Editor,
I read with mild interest Isaac Avilucea’s rambling article about cultural imperialism, poor journalism, immigration and soccer that linked criticism of FIFA’s Luddite ways with American ethnocentrism. Unfortunately Avilucea has studied just enough history to be dangerous. The audacity to invoke the gullibility of the common U.S. citizen to support the military in killing foreigners as being equal to sports fans arguing to use modern technology to reduce human error is at best sophomoric. Although given Avilucea’s ability, or inability, to structure an argument, that would be a compliment. Using Avilucea’s logic, the world would have been better off if Western sterilization practices were not spread to the rest of the world, since they might offend local brujos and witch doctors.
Since the printing of Avilucea’s article, there have been multiple examples of how poor FIFA’s decision not to use modern technology in the officiating of soccer has been. At this point, I would lament the decline of professional journalism in the U.S., young people’s lack of education and Avilucea’s poor job prospects in the future.
Defending the indefensible in print is an affront to journalistic integrity and generally makes one look like an idiot. However, such tactics today improve your ratings on conservative news “services,” which provide a welcoming home for journalists of Avilucea’s intelligence level.
Erik Peterson
UNM alumnus
