For Swedes, the allegorical significance of the statue is straigtforward: St. George (Sweden) vs. the Dragon (Denmark).
The traditional rivals, Sweden and Denmark, haven't been to war for something like 250 years, since the days of Napoleon, and consider themselves to be close allies - except when their teams meet on the football (soccer) field. If I were to root for Denmark against Sweden in such a match because I can trace part of my family tree back to Denmark, would I be succumbing to posthistoricist identitarianism? That depends, of course, on the reasons I might give for rooting for Denmark.
Remember, folks, this scenario is purely hypothetical, for sporting purposes only.
Although I can also trace my ancesters back to Norway, I feel no particular affinity for Norway or its national team. Is that because I haven't traveled there?
I won't even begin to discuss where my team allegiances lie in a U.S.A. versus Sweden or Denmark soccer match. The sports-as-war logic is too engrained in the American psyche and any suggestion that I might enjoy watching a Scandinavian team kick America's ass in a hypothetical soccer match might be construed as a form of treason under some obscure Homeland Security bylaw.
I will close, then, by noting that Daniel roots for Russia, the country in which he was born, when they play Sweden, even though he is a Swedish citizen and has lived here since he was something live five-years old.
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1 comment:
onkel eric,
i thought it was unamerican to like soccer anyway. your rooting interest might be irrelevant. but daniel might be a commie (go big red!)
love,
wally.
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