Blogger “Chris in Paris” reported today on AMERICABlog about a CNBC sports writer’s outrageous coverage of what should have been (and is) a proud moment for America– an American winning the New York marathon for the first time in decades.
The Associated Press reports in “American Meb Keflezighi wins NYC Marathon:
Keflezighi was back Sunday, wiping away tears after the New York City Marathon — for his historic victory for his country, for his recovery from an injury he once feared might end his career.
And for Ryan Shay, his friend who collapsed and died at the U.S. Olympic trials in New York in 2007.
The 34-year-old Keflezighi became the first American man since 1982 to win the NYC Marathon, the latest twist in the story of a family that fled war to thrive in a new home.
“It can’t get any better,” Keflezighi said.
Well, Meb didn’t make the cut of true-blooded American for CNBC sports writer Darren Rovell. Chris in Paris classified Rovell’s commentary about Keflezighi’s nationality this morning as “amazingly ignorant:”
What an amazingly ignorant thing to say. The CNBC editor rips Meb Keflezighi for not being American-enough and as a ringer for winning marathons. Forget that his family left Eritrea as refugees, and he attended high school here and then became a naturalized US citizen over ten years ago. Yes, that is the clear sign of a ringer. Who out there doesn’t flee war just to win a race?
It wouldn’t surprise me if Meb knew a lot more about being an American than this clown from CNBC. I guess if we now only count “real Americans” as those who have always lived there, we might have a very different looking Olympic team.
John Aravosis, in “CNBC writer issues convoluted sort-of apology for racist column,” notes that the CNBC author, even in his apology, still doesn’t get how offensive it is to argue that someone who came to the US as a political refugee, went to high school in the US, became an American citizen ten years ago, and went on to win a marathon with overflowing pride for his country, shouldn’t be considered a “real American.”
