Is it Wrong for Mexican-Americans to Boo the American Soccer Team on U.S. Soil?

I will freely admit it, I’m not the most patriotic person in the country. I appreciate many of the freedoms of the United States, but I’m a skeptical being by nature and not someone who gets too fanatic about anything. That’s right, you won’t see me tattooing a picture of my favorite player on my forearm or butt anytime too soon. But there is something that doesn’t sit well with me, and it’s the notion that many Mexican-American citizens (or illegal aliens) were booing the U.S. soccer team at the Rose Bowl Saturday.

Goalie Tim Howard expressed his outrage that the post-match ceremony in the CONCACAF Gold Cup finals between Mexico and the U.S. was conducted mostly in Spanish, but this is much worse. It’s one thing to root your home country and stick to your roots by cheering for the Mexican team. I understand that and don’t have a problem with that. It’s also pretty evident that the U.S. is a better all-around country than Mexico otherwise so many of their citizens wouldn’t have to come here to live. If they need a victory in a soccer game to give them some sort of pride, that’s fine — they don’t have a whole lot about which they can brag.

But where it’s crossing the line is when you boo the opposing team. Even if it is only sports, it sends a much larger message about the feelings of the people that booed the U.S. team: We may live here, but we’re not happy here and this is how we’re sending our message. Cheer on your country’s team, but don’t boo the team of the country in which you live. If you dislike America or its teams that much, don’t live here. And if you want changes, booing a non-partisan soccer team will do little to improve your plight.