national pride

My last post about this issue was slightly misunderstood. I aim to clarify the image that I targeting at through this one, though.

The issue was about showing off your national pride towards your country's national football (soccer) team and how the Royal Oman Police here in Oman were reacting to indecent and un-sportsmanlike conduct by our youth.

At that time, I was under the impression that all had ever been done by our younger generation was merely the familiar rethym-like honking in the streets and the display of nationalism through flying flags, national songs, and the such.

But I was unaware of the hidden truth which was like destroying public property, vandalism, and mob-like mutiny against normal and riot police who were only trying to put things into order so that no one gets hurt.

Today, I read that a man had been sentenced to 3 years imprisonment for driving recklessly in an inhabited area and for killing several pedestrians by crashing into them. This happened because this man was 'celebrating' in his own way his Omani team's victory in one of the matches in the 18th Gulf Cup. Several other similar incidents had happened on the night that Oman had played against Kuwait and Yemen; a riot police van was destroyed by gangs throwing 'petrol bombs' onto them. That same fate was met for a monument on a roundabout whilst riot police were trying to dispurse the crowds through the use of tear gas and force.

That is clearly not way to enjoy an achievement. Nor is it a civil manner of sportsman like conduct. If any, it shows that we are just not worthy of being winners.

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Links:

- 3 year jail term for reckless driving

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