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I posted this in this folder and not immigration since while it partially deals with immigrants and national loyalty, it goes beyond that somewhat so I considered it an "other controversy". If you don't watch the Olympics at all this doesn't matter I guess.
I'm a Chinese American whose parents were born in Taiwan and came here legally. My grandparents were from China and it was cool to see my family's "old country" featured in the Games and it was pretty impressive as I've posted in another thread. For some older Chinese Americans, the ones who were not born in America, there is a great deal of national pride in China. For almost all of these, it includes taking pride in the spectatcular opening ceremony and in China's economic growth. For others, it even includes hoping China beats America in the medal count (needless to say, these are also the same who wish China surpasses America economically and politically).
For myself and virtually all of my native-born Asian American or Hispanic American friends, cheering for and only for Team USA has never been questioned, no matter who they play. Today in men's gymnastics I actually found myself hoping that the Chinese and Japanese would fall and make serious errors so we could take the gold. I cheered for our local hero, Michael Phelps and not the Chinese swimmers at the other end of the pool. But again, I'm very assimilated and was never really "ethnic", having grown up in a mostly white/black environment.
My little cousin's another story. She was born in the U.S. but runs with an Asian clique in high school that includes recent immigrants from China and South Korea. Her best friend was born in China and came here 3 years ago and is one of those Chinese nationalists. Their group isolates themselves in their own culture and watch mostly Asian movies or listen to Asian pop music. She says that she will cheer for China or Taiwan if they're playing, EVEN AGAINST THE USA. I can't believe she would do this since she was born in the U.S. and changed so much since she started going to a high school with a sizable Asian community. Things like this embarass me as a minority, as did all the illegal alien protests by the Mexicans.
Some people, including Americans, cheer for other teams for other reasons. Some have a particular favorite athlete from another country, especially in sports like soccer where Brazil, Italy, and others have highly regarded and internationally known players. Some believe Team USA's members sometimes act "arrogantly" though I haven't noticed it.
I don't look highly on anyone who cheers another team when they play Team USA for any reason. There are those who draw analogies to someone from New York not cheering the Yankees or someone from Atlanta not liking the Braves but the Olympics are about country which should transcend all. In the Olympics, Team USA is representing our country and our people regardless of politics, ethnicity or whatever. The Redeem Team is coached by Coach K from Duke, my college's bitter rival, but for 2 weeks I can put patriotism first and cheer for him. One thing I will compare with college basketball....as obnoxiously as our ACC may behave on campus, we will support them because they represent us and our school.
Now even if every last athlete from the US in Beijing is a complete jerk (which is far from the truth obviously), I would still cheer for them b/c they are playing for my country. I think the Olympics are the one place where there's no real excuse for not letting patriotism and national pride transcend all else. And it puts immigrants true loyalties to the test.
Last edited by katzenfreund; 08-13-2008 at 07:59 AM..
Reason: do not discuss other members please
People cheer for whomever they feel the closest affinity to.
Do you have a pecking order? If the USA does not take a medal, who would you like to win? France? Russia? Romania?
Your cousin has developed an affinity with China and Korea stronger than that with the USA. She might even have an accent when she speaks. For some reason she feels more comfortable with that. It probably has lots to do with the community where she was raised.
My kids are Americans first, Chinese second and Italian third. They actually do not fit squarely in either.
The Olympics is a show of national pride, you should cheer for your home country.
However, I tend to give new immigrants a transition period. I look at it like this if I move from Miami to San Diego, would I still root for the Dolphins? Yes I would, matter of fact I might even look for local Dolphin's fans in San Diego and cheer against the locals .
It is hard to stop cheering for something that was once embedded in you and you believe in. It looks like some immigrants can bring that pride with them and influence others, interesting thoughts...
Bob, well my pecking order.....of course America is first, then I will technically cheer for Taiwan but they never have much of a team...so it would be America's close allies like Australia, Britain, and Canada. Then there are the countries I just want to see defeated like Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Palestine (why do they have a team when they're not a country?) Saudi Arabia, Cuba, Vietnam, and North Korea. I may add Russia to this list b/c of their actions in Georgia. I don't know where China would fit. But my ancestry keeps me from placing it in the cheer against list. For most countries it comes down to the individual athletes and who I like more, or who perhaps has a story that can get them brownie points.
Surely one should be cheering at good sportsmanship regardless of Nationality ? A great athlete is a great athlete, who cares whether he/she is from India, Tonga, the US or Croatia ?
I wish sport was more about sport and less about National pride. Shouldn't we admire athletic ability and stop seeing flags ?
