Congrats to ALL the Americans who made the Xc team, right Letsrun!!!

You couldn't have said it any better.

I agree. I watched the race today with my father who was also a runner and both of us were impressed by the americans who ran today, that would be everyone with citizenship, not just the white boys.

I really wish everyone would drop the whole "born in america vs. immigrants". To tell you the truth the three inspirational runners today who actually pushed the pace and made it a legitimate race rather than a sit and kick were all immigrants. Had it only been american born race, yes Derrick would have won but it would have been a crappy race to watch.

Boo for the "Bro-hoe's" for once again promoting racism by explicitly pointing out "non american born". Who gives a rat's ass. They are AMERICAN now and I'm proud they are raising the level of american distance running.

BTW awesome run by Sam Chelenga today, pushing the pace from 6 to 8k and dropping the field from 8 down to 4. I love that guys guts!

Vipam wrote:

I've been on and off this board for over 10 years and this is one of only a couple posts directed at Bro Jo's and other media reading this post.

Dont TARNISH America's tough and lenghty citizenship process and our new brothers and sisters to our country by highlighting in the title they were Kenyan born. For 95% of new citizens it takes 4-8 yrs (sometimes up to 12) of living here, filing paperwork, and passing a history test.

SOME OF THEM ARE MORE productve Americans then many on this board!

So where are all the American emigrants? Like with trade - where is the balance?

It's called white privileged, I am sure if there was a new immigrant from Europe, Letsrun could not have breakdown the way they did. It's just crazy the world we leave. We are all immigrants unless you are native American, some of us are either second generation or third, go back and look at your history your family immigrated from somewhere. Stop this nonsense, you are either American by birth or by naturalization, there is no specification that says one is more citizen that the other. Just because you were born here doesn't give you any advantage than the other. Even TRUMP grand parents were immigrants. Stop lebeling and trying to divide the running community, on top of what's happening now.

...but i and millions of other non-brain dead American citizens consider them kenyan

Genetics, upbringing, and ethnicity matter in running and it should be acknowledged and discussed. Even Lukas Verzbicas's Lithuanian citizenship was mentioned, contrary to the above post, even though unlike having East African genetics, it was not especially interesting.

PC culture forbids you from acknowledging information or even mentioning race, with the exception of bashing privileged white people.

that's nice... wrote:

...but i and millions of other non-brain dead American citizens consider them kenyan

And voted for and continue to support Trump.

It doesnt matter where they were born, ONCE they gain citizenship they are AMERICAN. The only thing they can never run for U.S. Presidency, everything else they deserve the right to leave their prior citizenship in the past my friends!

Rojo, are you out of your damn mind?

OP, what the hell are you talking about? Where in the hell did we not congratulate or "tarnish" the Kenyan-born runners who made the team?

We wrote, "The U.S. men’s team for World XC should be quite strong as the top four will all be going to Uganda and they’re clearly all very fit (they beat Derrick, who ran 27:38 on the track in November, though Derrick won’t be at World XC)."

It amazes me that the so called open minded people on the left - who in terms of public policy are obsessed with classifying people by race, gender, etc. to make sure that all outcomes are equal - get irate when we mention place of birth in a meet recap. What's wrong with saying the winners of the race were born in Africa? It's a factual statement. If the top 4 in the men's race and the women's winner were from California (almost the same population as Kenya), you can bet your butt we'd mention it was a great day for the people from California. You see place of birth talked about all the time in college football recruiting.

Again, what's wrong with it? Please tell me.

In my mind, nothing. I guess you don't like it as it scares you to think that some people might be better at different things. Why? That's called common sense. If you truly like diversity, you should be celebrating it. Every human has his or her own strength or weaknesses. I would make a horrible NFl lineman . But all NFL linemen would make horrible distance runners But we all come together and make amazing contributions.

