Fury in Egypt over Ghana's Israeli flag waver

[montgjules]

Originally Posted by AreliusIV

Egypt is the only one to get into the news. I'm sure every Muslim country was offended...

Exactly.

[Deuce]

OK!

Why?
I really am trying to understand!

Seriously!
Why?

[montgjules]

I wonder how Americans would react if the USA team scored a goal against Italy on Thursday and the player immediately pulled out a flag of France, or Afghanistan, or Iraq or Bolivia or anywhere OTHER THAN THE USA. It would be a direct insult against Americans to celebrate some other country when playing for the USA.

Although some press has focused on Egypt's reaction in their newspapers, the anger and confusion was felt by plenty of others, including (obviously) those in Ghana.

I am not personally offended by what Paintsil did. He was totally clueless and naive, as far as I can tell. I'm also not surprised that others are offended. The "Middle East Situation" (the polite, I'm-in-America-so-I-don't-have-to-care way of discussing it) is clearly a whole warehouse full of dynamite with a million kids outside playing with matches. I try to understand both viewpoints, but it's hard to get a really neutral perspective on the situation, so I generally try to reserve judgment and pray for resolution for both sides.

[fuegote]

Let's compare it to the recent immigration talks. The first "walk outs" most of the participants were carrying....Mexican flags for shows of support.

Which.....offended many americans (not me, but a lot of people said, "you're american, yet you're displaying a mexican flag.")

The later rallies learned and displayed....American flags. Just another opinion. But soccer is the lone sport that has many ties that are geopolitical.

[Deuce]

Originally Posted by montgjules

I wonder how Americans would react if the USA team scored a goal against Italy on Thursday and the player immediately pulled out a flag of France, or Afghanistan, or Iraq or Bolivia or anywhere OTHER THAN THE USA. It would be a direct insult against Americans to celebrate some other country when playing for the USA.

Although some press has focused on Egypt's reaction in their newspapers, the anger and confusion was felt by plenty of others, including (obviously) those in Ghana.

I am not personally offended by what Paintsil did. He was totally clueless and naive, as far as I can tell. I'm also not surprised that others are offended. The "Middle East Situation" (the polite, I'm-in-America-so-I-don't-have-to-care way of discussing it) is clearly a whole warehouse full of dynamite with a million kids outside playing with matches. I try to understand both viewpoints, but it's hard to get a really neutral perspective on the situation, so I generally try to reserve judgment and pray for resolution for both sides.

Ok the guy was not Egyptian... so your analogy falls flat there.
The guy is Ghanaian, playing for Ghana.

The Ghanaians are not in a "fury" over it. Egyptians are... and by yours and Arelius' accounts all of the Muslim world.

I am asking you and Arelius because you two seem to be the ones that want to justify Egypts reaction to it.

What does it have to do with Egypt?

I have had a history lesson and an attempt at a socio-political analysis but no one seems to want to answer a simple question...
What does it have to do with Egypt? or the rest of the Muslim world for that matter!

Show me one quantifiable connection that is not based in hate and anti-Semitism that connects that particular Ghanaian player with Egypt and the rest of the Muslim world.
Other than he plays in Israel, there is nothing!

[Deuce]

Originally Posted by fuegote

Let's compare it to the recent immigration talks. The first "walk outs" most of the participants were carrying....Mexican flags for shows of support.

Which.....offended many americans (not me, but a lot of people said, "you're american, yet you're displaying a mexican flag.")

The later rallies learned and displayed....American flags. Just another opinion. But soccer is the lone sport that has many ties that are geopolitical.

Many people show an affiliation with two or more countries... that is normal in America because we are a nation of immigrants.
I have an American flag and a St. Georges Cross because i am affiliated with America and England but I am just trying to understand why a country that has no connection to the Ghanaian player in question got their knickers in a bunch over said player displaying an Israeli flag in a world cup match that did not involve their country or any other Muslim country.

[fuegote]

The same reason you're getting your knickers in a bunch that people are upset over it.

😉

Deuce, I don't know why, but of course (stereotypes to come) everyone in the middle east would be upset with the display of the Isreal flag. I'm sure similar uproar would be there if he pulled out an american flag because of what we stand for.

I'm sure other countries have expressed feelings over the incident, this is only Egypts perception..... and it's nothing I can control so I'm not going to worry about it.

:P

[montgjules]

I think we've done plenty to explain why some arabs were disappointed by this action. We've explained that, although the Egyptian reaction got press time, it was a widespread reaction. Therefore, focusing on "what is has to do with EGYPT" is irrelevant. That is your answer. The better question BY FAR would be, "Why did the press choose to focus on Egyptian reaction?" That would have a far more interesting answer, I imagine.

[Deuce]

Well I agree with you Fuegote... It really does not matter.

Jules if that is your answer I wonder if Paintsil is the naive one!

There was not widespread "disappointment" and to dismiss the Egyptian reaction as disappointment is glossing over the hatred and anti-Semitism in that article!

[AreliusIV]

Ghana defender wins friends in Israel