World Cup Fever: Foreign Flags on Jamaican Soil

I could not allow World Cup 2014 to end without me sharing my thoughts on an issue that has bothered me throughout the entire season. This World Cup has left me to wonder where our loyalty as Jamaicans lie and have we really lost our civic pride? While I’m not a supporter of a specific team, I have jumped on the bandwagon to support a few ‘big sides’ during the season and when I speak of support, I mean by watching the matches and that’s as far as it gets. Frankly, I am just as excited as the average Jamaican man when teams like Germany, Argentina and Brazil hit the field.

However, the issue I want to openly share my thoughts on is that of all these foreign flags being flown high in our country. With all the love I have for a good game of football, I could never find myself purchasing moreover waving a flag that’s not my own. Many Jamaicans who didn’t see it necessary to purchase a Jamaican flag during our country’s 50th Anniversary celebrations have deemed it necessary to purchase foreign flags to show their undying love for the quality football that these countries play. When the World Cup comes to an end, what will persons do with these pieces of colored cloth, return them to the manufacturers for a refund? I don’t think so! I’m left to wonder have we gone mad?

Upon visiting a plaza in Kingston, the entire corridor was lined with flags of all the countries participating in the World Cup and not a single Jamaican flag was in sight. In every nook and cranny of Jamaica there’s a flag that’s not ours, in every taxi there’s a flag that’s not ours and in every bar or at every stall there’s a flag that’s not ours. These footballers would be surprised at our actions. We’ve blown this World Cup out of proportion that one would think we’re getting paid by the teams. Have we gone mad?

While it is understandable for foreigners to wear Jamaican T-shirts and wave Jamaican flags during the Olympics as everyone loves Usain Bolt, I doubt they have Jamaican flags parading in their cars for the entire Olympics. So, is something definitely wrong with us? Yes, we cultured as ‘waggonists’. If we see other people doing things, we are instinctively moved to do it without putting thought into it. If it is fashionable to fly a flag on your car; fly it, be it German or Brazilian.

Here we are supporting other countries who couldn’t care less about us. Yet we sit comfortably in cinema seats while our anthem is being played before the start of a movie. Whether Brazil, Germany or Argentina wins the World Cup, our economy won’t be benefiting from any of those teams who we strongly support. At the end of the World Cup, these footballers will go home well fortified while we’re left struggling to make two ends meet with their flags in our possession. I find this most annoying but maybe I’m viewing the issue from the wrong side of the field.

Posted from WordPress for BlackBerry.