-Rojo

PS. With all of the talk about white privilege, maybe the thing that bothers you is you don't like to consider that there might be such a thing as "black privilege" in running. Although it really has nothing to do with being black. "East African descent" privilege would be a better term. Just as if you are over 7 feet tall, you are much more likely to be an NBA center (1/4 are the odds I believe), if you are born in East Africa there is a way better chance that you'll break 2:10 in the marathon. It's a fact. Get over it.

With all due respect take all the time you need Rojo, how many times in over 10 years have I posted a nationality/race related post? So when addressing someone make sure you address the individual and not the masses.

My title didnt state you didnt congratulate them, it simple called them Americans. Citizenship in U.S.A is one of the hardest and incredible lengthy process in the world. Most born Americans (FACT couldnt pass the history test, myself included with an IQ over 130, that the new Americans most pass for citizenship. They deserve to be welcomed to our country after 4-12 years residency and the process as simply Americans

Although it may not have been your intention rojo - twitter posts like these make it "seem" as if you value those born here over those not. I'm not telling you that you do, but some of your posts and articles give off a negative "vibe" towards those not born here.

I'm not calling you a racist, or a bigot, or anything like that, but I'm saying is that your site has a slight bias towards those that were born here.

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For example/ as a suggestion, instead of saying "Kenyan born Americans were fantastic" , say that Scott Simmon's Athletes were fantastic.

(Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm fairly certain that all those in the top 4 were coached by Scott Simmons, and Joe Gray placed highly as well and was also coached by Scott Simmons. )

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those pictures can't post

BUT

here's the Letsrun caption to a twitter post

"1 lap to go at 2017 USA XC. Trevor Dunbar is the last American-born hope. "

It just implies that you are rooting for the white guys that were born here.

I know its not what you meant, but it can come off that way.

I tend to vote left (like every time I vote ha), but I agree with Rojo here. What is the point of this thead, vipam. It seems like you're the only one who's concerned with where people are born when they make US teams. Letsrun has never derided or even made an issue of naturalized citizens. Get over it.

Now I know how those who were so upset at the recent Euro XC Champs felt. National affiliation aside, eventually the top 50 at World XC will be Kenyan, Kenyan immigrants, and a smattering of Ethiopians. How's that for diversity?

Barabbas wrote:

Now I know how those who were so upset at the recent Euro XC Champs felt. National affiliation aside, eventually the top 50 at World XC will be Kenyan, Kenyan immigrants, and a smattering of Ethiopians. How's that for diversity?

I think that's what's scary about this for so many (not me).

Running makes it obvious that there are genetic differences between the people which contradicts what all of these political movements are trying to tell everyone that there aren't differences between people. Men, women, black, white, Asian, etc are the same, etc. Memo, we're not all the same.

Well we are all the same as we are people but we are all different. I don't get why it freaks people out. Just as 6'5 person has different advantages/disadvantages than a 4'5" person. Even within a family. One sibling might be incredibly athletic. One artistic. My mom is is a big jock and loves sports. Her sister doesn't is artistic and doesn't know what a touchdown is.

I don't know why that's so scary.

I'm with you rojo.

Liberals (or at least extreme ones, but more and more it's beginning to be the majority it seems) have a fetish for categorizing things and making things very black and white - except that they literally are afraid to use or reference the terms "black" and "white" when it comes to skin color.

They do not realize it is possible to both celebrate the notion that foreign-born athletes would want to come to our great nation and become citizens (a wonderful thing!) and point out that it is noteworthy that many of these East Africans share a distinct genetic advantage.

East African runners are emigrating to many non-African nations. For a variety of reasons. While I have zero problem with this, I do find it a bit concerning when our international championship races become a matter of which nation's Kenyan-born athlete is better.

rojo wrote:

You said that we tarnished them. That wasn't true. I assumed it was obvious they are Americans as they are representing the US.

You don't need to respond to this but you have to ask yourself if you would have made the same comment regarding a grouping of Irish born runners who had become US citizens.

Only you know the answer.

Someone arriving in the US at ~20 yo is obviously not a product of American running culture. I don't see any reason to support these from a patriotic point of view. They may be interesting as individuals and thus get my support (just like other foreign runners). But in no way do I feel that they represent America.