CNBC Reporter Says NYC Marathon Winner Is Only "Technically" an American

An insidious form of nationalism is threatening the very core of what makes this country great.

There has been an outcry of protest that Meb Keflezighi is not really the first "American" to win the New York marathon since 1982--because he was born in Africa and moved here when he was 12.

Never mind that Keflezighi is an American citizen.

Never mind that he's lived in the United States for 22 years.

Never mind that he has raced for the United States in the Olympics.

Never mind that every single person in this country who doesn't happen to be a Native American either came here from somewhere else or is descended from someone who did.

One of the most surprising advocates of this position is CNBC's Darren Rovell*:

It's a stunning headline: American Wins Men's NYC Marathon For First Time Since '82. Unfortunately, it's not as good as it sounds.

Meb Keflezighi ... is technically American by virtue of him becoming a citizen in 1998, but the fact that he's not American-born takes away from the magnitude of the achievement the headline implies. Given our disappointing results, embracing Keflezighi is understandable. But 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.

Nothing against Keflezighi, but he's like a ringer who you hire to work a couple hours at your office so that you can win the executive softball league.

Nothing against Rovell, but this is seriously disturbing. (It's also probably racist. Would Rovell be saying the same thing if Arnold Schwarzenegger had won the marathon?)

Since when did we define who is and isn't an American by their "country of origin"? (which is apparently defined as where, through no fault or glory of their own, someone happens to have been born).

The greatest strength of this country is that people can choose to become Americans. It's that act of will--the decision to take action to change your circumstances--that has made this country the most vital and successful on earth for the past 200 years. It is also what can pull us out of our current economic slump and re-light our competitive fire. It is what can save us from becoming, say, Japan.

Let us not wreck the magic of what makes America great by suddenly dismissing every American citizen who didn't happen to have been born here as only "technically" American. They're not "technically" American. They're American. And the rest of us are lucky to have them.

See also: 10 Business Lessons From The Battlefield

*Darren has since apologized.

 

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Comments

[seawolf77]

Americans are sprinters anyway.

[Steve Parker - Huffpost Blogger]

Ridiculous comment. On ABC TV last week, Bob Griese, a football analyst, did a NASCAR promotion for the next day's race. His partner helped out, when the banter turned to NASCAR driver Juan Pablo Montoya. "Where is he on the list?" asked the other announcer, to which Griese tastefully replied, "He was out eating a taco".
Griese apologized minutes after making the remark and he was suspended for s short period of time by ABC/ESPN.
Just goes to show how many people in this country treat "foreigners". We're known for being obnoxious when traveling to other countries, and when folks from other countries come here, we treat them like uneducated dirt.

[devadasi]

I just don't agree with your PC article, and your labeling of racism is grossly unfair.

I' a progressive dem, but I don't view anyone who wasn't born here as an American. I view them as an American citizen. The bigger question is why an American citizen, who was born in another country would be ashamed of their country of origin. If I were to move to France and become a member of the EU, I would still consider myself an American first and formost. Your theory is the kind of nonsense that makes dems and liberals look silly.

The sense of entitlement among immigrants having arrived here in the last 20 years or so is unprescedented. Your ideas on this issue gives fodder to the right wing extremists.

[fanifesu]

american's are so damn racist.

[Poorsarah]

All of us who are not Native American..­."technica­lly" none of us are real Americans; maybe we should pack up and also leave?

[THE JEDI 69]

My daugters were all born and Japan..I'm AMerican their mom is Japanese along with their brother so are the techinally Americans they have never set foot in America..so whats that make them

[Rharte]

So, I assume Meb Keflezighi "technically" payed taxes too? Looks like we got a birther at CNBC.

[noudidnt]

This is akin to Kanye stepping all over Taylor Swift's moment. Will the President call out this "jacka_s_s"?

[kmclib]

shameful. just shameful.

[harriettubman]

While this guy may be an American since 12, which is very young, me personally, I don't think I could ever move to another country and consider myself a citizen, ever. Even while living abroad, I always thought of my American roots. I fell in love with Germany but I could never become a citizen there.

However, if a child is raised in a country other than the one he/she was born, they know nothing else.

[Myperspective]

Who cares what you 'personally' would or would not do. Totally beside the point. The man is a full blooded American citizen regardless of your or anyone's personal preferences. It also does not matter which country he was 'born' or 'raised' or not 'raised'. He became an American citizen by going through the process required by law.The man does not need any other fellow citizen's personal approval/a­uthenticat­ion or acceptance to be citizen.

[tweedy54]

DITTO!!!!!!!!

[supertim]

his apology is worse than the original article, i cant believe CNBC wont fire this guy...read the comments on the CNBC page, it goes on forever and i have not seen such poor journalism masking bigotry for a long time in the MSM

"What I Got Wrong About Keflezighi"
http://www.cnbc.com/id/33603449

[x pat]

The American runner who won in 1982, Alberto Salazar, was born in Cuba. By Darren's logic, he shouldn't count either.

[harriettubman]

Exactly!!!

[hollyhund]

We got his point the first time he wrote it-if you are not blond blue eyed, born or "passed the test". we don't see you as American! Only European decendents are Real Americans!Go tell that to the Native Americans!!! He said what he felt and then came back with a half arse apology!
If this runner was Swedish born who "past the test", no article would have been written! Shame on CNBC for allowing this rubbish to be written!!

[Bobotheclown]

"Since when did we define who is and isn't an American by their "country of origin"? "
Since Texas and its creed of fundamentalism took over the country, that's when. Weren't you listening when the "homeland" security department was born? This is a translation of the old german term "heimatland" sometimes also translated as "fatherland". It relates to the concept of cultural geography and denotes the country of one's origin. One cannot become a citizen of a homeland, one must be born into it. Weren't you listening when the faith-based programs were allowed to discriminate against anyone that they considered "other"? Please don't criticise Rovell for articulating what has become the new "sense" of America. You will recall that for eight years both houses of Congress backed these efforts to create a national identity based on blood. You will notice that the present administration is not retreating from these stances in any way. National identity will soon be backed up with national ID cards, full surveillance of all domestic communication, and comprehensive financial profiling. These tools will allow the enforcement of national identity and the pureification of our homeland so that in the future mongrel runners such as Mr. Keflezighi will be prohibited from taking the place of a pure blooded Texan.

[DennyCrane]

What do you expect from the network that started the Tea Party movement? Anyone who gets their investment advice from CNBC deserves to lose all their money.

[stencil62]

What? I doubt most people at CNBC could pass a citizen test. Congrats to the American wnner. That is the proper response.