Appealing to the xenophobes

Just when you think that there can't be a dumber letter published by the Oklahoman we get this one from Cheryl Harris of Oklahoma City:

Congratulations to the San Antonio Spurs on winning the NBA championship. The players were superb, but I was distressed to see Manu Ginobli and others waving the flags of their respective home countries. They play American basketball. They make lots of money doing so. This isn’t the Olympics! Pay homage to the country where you make your living by hoisting American flags.

HOLY SHIT. She's "distressed" by this? Wait. People get "distressed" when they are struggling in school. They are "distressed" when a loved one is ill. They are "distressed" about real things that can have a negative impact on one's life. If some random basketball player waving a non-American flag after winning an NBA title causes you distress, you have real problems that go beyond, well, the fact that a random basketball player is waving a non-American flag after winning an NBA title.

Anyhow, one has to wonder where Ms Harris gets this "American basketball" thing from. She does know that the NBA plays in Canada, right? Like, if the Raptors won the NBA championship (don't laugh; it's to prove a point), would she be distressed if Tyler Hansbrough waved an American flag and not a Canadian one?

Seriously. This is how demented this woman is in her xenophobia. Like, has Mr Harris ever seen this:

So, that's a championship ring from the Miami Heat. Notice that it says "World Champions"?? That's "world" as in "world" and not "America" just so we're clear. And lest one thinks this is unique to this one ring:

Oh, god. Fine. Here's another:

Wait. Jesus. There are more?!? From 1972? For fuck's sake.

They were saying "world champion" back in the 1950's?!? 

Talk about distressing!!!

So, yeah. To recap: basketball is not "American" and neither is the NBA-- if nothing else than by virtue of the fact that it plays in Canada, but never mind that the league routinely drafts players from all over the world and teams routinely opt to say "WORLD CHAMPIONS" on their championship rings!

Also, lest she imagines that this is somehow unique to the "American" NBA:

So this is Gareth Bale. He is Welsh. Note the Welsh flag. He was waving it around when his team-- the soccer club Real Madrid-- won the UEFA Champions League this year. For those not in the know about world club soccer, the UEFA Champions League is the equivalent of the NBA championship-- the highest honor for the best group of clubs on the planet. This guy was on the winning team, and yet instead of waving a Spanish flag, he went out and got a Welsh one. 

It's easy to see why: he is happy about his nationality, and by waving his nation's flag he is saying, in essence, "hey, your native son has done good!" to everyone back home. This is no different than a non-American NBA player waving their own flag after winning a championship. Or Tyler Hansbrough sporting the Stars and Stripes after winning for the Raptors!

It couldn't be a dumber argument and a dumber letter. And yet the Oklahoman is all too happy to publish it. The reason why is obvious: the right wing has to cater to an anti-immigrant contingent to win votes, so running letters that express a xenophobic, pro-America sentiment plays right into that group. Rousing up the base by hyping a non-event is exactly what a propaganda machine like the Oklahoman is expected to do. It's predictable but pathetic.