Is it necessary to keep referring to Team USA Members as Kenyan born?

Dude, it's the Brojos. They like to give arbitrary labels to anything they see as a negative about somebody and then really hound that point.

They sound like complete idiots with archaic biases. But the reality is that nobody else is covering some of these events, so we just need to accept that they're our idiots.

Can't be too safe in Trump's America.

FightFor15 wrote:

A couple excerpts from the World Cross Preview:

"Dunbar and Fauble were 6th and 8th at USA XC, and while both are solid runners, their upside is not as high as the four Kenyan-born athletes on Team USA."

"For the U.S. to succeed, it has to ride its horses, and right now, those are the four Kenyan-Americans who have been crushing it in 2017."

I just don't know why the folks on this website think it is important to keep writing it this way. These folks came to the US, got their citizenship, and are really good runners. I don't care where they were born. This is a country full of immigrants. It will be great to see these Americans race on Sunday.

You probably cheer for Kevin Durant in Golden State too, don't you?

i agree

it takes away from natural born american guys & reduces their prospects of making the team

i can see a situation in 10 - 20y where all 3 guys on olympic berth from 800 - M are kenyans

look at that kenyan kid that broke the ancient 600 indoor WR

he looks in 1'42+ shape

if he runs for USA, that automatically will take 1 berth away from native americans

only way out is if IOC / IAAF allowed top 20 guys to run in games/WC irrespective of nationality

it might mean 20 kenyans in the 3kSC or M but that is only fair dues

Sdfsdfsdfsdf wrote:

Dude, it's the Brojos. They like to give arbitrary labels to anything they see as a negative about somebody and then really hound that point.

They sound like complete idiots with archaic biases. But the reality is that nobody else is covering some of these events, so we just need to accept that they're our idiots.

'

I'm glad you said this. I really value LRC and check in daily for my running news. It's just a little frustrating to see their biases come out in their coverage.

Native americans? Like Billy mills? He seemed to be doing okay.

They have to do that because otherwise people will think that the USA actually produces a viable home grown team.

Also people will get confused if they are called African Americans.

True African Americans wrote:

They have to do that because otherwise people will think that the USA actually produces a viable home grown team.

Also people will get confused if they are called African Americans.

Agreed.

It's worth stating because these athletes have a natural, inborn advantage above most of the rest of the planet's runners, due to genetics and elevation. The real term at play is "of an ethnicity native to East-Africa, & East-African-born-and-raised," but it's a lot easier and faster to just write the person's country of origin.

It shouldn't be interpreted as a negative designation, either. I'd bet that these athletes are proud of their heritage, while still being proud of their U.S. citizenship. Furthermore, as a fan, it's a LOT easier to get excited about the U.S.' chances when I can see that we have people on our team with the same advantages as competitors. Sure, it's easy for a seasoned-reader/fan to guess that Leonard Korir is likely from Kenya, but until I read "Kenyan-born" I don't know if he's first generation or 2nd generation. Besides, there are new visitors to the site every day.

"I'd bet that these athletes are proud of their heritage, while still being proud of their U.S. citizenship." Yeah, except that isn't why the brojos are writing it the way they are. They are writing it that way to label something as different/other/not from the same, dominant culture they are from (read white).

FightFor15 wrote:

A couple excerpts from the World Cross Preview:

"Dunbar and Fauble were 6th and 8th at USA XC, and while both are solid runners, their upside is not as high as the four Kenyan-born athletes on Team USA."

"For the U.S. to succeed, it has to ride its horses, and right now, those are the four Kenyan-Americans who have been crushing it in 2017."

I just don't know why the folks on this website think it is important to keep writing it this way. These folks came to the US, got their citizenship, and are really good runners. I don't care where they were born. This is a country full of immigrants. It will be great to see these Americans race on Sunday.

Wait two or three years. This is just the beginning. Remember in the nineties when roadraces folded or had to convert to US only championships because Africans were 15 deep in MOST roadraces with $$$$.

Qatar, Bahrain, Turkey, USA: If you can't beat them, raid them. All the same. To think this site was lecturing the IAAF and those other countries.

I see this particular criticism leveled fairly often. I do agree that the additional language used in an article that is meant to act as a general preview of a world championship race is, at best, not needed. I am sure others will expand on the more damning possibilities. I find it to be needlessly divisive. Division is certainly not something we need more of in our current society.

That being said, there is certainly a conversation to be had concerning the growth of the sport we love within the United States. It seems to me that the most lasting way to do so would be to analyze and improve distance running institutions aimed at our youth. In that context, it can be important to differentiate between those who spent their entire childhood and adolescence in another country from those that spent those years here. If many or most of our most elite distance runners came up through our home system, I think I would be justified in feeling a similar yet ultimately distinct pride from what I will certainly feel if we do well at World Cross Country this weekend.

calculo wrote:

if he runs for USA, that automatically will take 1 berth away from native americans

But none of the other runners are native americans they're just white and have been here for a few more generations. "Kenyan born athletes" (Americans) didn't take done Galen Rupp (but you're on Letsrun so you hate him anyways.) If people from Kenya want to become citizens of our country and run for us that is great. All it does is increase the competition. America is not a country just for white people.

But none of the other runners are native americans they're just white and have been here for a few more generations. "Kenyan born athletes" (Americans) didn't take done Galen Rupp (but you're on Letsrun so you hate him anyways.) If people from Kenya want to become citizens of our country and run for us that is great. All it does is increase the competition. America is not a country just for white people.[/quote]

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