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The Idiot of the Week: The Economist

El idiota de la semana: The Economist

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In the midst of a soccer hangover week after the Euro and Copa America finals, El American’s Idiot of the Week award – this time in the form of a sports cup – goes to The Economist, for accusing the European champion Italian team of lacking diversity because it lacks black players.

“The most striking aspect of Italy’s 26-man squad before it took to the pitch was that, alone among the main contenders, it did not include a single-player considered as being of color,” The Economist highlighted in its article.

The Economist should be reminded that in their tireless quest for diversity, equity, and representativeness, they have forgotten to denounce that the Italian national soccer team did not include women -neither biological nor transgender-, people with reduced mobility or with “functional diversity”, children, the elderly, union representatives, economists or redheads.

Much to the publication’ss surprise, the Italian men’s soccer team was made up of Italian soccer players, not models of the United Colors of Benetton brand – coincidentally also Italian.

Does The Economist care about diversity or politics?

Making the Italian victory a political issue, highlighting the racial issue, is something that only a racist could come up with. Interestingly, in the days leading up to the final between Italy and England, the English media repeated ad nauseam that England’s success was due to the racial diversity of its players.

Then, when in the penalty shootout precisely three players of color missed, the same press that bombarded with the racial issue, tears its clothes because all the memes and mockery have focused on the ancestry of those who missed.

the economist - idiot of the week - uefa euro - italy
Italian players celebrating their victory despite the mortal sin of being white and not diverse. Source: EFE

The Economist goes further and associates the triumph of the “too white” Italy to the success of the Italian “right”. However, The Economist has not said anything about the Argentine national team that won the Copa America a day before Italy, also lacking players “considered of color”.

Perhaps for The Economist the problem is the Italian right-wing and the growing opposition in Europe to the migratory policies promoted and applauded by the left, and accepted by an obedient right-wing, and perhaps not so much the lack of diversity. Or do you think The Economist would come out with an article complaining about the lack of color diversity of the Cameroon or Nigeria team if they won the Africa Cup?

Ignacio Manuel García Medina, Business Management teacher. Artist and lecturer specialized in Popular Culture for various platforms. Presenter of the program "Pop Libertario" for the Juan de Mariana Institute. Lives in the Canary Islands, Spain // Ignacio M. García Medina es profesor de Gestión de Empresas. Es miembro del Instituto Juan de Mariana y conferenciante especializado en Cultura Popular e ideas de la Libertad.

Social Networks: @ignaciomgm

1 thought on “The Idiot of the Week: The Economist”

  1. The Italian team is white because Italy is a country of white Italians. I know because I used to live there. Yes, gypsies and Muslims and blacks live there but the Italians were the nicest people to me a black lady – so not prejudice.

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