Yes, the US is a nation of immigrants and yes, we should welcome naturalized citizens. But nearly all of those running for the “US Army” have had their citizenship fast tracked. The US Army is recruiting Kenyans, giving them passports and paying them to be professional runners. How does that make any sense?
Because it is within the rules.
Nothing is preventing our best collegians from joining the Army and WCAP after graduation.
'Fast Tracked' Citizenship via military service has been a thing for a very long time. 150,000 over the last 20 years.
Alan
Yes, all power to those in the program, but again, the “rules” are being manipulated to recruit a professional running team … this was not the intent of the “rules” … Don’t you think it’s weird that US tax $ are being spent on a Kenyan professional running team ..and why should they get overnight US citizenship when others have to wait years?
Nothing is preventing our best collegians from joining the Army and WCAP after graduation.
'Fast Tracked' Citizenship via military service has been a thing for a very long time. 150,000 over the last 20 years.
Alan
Yes, all power to those in the program, but again, the “rules” are being manipulated to recruit a professional running team … this was not the intent of the “rules” … Don’t you think it’s weird that US tax $ are being spent on a Kenyan professional running team ..and why should they get overnight US citizenship when others have to wait years?
What rules are being manipulated? The intent of WCAP is to produce Olympic athletes in various sports.
Those Soldiers' pay and benefits are are from the NDAA so yes from "US Tax $s" but the WCAP program is funded through Nonappropriated Funds. NAFs come primarily from the sale of goods and services to DoD military and civilian personnel and their family members.....mostly MWR fees etc.
WCAP has sent Soldiers to the Olympics and World Championships in various sports since 1997 and before that it was the Armed Forces sports teams.
They are AMERICAN. I am sorry your xenophobia makes you believe otherwise.
Hundreds of thousands of immigrants, 150,000 just over the last 20 years, have used military service to fast track their citizenship. Those are the rules.
If you do not like the rules then write your Congressperson.
Yes, all power to those in the program, but again, the “rules” are being manipulated to recruit a professional running team … this was not the intent of the “rules” … Don’t you think it’s weird that US tax $ are being spent on a Kenyan professional running team ..and why should they get overnight US citizenship when others have to wait years?
What rules are being manipulated? The intent of WCAP is to produce Olympic athletes in various sports.
Those Soldiers' pay and benefits are are from the NDAA so yes from "US Tax $s" but the WCAP program is funded through Nonappropriated Funds. NAFs come primarily from the sale of goods and services to DoD military and civilian personnel and their family members.....mostly MWR fees etc.
WCAP has sent Soldiers to the Olympics and World Championships in various sports since 1997 and before that it was the Armed Forces sports teams.
They are AMERICAN. I am sorry your xenophobia makes you believe otherwise.
Hundreds of thousands of immigrants, 150,000 just over the last 20 years, have used military service to fast track their citizenship. Those are the rules.
If you do not like the rules then write your Congressperson.
Alan
Alan -- You seem like a nice guy.
All these folks hurt over the fact that being white or "American-born" isn't the advantage it used to be are too lazy to improve, join the Army or even write their congressperson. I'd laugh but it's too sad.
What rules are being manipulated? The intent of WCAP is to produce Olympic athletes in various sports.
Those Soldiers' pay and benefits are are from the NDAA so yes from "US Tax $s" but the WCAP program is funded through Nonappropriated Funds. NAFs come primarily from the sale of goods and services to DoD military and civilian personnel and their family members.....mostly MWR fees etc.
WCAP has sent Soldiers to the Olympics and World Championships in various sports since 1997 and before that it was the Armed Forces sports teams.
They are AMERICAN. I am sorry your xenophobia makes you believe otherwise.
Hundreds of thousands of immigrants, 150,000 just over the last 20 years, have used military service to fast track their citizenship. Those are the rules.
If you do not like the rules then write your Congressperson.
Alan
Alan -- You seem like a nice guy.
All these folks hurt over the fact that being white or "American-born" isn't the advantage it used to be are too lazy to improve, join the Army or even write their congressperson. I'd laugh but it's too sad.
Correct. They could also reach out to a few of the top collegiate XC and track talent and recruit them to join WCAP. The majority of WCAP runners aren't world beaters. Any number of our best and brightest "white enough" or " 'merica enough" runners could join up.
I'm pretty sure they'd be complaining about internationals.
I know the school talked about here (University of Illinois), and there are specific complaints about Chinese people. Probably a mix of xenophobia, fear, etc. U of I is happy to take the students' fully paid tuition, but we all know "American born" students don't want engineering degrees. It is what it is.
This is one of the reasons running in general isn't bigger as a spectator sport. The naturalized runners don't click with the fans. The one off immigrant making good is a feel good story, the majority of top finishers with similar stories and relatively anonymous doesn't help. Look how Mollie winning got even the casual fan talking in mainstream media. We need more of that.
1. Kenya 2. U.S. 3. Kenya 4. Kenya 5. Kenya 6. U.S. 7. U.S. 8. Kenya 9. Ethiopia 10. U.S.
We are a nation of immigrants.
What is your point?
Should runners not pursue citizenship?
Alan
Alan, you have to be smarter than that...don't you?
