Michael Moore’s book Downsize This! notes a propensity to scapegoat immigrants when the economy struggles. So he includes the Mayflower’s passenger list and suggests if your relatives’ names aren’t on it, you’re in no position to bash the more recent arrivals.
You wouldn’t expect complaints about immigrants from the soccer community, which profits immensely from those who bring love for soccer to the U.S. and money to the ticket office.
MLS crowds were more than 50 percent Latino. The league’s success owes much to fans who cheered players whose heritage they share.
But when the U.S. beat Guatemala in World Cup qualifying, U.S. players bemoaned the phenomenon of playing in their nation’s capital and receiving less vocal support than their opponent.
Goalkeeper Kasey Keller addressed “immigration issues” and said he had a problem with immigrants cheering for their ancestral home.
Here are some more immigration issues:
Keller has lived in England and earned good money there since 1991. Three of his U.S. teammates are immigrants and three others have never lived in the U.S. as adults except to play for the U.S. soccer team.
Shortly before qualifying, the U.S. players held out until the federation agreed to a generous bonus structure, made possible partly because the U.S. now draws large crowds to its games. The immigrants who “frustrated” Keller helped pay his bonus.
U.S. coach Steve Sampson has said he hopes his team can wrap up qualification early next year, so it won’t mind playing Mexico in Los Angeles, where it can earn a gate of more than $1.5 million thanks to fans with allegiance to Mexico.
The U.S. players should be thankful for anyone who buys tickets, and should court support with their play, not whine about those who cheer for the opponent.
by Soccer America Senior Editor Mike Woitalla