was Meb Keflezighi criticized for not being "really American"?

1 ANSWERS

1. amomipais82
   

   Hi,
   The biggest sports story of the weekend didn't involve Brett Favre or LeBron James and it didn't have anything to do with the World Series either. It played out on a 26.2 mile course in the five boroughs of New York City and featured a man who would be recognized less than almost every player on an NFL, MLB or NBA roster. His name is Meb Keflezighi, and on Sunday he became the first American to win the New York Marathon since 1982.
   
   It's a monumental achievement. U.S. runners haven't fared well in marathons in years, so for an American to stun the racing world with a win in New York should have made front-page headlines. So why has Keflezighi's win been largely ignored by the mainstream press?
   
   There seems to be a belief that because Keflezighi was an immigrant to this country that he is somehow less American than those born within the borders. CNBC's Darren Rovell sums up this unfortunate, jingoistic refrain (but he's far from the only one who's written in this way):
   
   ... Keflezighi's country of origin is Eritrea, a small country in Africa. He is an American citizen thanks to taking a test and living in our country.
   
   Basically, the argument is that because Keflezighi wasn't born in America, he's not American.
   
   I suppose the fact that Keflezighi immigrated here 29 years ago at the age of 12 doesn't matter. Nor is the fact that he didn't start running competitively until he arrived in the States, went to UCLA and has never worn anything but the red, white and blue at international competitions. The silver medal he won in the Athens marathon for the USA in 2004? That's irrelevant too.
   
   Here's the Keflezighi back story: As detailed in a Sports Illustrated story from 2005, his family immigrated to the U.S. after his father fled the country to avoid being imprisoned for supporting Eritrea's independence. That was in 1986. Meb has lived here since then.
   
   When asked whether his East African genes make him a more successful runner, Keflezighi responded to the question by asking, "if so, then why did I lose to so many Americans in high school and college?"
   
   But why should that even matter? Meb Keflezighi's story is what defines America. It's a textbook example of the American dream: Fleeing war, taking advantage of opportunity in this country and becoming a personal and professional success. The end of Keglezighi's tale may be remarkable, but the beginning is similar to that of millions of Americans past and present.  
   
   Why should the fact that somebody wasn't born in this country make them any less of an American? Was Barack Obama's father not truly American because he was born in Kenya? Anybody want to tell Arnold Schwarzenegger that he's only "technically" a United States citizen? Most Americans reading this will have had an ancestor who immigrated to America at some point (my great-grandfather came in 1914). Were they not really, truly Americans?  
   
   I've purposefully not mentioned the 800-pound gorilla in the room: whether the perceived illegitimacy of Keflezighi has to do with his race. That's a topic for another day and another writer, but let's just say that you wouldn't be wrong to play that card. (Think of it this way: If Keflezighi immigrated from Scotland, would we be having this discussion?)
   
   The irony of it all is that the last man to win the NYC Marathon before Meb Keflezighi wouldn't qualify as being "American" either. Alberto Salazar, who took the crown in 1982, was born in Cuba.

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