For once, I’m a big fan of The World Cup

Much has been written about the experiences of World Cup fans in America. Like most people, I found it entertaining at first, then illuminating. But unlike some, I then found it concerning. Let me try to explain why.

I watched a video online that was representative of the phenomenon. (I unfortunately lost the link – anyone who has it, please let me know.) Anyway, it was from an “influencer” from Rosario, Argentina. He was chronicling his visit to Alabama (and then Kansas) to watch his beloved Argentina futbol team play. He had heard that Alabama was full of stupid, violent, provincial bumpkins, and was eager to get some good material for his site. So he arrived over a week before their first match.

He had been to the World Cup in Russia and in Qatar (who chose THOSE locations?). He felt that everything he saw there was carefully orchestrated, and they had been preparing for months to put on a big show for whoever showed up. Nothing was left to chance.

In Alabama, he intentionally went to sketchy local bars for an opportunity to interact with the particular type of Alabama resident he sought out for his channel. And he was amazed. He said every person he encountered had two things in common:

• They had no idea why he had traveled so far to their small town. Most of them had never heard of the World Cup.
• They were genuinely happy to see him. “Everywhere I went, I was greeted as an old friend.”

He had been to America twice before – to Baltimore and San Francisco, for soccer matches – and didn’t like it. But in Alabama, he had a wonderful time. People he’d never met would smile and say hi, passing on the street. He’d never been to any place like that.

Then he went to Kansas for Argentina’s next match, where everyone he met was equally mystified as to why he was there, and equally happy to see him.

Fans from around the world have been just as amazed.

An online comedian I saw said something like, “Watching a British person try American food for the first time is like watching a deaf baby get a hearing aid.”

The reaction of fans from around the world, who had been told that Americans were fat but had no cuisine - the reaction of them to things like Ranch dressing, barbeque, and donuts - they just can't believe it. I saw a French fan who concluded, "I've traveled the world for my job. America has the greatest cuisine in the world."

At a wedding in Philadelphia, what appeared to be the entire country of Croatia joined in for wedding pictures with the bridal party.

Europeans and others have been amazed by things like air conditioning, wide highways, polite and helpful police officers, and ice in drinks – things Americans don’t view as exceptional. But the rest of the world is amazed.

A recent Red Sox game on national TV featured what appeared to be five hundred thousand Scottish soccer fans singing and dancing throughout the entire game - including two hours of warm-ups.

Tens of thousands of fans from places like Norway, Germany, Argentina, Holland, and elsewhere are partying their way across America, finding welcoming (if somewhat confused) hosts wherever they go.

Lawrence, Kansas, has essentially adopted the Algerian National Team. And in an interview outside the stadium, one of the Algerian fans made a fascinating statement:

“If you want to hate America, watch the media. If you want to love America, come to America. Anywhere except the cities.”

It occurs to me that this is true even for Americans. Our media is just as anti-American as any other media is. If you live in an American city, you probably see other Americans the same way as the Argentinian influencer was taught to see rural Americans.

This is the part that concerns me. Most people around the world will never come to America. Not the real America, which is 90% of our country's landmass. Their view of America is shaped by what they see in the media. And their media hates America.

As do many urban, educated, and wealthy Americans – they will never see America, either. Their view of rural America has been formed by the media as well – 60 Minutes and CNN and whatever else. And our media hates America, as well.

Russia cannot defeat America. Neither can China. Or Iran.

But the media might.

Western Civilization could collapse. Without a shot fired.

The media is powerful. And it is overwhelmingly anti-American.

That’s a big deal.

For once, I’m a huge fan of The World Cup.

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On the other hand. The positive I've taken from all this:

The ruling classes from most countries, from Angela Merkel to Kier Starmer to the UN to the rest of the ruling elite - they all hate America. But their subjects - the citizens of the countries which they rule - seem to love America. And if they watch soccer, they seem to love America more every day.

Perhaps there is hope.

But the world's ruling class - and the world's media - they are a problem.

Perhaps a serious one.

American Democrats are understandably concerned by the success of the World Cup in America. And they're concerned about the positive view that people from around the world now have of America.

What if America is actually a good place? Filled with good people? What if citizens from every other country are correct? What if their leaders are wrong? What if America is actually a good place?

Gosh. What if that's true? What if people can see that for themselves?

For once, I'm a huge fan of The World Cup.