LAGAT IS NOT AN AMERICAN

No, that Negro cannot be ever be a citizen. He should go back to pickin cotton and listenin to his massa.

obviousness wrote:

its not racist its common sense, just because you call something by a different name doesnt change what it is. Oh lagat was Kenyan in 04' but now he's American, the Kenyan record is 3:26, the American record is 3:30 or whatever, thats f_cking stupid. A nationality is not a team. and its not even a "hater" issue, its blatantly obvious, he competed for Kenyan for years, f_cking duh he's Kenyan and no papers he signs can change that, you joe p.c. idiots need to use your heads.

gotta agree with you there... he is an american citizen now, no doubt, but he was born and raised in kenya. nothing can possibly change this fact, nor the fact that he ran for kenya, his home country, for a large portion of his career. sure, he is "american" now, but in name only. he is still kenyan as much as Saif Saaeed Shaheen is still stephen cherono.... he was born stephen cherono, from kenya, and nothing can change that, just as bernard lagat was born kenyan, and nothing can change that...

there is nothing racist, biggot like, or discriminatory in this statement, as it is just the plain truth. bernard lagat is a kenyan, period. he was born, raised, and competed for kenya. sure he has changed allegiances now, but who he is and where he was born remains the same.

personally i dont harbor any ill will towards him. i am sure he is a great guy... on the same note though, i surely don't consider him an american as much as i consider Saif Saaeed Shaheen a qatarian. its just a simple fact. had be been born here, grown up or raised here, then maybe i could see it differently, but this isnt the case either. this whole switching nationalities thing is getting a bit out of hand i think... you can never change who you are, no matter what papers you sign, atleast i think...

Some people have no clue what the word "racist" means. There was nothing - repeat, nothing - racist in the original post.

Sounds like these people are throwing the term around to feel good about themselves, to come off as one of the "good guys" on the PC bandwagon. Unfortunately, pointing out racism where it doesn't exist is the sign of mindless sheeple. And oversensitivity is so ridiculous by now that it's a bigger problem than actual racism.

Here's an example of real racism:

What's the deal with so many black guys in all these Olympic 100 finals? I think whites have been discriminated against and special circumstances should be made to allow a certain number of whites to skip the preliminary rounds and go straight to the finals. It's not their fault they aren't fast. They were just forced to stay in Scandinavia for all those centuries and never got a chance to compete against blacks, so they only became as fast as they needed to be to compete against each other. So it's really the fault of the black man for keeping them down so long. The legacy of oppression continues to this day and it's time to give the poor, mistreated white man a leg up. They can break 10 for 100 if they're given a fair chance - of course, they'll need a 3 meter head start at first until they can overcome their downtrodden past, but they'll eventually show they're just as fast. And if they still lose, it's only because they weren't given enough of a head start, so we'll just have to let them start 5 meters ahead. Remember, this poor race has so much to overcome, so keep giving them chance after chance after chance. In fact, let them win no matter how slow they are. If you don't, they'll cry "racist!" And we all know that racism is worse than robbery, rape and murder, don't we?

How does that grab ya?

I can't believe I finished reading it. And that's not what racism is like where I come from. Racists don't have that much on their minds.

Lagat is an American...I mean come on...America is a melting pot of different nationalities and different people. Some of our ancestors came here 100+ years ago, some 50 years ago, and some of us are first generation Americans...Naturalized, born here, bred here, it makes no difference. He feels that he is an AMERICAN so therefore he is. He's gone through the process, has made his life here and is living his AMERICAN dream...Everyone is different and everyone has their own story as to how they became an American, just because he wasn't born here makes him no less of an American than you or I...Stop being a whiny brat and give they guy the credit he deserves...He wants to wear and support the stars and stripes with pride, EXCELLENT. Good for him.

citizen wrote:

what about Clement? Meb? Maree? Why are u so jealous? or prejudice?

well Maree is South African now, so one can say was he ever American

Should we consider Alistair Cragg an American,even though he was born in South Africa and is running for Ireland, especially since he ran that sub 13 5k this year even though he didnt?

