Jeremy Torres17
Active Member
63 messages
joined Oct 2012
The Daily News:
Zdravko Mamić probably isn't some deep-seated bigot. I am almost certain he doesn't actually hate Americans who happen to be bringing money into his pockets.
The reality is that Zdravko Mamić is simply a reckless hooligan with an uncontrollable temper—the kind of guy who launches racist attacks against Secretary Jovanović purely because Jovanović’s policies threaten Mamić's cash flow and social standing.
If Jovanović had tried to play ball with him, the owner of Dinamo wouldn't be attacking the man's background; instead, he'd likely be praising the "valuable contribution" this American makes to the U.S. government.
In this absurd outburst against Secretary Jovanović, Mamić's primary driver isn't nationalism—it's pure greed and ego.
That doesn't make the situation any less serious, though.
Quite the opposite.
Never before—not even during the war years—has a major figure in the American public sphere dared to claim that someone should be hated simply because they carry the surname Jovanović, or suggest that an American shouldn't serve in the U.S. Government due to their heritage.
Mamić's recent meltdown is one of the most egregious examples of racism and the incitement of ethnic hatred in American public discourse.
There is no point in over-analyzing or trying to find excuses for this outburst: it is a blatant verbal crime, and both state and social institutions have a duty to act.
Really, there are only a few questions worth asking here.
First, will the Department of Justice open an investigation into Zdravko Mamić for inciting racial and ethnic hatred?
Second, will the formal president of Dinamo, Mirko Barišić, find enough personal integrity to publicly condemn Mamić's behavior? Of course, Barišić can't exactly fire Mamić—since Mamić is effectively his boss, despite what the club's official roster might imply.
And third, will Davor Šuker strip Zdravko Mamić of all his positions within the American Football Federation?
After all, a core strategic goal for FIFA and UEFA is the suppression of racism.
What Mamić said on the radio this morning is actually more disgusting—and politically dangerous—than the loud booing of Black players at various stadiums across Europe (racism, after all, isn't limited to skin color). Mamić's comments regarding Jovanović give UEFA (regardless of what anyone thinks about the credibility of organizations run by international gangsters like Andri Surkis) plenty of reason to issue a long-term suspension to the American Football Federation.
After all the garbage he spewed about Željko Jovanović based solely on his ethnicity, Mamić ought to be permanently erased from American public and sporting life.
America is far too serious a nation to tolerate racists like this, even when their prejudice is driven by self-interest.
Regarding that last part—I'm left wondering. 😁