Darren Rovell Racist Anti-Meb Article

That was awesome. It's about time someone other than a poster on a thread had the guts to say it.

I emailed him telling him he's a racist.

SDGuy wrote:

After reading this I am ashamed to be from the same country as Rovell...

Ashamed? What's stopping you from packing your bags and getting the hell out of here then?

You have your bigotry confused. According to what he's said in that article he is jingoistic, not racist.

bye bye wrote:

SDGuy wrote:

After reading this I am ashamed to be from the same country as Rovell...

Ashamed? What's stopping you from packing your bags and getting the hell out of here then?

The fact that when you're unhappy with something you don't get up and leave/quit?

If american's all did that the country would be half empty for four years, every four years while the Democrats are in power, and the other half would leave when the Repubs are in control.

I never really got that argument of your's

wow.

my response to him...

You do know that Meb has spent almost his entire life in the United States, right? Your article makes it sound like you don’t. He is a product of the American system of HS and college running. He’s not a mercenary that came here because he was a good runner. Fortunately for the US, nationality isn’t limited to place of birth.

Oh also. I’m curious about your stance on Jorge Torres. He was technically born in the US, but I mean, come on, his parents are from Mexico, so he can’t really be American, right? Or is that the difference between Meb and Jorge, despite that they are both products of the American system and were Americans well before their international atletic successes? That one was born here and one wasn’t.

Jorge can run for president, Med can not. Is that racist? Is that up for debate?

Thanks for pointing that story out...pure drivel. I sent him an e-mail as well.

He is 100% wrong. Meb is more American than I am. All I did to become an American is too be born here. Meb and his family made a choice to become American.

Having said that, Mr. Rovell represents a fairly large percentage of people in the US. They may be wrong, but they are out there. For that reason Alan Webb or Ryan Hall or Dathan Ritzenhein are more important to distance running in the US than Meb or Abdi or Tergat. I don't like what I just typed, but it is true.

Red Glare wrote:

You have your bigotry confused. According to what he's said in that article he is jingoistic, not racist.

He wouldn't have said that about someone who moved to America at 12 from Europe or Japan or Nicaragua.

I read the article and there was absolutely NOTHING racist about it. I in fact think that you owe him an apology for slandering his name. Furthermore I think I will e-mail him and send him this link where some have slandered his name!

Evidentally your reading comprehension is faulty. He is simply stating that yes, Meb is a citizen of our country and congrats on his accomplishment but in his opinion all the hoopla regarding an American finally winning is suspect.

Please grow up.

Hayduke wrote:

Jorge can run for president, Med can not. Is that racist? Is that up for debate?

No that's not racist or up for debate, nobody said it was.

Salazar was born in Cuba so he can't run for president either. Have you ever discounted any of his accomplishments as American based upon that? I highly doubt it.

The major hole in the "He's not American because he can't run for President" argument is that, in fact, he is American. No debate about that, sorry to break it to you.

backpage thumpers wrote:

well, for one,

i actually didn't say anything about racism. as someone pointed out, rovells issue is jingoism, not necessarily racism.

you are correct, torres can run for president, meb cannot, as per law. however, that legislation only applies the government, not competing in international athletic competitions, soo...what was your point?

My point is that there is a clear legal difference between a citizen born in the US and a US citizen who was not born here. You guys go in circles but avoid the fact that american law is what we follow, and that is why there are people who see Meb as different than Jorge. If you can't see how that would have an impact on peoples opinion on all factors of life, then you have to take a step back and rethink your argument.

Agreed. I wrote him as well, and also pointed out the silly double standard of him pointing out that Meb was born abroad (which isn't really a story, since every major account of the win mentions it...), but not mentioning that the last American winner (or perhaps not, by his standard) was also born abroad (Cuba). I guess when someone has black skin, they need to put in more time to be called a citizen...

SPNKY wrote:

I read the article and there was absolutely NOTHING racist about it. I in fact think that you owe him an apology for slandering his name. Furthermore I think I will e-mail him and send him this link where some have slandered his name!

Evidentally your reading comprehension is faulty. He is simply stating that yes, Meb is a citizen of our country and congrats on his accomplishment but in his opinion all the hoopla regarding an American finally winning is suspect.

Please grow up.

I second this.

You people are insanely sensitive.

For those wondering where racism comes in, for me it's his tacit acceptance of Salazar being "American", but Meb not, despite both being immigrants.

Well, the entire reason that it sticks in people's minds is directly because of the EXACT area of the world he is from. Of course people wouldn't say that if he was born in Europe or Japan. Other places have had great distance runners, but do not produce top distance runners like East Africa.

It is natural for people to wonder how much of his success is due to his living some important formative years in that region whether he was running or not.

That said, I am as excited for Meb as anyone, and I also love to see guys like Lagat run for the USA.

ming ding xiong wrote:

He wouldn't have said that about someone who moved to America at 12 from Europe or Japan or Nicaragua.

How exactly do you know this?

Well the last American winner of the NYC Marathon was Alberto Salazar. He was born in Cuba!