According to columnist Jonathon Tobin, "NATIONALISM + SPORTS = INSANITY."Musing over the significance of the media and marketing (see image at left) feeding frenzy over the coming games - here in Israel as well, of all places.
Germany and Iran, hmm, talk about team spirit...
Tobin writes:
"Given the relentless plugging this event is receiving in the American media, I wonder if the majority of us who could care less about the World Cup are starting to feel a little bit guilty about it.
"Don't. Contrary to the trendy talk put about by many in our chattering classes, ignoring soccer is not a typical example of American chauvinism. Disliking the World Cup is, in fact, not an indication of our small-mindedness but of our humanism. It is also the Zionist thing to do.
"Though many of us can't seem to get enough of the toxic mix of jingo patriotism and sports fanaticism, hasn't anybody noticed yet that this isn't a healthy thing?
And here's the money quote:
"It should also be noted in passing that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will be in Nuremberg, of all places, to root on his team. Any analogies between the free publicity given this Jew-hating Holocaust denier and Hitler's poses in Berlin will be right on target."
Read it all.
