Bring Your Money Belts

It turns out South Africa can host a soccer tournament without any major problems. The Fifa Confederations Cup came to a close with the US (!) nearly knocking off now #1 ranked Brazil but eventually falling 3-2, and it turns out South Africa as a host was for the most part no different than other host countries of the past. In fact, it turns out much of the stigmatism of a violent and lawless nation turns out to lack a solid basis.

Many South Africa World Cup boosters are getting fed up with the negative publicity the nation is receiving from Western newspapers about violence and racism. Much was made of the mugging of a small group of Australian rugby fans during the recently ended Cup, although the same attention was not paid when South Africans were mugged in Berlin during the 2006 World Cup. I think I speak for Nick and Brad when I say that there was very little that was threatening about Berlin – with the exception of that crazy man-child who threw full 2liters of cola into full crowds, nearly missing an infant – so to hear of a mugging in that tranquil city was eye-opening.

I can only hope that I will be eye-opened the same way when I read about a mugging that happens in South Africa in 2010. I would hope that I think to myself, “My word, I couldn’t imagine something like this happening in South Africa, of all places!” Then my monocle slips from my eye and into my glass. God, I want a monocle.

It might help everyone to feel safer in a country that until 1994 kept blacks separate from whites (accompanied by fewer rights and representation) if we try to put things into perspective. I was robbed in Barcelona and I don’t think of that city as a cesspool of crime. We all live in cities where crimes are committed all the time, yet we get up and go to work (grudgingly) and walk around our blocks with piece of mind. We should not pass judgment on a location until we’ve experienced it for ourselves. With our money belts safely tucked in our pants, of course.