Jeers to Algiers

From the onset of the 2006 World Cup the powers that be within FIFA were very cognizant of the racist factions that exist in many of the fan bases in Europe. It has become commonplace for racial epithets to rain down from the crowd in the direction of players of color irrespective of what country they represent. In fact, in some instances African players are accosted by fans of their own teams.

It was the goal of FIFA to present a united front against racism in this year's World Cup and, by and large, they ran a great tournament. They raised the stakes for any spectator found guilty of making racist or discriminatory remarks and it seemed to work. However, in a tragic twist of irony, the ill-fated final minutes of the title game for France may have turned on a racist quip by an Italian midfielder in the direction of France's Zinedine Zidane.

According to the times of London, Italy's Marco Materazzi appeared to have mouthed the words "son of a terrorist whore" toward Zidane. This, according to the report, set Zidane off and precipitated the vicious headbutt to Materazzi's chest.

Zidane, you might say, had every right to take offense to the alleged slur. The 34-year-old soccer mogul is the son of two Algerian immigrants who are now elderly and living in France.

For those of you who are in the dark about the tenuous nature of the historical relationship between France and Algeria, it is important to know that Algerians endured generations of second-class citizenship in France and Algeria after their homeland was finally colonized early in the twentieth century. During this time, the French colonizers forever placed their imprint upon the society and history of the country. They divided and conquered Algeria, pitted European against African, Jew against Muslim and eventually stirred a bloody guerilla movement that led to the emigration of nearly one million French back to France.

The decolonization of Algeria, you might be surprised to know, happened less than 50 years ago in 1962.

Many believe that the French state is now reaping a whirlwind for both the way in which it colonized North Africa and its abrupt decolonization of the region. You will recall the historic riots outside Paris last year involved thousands of immigrants of North African descent who comprise the underclass in French society. Many of these immigrants, like the parents of Zidane, were actually born in Algeria.

In short, words carry context every bit as much as they carry significant meaning. If, indeed, Materazzi said what he is alleged to have said then he got what was coming to him.

I just wish it hadn't cost the French the title.

En bas avec les Italiens!