Exactly right. But with that kind of logic, you are trying to undermine the noble pursuits of men like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, who, rather than wanting to cultivate and emphasize and encourage the opportunities out there for the disenfranchised, would rather keep them vicitimized. There's a lot more media attention and money and fame in the latter.

As for Lagat, he is definitely an American, as he PROPERLY fulfilled all of the requirements to be legally admitted to this great country. However, his performances definitely ARE NOT as inspiring as those coming from a runner who was born and raised here, without the same genetic and cultural advantages for this sport. That's just the way it is.

the inspiration is tremendous. just proves that a 1500 runner can move up to 5000 with great success, beating the world's best. the world should know that he has american citizenship. the world should know what it takes to make the american record book. "fast times"

Let's just put it this way: When it comes from Alan Webb, it will be more inspiring.

We might have been born here but none of us are americans you dick face. I AM IRISH

I think Billy Mills may be the only good runner who was ever American, by these standards. The whole country is made up of immigrants. If we can look past Meb's birthplace, as many have post-Boston, we can deal with Lagat too.

Lagat is American based on naturalization, or citizenship. Whatever the case, this is not in dispute.

Now, cultually he is free to say he is Amerian or not. But I am also free to culturally see him as an African or American or even African American...........

In sum, I know Lagat is American by citizenship. But I feel he is still much more African cuturally than American..........you and he are free to disagree.....

by unfortunate you mean lazy and leechlike.

Real Issue.

It is mostly white runners who hold a grudge towards Lagat. Had Goucher won and pipped Lagat at the line, it would have been hailed as a great american rivalry instead.

Africans are blessed with superior genetics and the regular athletic fan is tired of seeing their dominance. Craig Mottram gives us hope, but the stark reality is most white guys are still 100 meters behind in races 5000m and above.

Africans are blessed with superior genetics and the regular athletic fan is tired of seeing their dominance.

This is not only a racist statement, it is inaccurate. Before the advent of epo, the white Americans, Europeans, and Ocaeancis (New Zealand and Australia) regularly whooped the Africans at all distances from 800 throurgh the 10k.......with epo the African times have plummeted. Can you imagine Jim Ryun or Frank Shorter on epo....Ryun would run 3:41 and Frank 2:06.....But of course they were not cheaters and the Africans are enormous cheaters....

To show you how bizarre and wrong it is to say that Africans are superior genetically one only need to look at the Olympic Medal Table.....The Austrailians with a mere 20 million people destroy your "genetically superior" Kenyans with a population of about 80 million!.... the Aussies (of Irish and English convict stock) won 19 gold medals! Almighty Bullcrap Kenya? Try 2. And this only in distance running and these measly two are dubious due to drug allegations.......Excellance in a small narrow field, distance running, and the stench of drug usage at that, only makes Kenyans genetically superior to sofa warriors like the mutts who support them here on letsrun.......I was a distnce runner, and as an American I concede nothing to the Kenyans and their druggish ways. Thank you.

truthhh wrote:

Where was he born? you think because he pulls on a vest it makes a difference? I say b.s! you lot make me laugh, If he worked in mcdonalds and claimed to be american would you embrace him so kindly? one thinks not

No, he's American. You are incorrect.

Runningart2004 wrote:

I wasn't born in America, neither was Frank Shorter. Are we less American?

Alan

YOU ARE NOT AMERICAN, then

monster wrote:

This is a stupid issue, but...

If Craig Mottram (who is white and therefore 'looks' american) had moved to the states in college and had gotten citizenship and was racing for the US, you wouldn't have any problems accepting his status. It's just that Lagat looks like all of the Africans who are kicking our asses (except Lagat's) that you won't accept his citizenship. How long has he lived here?

this is the best post on this thread.

it's that fact that PERCEPTION has more to do with it. meaning, we can see he doesn't look like the other americans because of his skin colour. that's IT.