Posted by
Catmman on Wednesday, October 14, 2009 12:21:00 AM
And no, this isn't about Rush Limbaugh buying the Rams.
Did you watch the Monday Night Game last night? The Miami Dolphins versus the New York Jets. Pretty good game. Normally, I wouldn't watch either team, but the vice-commander is a Dolphins(?) fans, so I gave it a go. What made last night really special was the NFL decided to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month.
I have no real issue with any types of 'Heritage' month per se, in as much as they're all inherently racist. Asian-Pacific-Islander, African -American, Native-American, Hispanic, all for non-white ethnicities, all celebrating ethnocentric 'heritage'. From Dictionary.com: cultural belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human
races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving
the idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to rule
others. 'Heritage' months may not be exactly racist per the definition, but they are kissing cousins and it adheres to the first part of the definition to a tee. And the NFL wants to celebrate that?
The NFL had Gloria Estefan (who is Cuban), and Marc Anthony (who was born in New York to Puerto Rican parents) sing. Estefan joined Hank Williams in singing the opening song for Monday Night Football. Anthony sang the National Anthem (quite wonderfully btw). I had never seen anyone else do the opening with Hank Williams before and said so. My wife said it was because she is a co-owner of the Dolphins. Anthony also has ownership interests in the team. He has Hispanic (well, Puerto Rican) heritage, but he was born in America. Estefan was born in Cuba. I guess since they both speak Spanish they both fit into the cultural stereotype?
Also, the NFL broadcast the first penalty on the field in Spanish. The first penalty of the game was broadcast in Spanish, by the referee, on the field, during the game. Some of the commercials were broadcast in Spanish too, with English subtitles. I couldn't believe it.
All of the contributions from Spain, Portugal, Mexico, other Latin American countries throughout history and the NFL and those supporting them in this endeavor, boiled down the essence of Hispanic heritage to some Spanish language commercials, a couple of 'Latino' entertainers who haven't done anything in years, and a penalty called in Spanish during the game. Wow. That is some celebration.
The NFL has done the same crap with breast cancer awareness. Everything pink from the referees wristbands to coaches hats is pink. A fan might ask as I did last week, "What's all the pink for?" "It's for breast cancer awareness." "Oh. Pass the chips."
The NFL, spurred on by advocacy groups has belittled the seriousness of the nature of breast cancer as they have done with celebrating an ethnic heritage. When you boil down the nature of serious issues such as disease and "highlight" a culture without really highlighting anything, you minimize those issues.
And doing it during a football game when the last thing on anyone's mind is breast cancer or an ethnic heritage. People go to a football game to have a few hours of fun. To escape from the world for a bit. To get away from being preached to about the social cause of the day. The NFL is being high-jacked, is allowing itself to be high-jacked by advocacy efforts when their main effort should be letting us all watch football. Just fun football.