where they’re coming from. One would also think that security would throw out people throwing glass bottles, but that didn’t happen
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