It’d be like America hosting some sort of event, and everyone whining about “Take Me Out the Ballgame” during the 7th inning stretch, or tailgating before a football game.

Just another example of Americans thinking they have a right to tell other culture and countries what to do, IMHO.

captcha: nonofficial asbestos

:)

it takes awhile to get used to the unfamiliar. particularly if it is loud and in your face. and, really, anything in african culture is unfamiliar to most of us in the northern (particlarly western) hemisphere.

i used to find the barrage of blasted mainstream and classic rock (not to mention advertizing) at most north american sporting events to be nauseating. but, you know what? i’ve gotten used to it. now i find it merely annoying.

really, i don’t find the vuvuzelas nearly as obnoxious.

i dig the fact that the south africans are having a blast. i love it even more because, after not selling enough tickets to richer patrons, FIFA finally had to open the financial doors for many africans to afford admittance to their own tournament.

if FIFA had its way, you’d not have heard one vuvuzela. if FIFA had its way, the homogeneity of the event would remain intact.

instead, africa is standing up and (pun intended) tooting their own horns. and if, while doing so, they end up puckering their lips, and giving those who ignored or stereotyped them a giant vuvuzela propelled raspberry, all the better.

it is the world cup, after all. 99% of the time the rest of the world ignores africa. during this little 1% of attention, i say, let them rock.

If you were right, then the horns would have been a continuing problem for decades, rather than just in 2010.

Pro-noise arguments based SA culture fall flat because the Vuvuzels infection had a SUDDEN ONSET!

which is why I hope they don’t catch on with Wisconsin football fans!

as for the sudden onset of the instrument. it has been mass-produced for a decade, and has had detractors for nearly as long. it has been a major part of african football for quite awhile. it has been damned and praised for years by african journalists. even the controversy around THIS world cup and the horn have been around for as long as there were thoughts of having the world cup in south africa.

the South African Football Association has said that “that vuvuzelas were essential for an authentic South African football experience.”

I remember these at hockey games waaay back in the 60′s. Of course, there were maybe 11 people in the crowd with them, and they only were blown in unison at a goal, so no “swarm of angry bees” sound for 90 minutes.

I can’t be the only one who remembers them, right?

coop

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCoiDehvkWE#t=4m47s

Both of you… shut up already!

“Doesn’t sound anything like us,” he said.

Actually, the president of FIFA, Joseph “Sepp” Blatter, has been a staunch supporter of the horns at the World Cup.

On the other hand, this ‘expert blogger’ for the CBC says the vuvuzela is not traditional and is a recent marketing creation:

The vuvuzela is no icon of African football. It is a plastic trumpet from China imported first not that long ago and that is now a curse. Problem is, there are no footballing bigwigs brave enough to exorcise it.