So all countries, like England for example, have people who moved there and have moved there permanently for over 100 years and many weren't born there.
So my Uncle moved to England permanently about 8 years ago (it takes 5 years to become a citizen there). Trust me, they don't call him an immigrant.
The poster made a valid point but you're trying to demean it by calling him something without actually calling him that something (stealth mode, but most can see right through it).
Enough already. Over half of the top 10 are from Kenya or Ethiopia. Accept it for what it is.
I do not blame the athletes I blame those that are spending money to develop foreign athletes. Especially WCAP who is paying for these athletes with our tax dollars and State funded Colleges for the same reason.
Alan, you have to be smarter than that...don't you?
So all countries, like England for example, have people who moved there and have moved there permanently for over 100 years and many weren't born there.
So my Uncle moved to England permanently about 8 years ago (it takes 5 years to become a citizen there). Trust me, they don't call him an immigrant.
The poster made a valid point but you're trying to demean it by calling him something without actually calling him that something (stealth mode, but most can see right through it).
Enough already. Over half of the top 10 are from Kenya or Ethiopia. Accept it for what it is.
I am from Germany. As it Frank Shorter. Saladbar was from Cuba....
They are AMERICANS. They African-born athletes at USATF are also AMERICANS. Enough already. Accept it for what it is.
All these folks hurt over the fact that being white or "American-born" isn't the advantage it used to be are too lazy to improve, join the Army or even write their congressperson. I'd laugh but it's too sad.
Correct. They could also reach out to a few of the top collegiate XC and track talent and recruit them to join WCAP. The majority of WCAP runners aren't world beaters. Any number of our best and brightest "white enough" or " 'merica enough" runners could join up.
Alan
Dear Alan, Professional running is not military service.
1. Kenya 2. U.S. 3. Kenya 4. Kenya 5. Kenya 6. U.S. 7. U.S. 8. Kenya 9. Ethiopia 10. U.S.
Fine with me? Like others have said, many of the top "American-born" guys weren't interested.
Also, the level of entitlement of (I assume) American-born folks. I'm American born but the child of an immigrant, and this kind of complaint would never be acceptable to her. My American-born dad was always complaining about immigrants and women taking jobs, but at the end of the day he was laid off at 58 because he never did continuing education and felt entitled to his job because went to an elite school 35 years prior ... when it was easier to be admitted.
Why do I still come here? For the *occasional* good running advice and news.
This. Except the halfway decent news and running advice are slim to none. Probably not a coincidence.
Correct. They could also reach out to a few of the top collegiate XC and track talent and recruit them to join WCAP. The majority of WCAP runners aren't world beaters. Any number of our best and brightest "white enough" or " 'merica enough" runners could join up.
Alan
Dear Alan, Professional running is not military service.
This is one of the reasons running in general isn't bigger as a spectator sport. The naturalized runners don't click with the fans. The one off immigrant making good is a feel good story, the majority of top finishers with similar stories and relatively anonymous doesn't help. Look how Mollie winning got even the casual fan talking in mainstream media. We need more of that.
This is exactly right. Relatability is a huge part of mass appeal.
This is stupid. Mantz, Klecker, Fisher have anything but "mass appeal."
This is exactly right. Relatability is a huge part of mass appeal.
Almost no one knows or even remembers Molly at this point. Distance athletes in the sport are not compelling at all for a variety of reasons that have nothing to do with being from Kenya or Wisconsin.
That isn't true. The general population remembers. At work, where I'm the runner so people talk to me about running, the people that can't name a single distance athlete still talk about Molly's bronze.
An American woman that suffered from an ED, was always injured, and ran her first marathon while qualifying was in the mainstream press and they remember. That is a story that the public can get behind.
Alan, you have to be smarter than that...don't you?
So all countries, like England for example, have people who moved there and have moved there permanently for over 100 years and many weren't born there.
So my Uncle moved to England permanently about 8 years ago (it takes 5 years to become a citizen there). Trust me, they don't call him an immigrant.
The poster made a valid point but you're trying to demean it by calling him something without actually calling him that something (stealth mode, but most can see right through it).
Enough already. Over half of the top 10 are from Kenya or Ethiopia. Accept it for what it is.
I am from Germany. As it Frank Shorter. Saladbar was from Cuba....
They are AMERICANS. They African-born athletes at USATF are also AMERICANS. Enough already. Accept it for what it is.
Alan
You are REALLY stretching the truth Alan.
Frank Shorter IS not *from Germany*. Yes, he was born in Munich but guess how long he lived there? Ask Frank, I have. Frank just moved to Falmouth. I don't know where you live but he was a military baby.
Alberto was born in Cuba and only lived there till he was 2, which is less than 1/30th of his life.
Comparing that to what the OP is talking about is like comparing apples to dirt...aka there is no comparison.
If we both get a ticket for speeding but you are going over 100mph (not on the autobahn) and I am only going 10 over the speed limit, are they the same thing? Nope.
Regardless, I know you are a decent person, not a jerk troll, so we'll agree to disagree.
Help us build the best running shoe review site for a chance to win a LetsRun t-shirt.Help us build the best running shoe review site for a chance to win one of 10 LetsRun t-shirts.