I almost went semi-pro at skiing a long, long time ago and the thing that put me off sports altogether was the fact that most people ( athletes and their audience) were mostly unable to look beyond Nationality. I used to cheer for other Nationalities and used to get dirty looks. Sports should be about performance not where the Athlete comes from.
Sadly professional sport seems to have lost the plot in my opinion and it is all about National Pride, flag waving, sponsorships, and a lot of fat TV contracts.
My pecking order is whoever displays true sportsmanship and shows dignity and fairness towards other athletes.
Surely one should be cheering at good sportsmanship regardless of Nationality ? A great athlete is a great athlete, who cares whether he/she is from India, Tonga, the US or Croatia ?
I wish sport was more about sport and less about National pride. Shouldn't we admire athletic ability and stop seeing flags ?
Sportsmanship has fallen by the wayside I am afraid.
Wasn't the olympics supposed to be about skill and sportsmanship?
It's too sad that ignorance shows up everywhere.
Is there no way to get past jingoistic attitudes?
First I'd like to say that I don't appreciate any personal attacks from karfar or mrstewart.
I posted this in this folder and not immigration since while it partially deals with immigrants and national loyalty, it goes beyond that somewhat so I considered it an "other controversy". If you don't watch the Olympics at all this doesn't matter I guess.
I'm a Chinese American whose parents were born in Taiwan and came here legally. My grandparents were from China and it was cool to see my family's "old country" featured in the Games and it was pretty impressive as I've posted in another thread. For some older Chinese Americans, the ones who were not born in America, there is a great deal of national pride in China. For almost all of these, it includes taking pride in the spectatcular opening ceremony and in China's economic growth. For others, it even includes hoping China beats America in the medal count (needless to say, these are also the same who wish China surpasses America economically and politically).
For myself and virtually all of my native-born Asian American or Hispanic American friends, cheering for and only for Team USA has never been questioned, no matter who they play. Today in men's gymnastics I actually found myself hoping that the Chinese and Japanese would fall and make serious errors so we could take the gold. I cheered for our local hero, Michael Phelps and not the Chinese swimmers at the other end of the pool. But again, I'm very assimilated and was never really "ethnic", having grown up in a mostly white/black environment.
My little cousin's another story. She was born in the U.S. but runs with an Asian clique in high school that includes recent immigrants from China and South Korea. Her best friend was born in China and came here 3 years ago and is one of those Chinese nationalists. Their group isolates themselves in their own culture and watch mostly Asian movies or listen to Asian pop music. She says that she will cheer for China or Taiwan if they're playing, EVEN AGAINST THE USA. I can't believe she would do this since she was born in the U.S. and changed so much since she started going to a high school with a sizable Asian community. Things like this embarass me as a minority, as did all the illegal alien protests by the Mexicans.
Some people, including Americans, cheer for other teams for other reasons. Some have a particular favorite athlete from another country, especially in sports like soccer where Brazil, Italy, and others have highly regarded and internationally known players. Some believe Team USA's members sometimes act "arrogantly" though I haven't noticed it.
I don't look highly on anyone who cheers another team when they play Team USA for any reason. There are those who draw analogies to someone from New York not cheering the Yankees or someone from Atlanta not liking the Braves but the Olympics are about country which should transcend all. In the Olympics, Team USA is representing our country and our people regardless of politics, ethnicity or whatever. The Redeem Team is coached by Coach K from Duke, my college's bitter rival, but for 2 weeks I can put patriotism first and cheer for him. One thing I will compare with college basketball....as obnoxiously as our ACC may behave on campus, we will support them because they represent us and our school.
Now even if every last athlete from the US in Beijing is a complete jerk (which is far from the truth obviously), I would still cheer for them b/c they are playing for my country. I think the Olympics are the one place where there's no real excuse for not letting patriotism and national pride transcend all else. And it puts immigrants true loyalties to the test.
Lennox, I don't appreciate you singling me out...there, are we even now? During the World Cup, I never supported the U.S. because frankly, they have a crappy team. So I put my support behind better teams such as Brazil & Italy...glad I did cause Italy took it. Why does it bother you to such an extent if someone doesn't support their home team? Does it really really matter? It's a sporting event, it's not going to change the world. People are allowed to cheer for whoever they want, this is such a small thing to bring up.
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During the World Cup, I never supported the U.S. because frankly, they have a crappy team. So I put my support behind better teams such as Brazil & Italy...glad I did cause Italy took it. Why does it bother you to such an extent if someone doesn't support their home team? Does it really really matter? It's a sporting event, it's not going to change the world. People are allowed to cheer for whoever they want, this is such a small thing to bring up.
