Proud to Be a Miami Guy

In case you haven’t noticed (aka you have a life) a minor controversy is brewing in State College, PA around race. You see, an alum of Penn State named David Petersen wrote a letter to a current player Jonathan Sunderland telling Sunderland to, among other things, cut his hair. Reaction was swift. It is 2019 and people didn’t stand for the dog whistle. Condemnation came from the school, the head coach, and the Penn State community.

So why am I writing about this? Well, Petersen chose to defend himself thusly:

Reached by phone on Tuesday, Petersen said making a racial or cultural statement “was not the intent at all. I would just like to see the coaches get the guys cleaned up and not looking like Florida State and Miami guys.”

Oh, now we’ve got something. For a slight change, he also included Florida State. But we know what he means by “Miami guys.” But it’s not just Petersen that’s at issue.

What is it about Miami that makes everyone so casually willing to stereotype it? In an era when sensitivities are high, and words are carefully spoken, why is it acceptable to treat Miami differently? Maybe it’s because Miami is so different from the rest of the country.

The Beauty of Miami

“Y’all look at these blue skies and think paradise, I look at these blue skies, and think what a disguise” – Pitbull

I wasn’t born in Miami, I was born in Texas. My family moved to Miami when I was 13. But Miami will forever be my home, even though I no longer live there. Miami is where I’m from.

And while the warm weather, the palm trees, and the party aspects of the city are certainly a draw, this is home because of the people.

When I see someone driving down the Palmetto with a mattress held to the roof of a car with only scotch tape and willpower, I think “those are my people.”

When I see two people come to blows over whether Pinecrest Bakery is better than Vicky Bakery, I think “those are my people.”

When I see an abuelita driving a 1987 Toyota Corolla in the left lane of I-95 going 25 miles below the speed limit, I think “those are my people.”

There is so much I love about this community.

The University of Miami is the manifestation of everything good with Miami. As Billy Corben eloquently documented in The U, UM has served as a unifying force for all of Miami’s communities. As diverse as the community it represents.

Miami is where I became myself, and I am forever grateful that 25 years ago my dad chose to accept a position at the University of Miami. I get that Miami, and UM as an extension of Miami, is not for everyone. It is beautifully chaotic, and some people like life a bit more structured, a bit more monolith.

But that doesn’t make Miami lesser. This is probably the time to teach Mr. Petersen, and those who so willingly use “Miami” as a pejorative, about how UM represents a community. To point out that Miami, as a city, is blue collar with a huge wage to cost of living disparity where people are grinding out a living on a daily basis. To explain how “Miami guys” like Demetrius Jackson graduate from UM and become pillars of our community, making Miami a better place on a daily basis.

Turning the other cheek and educating Petersen is an option. However…

…this is the 305. We don’t play that. You best get my school’s name out ya racist mouf.

Who told you that you could talk about my school? You need to apologize before we skewer you and cook you over La Caja China.

Mi casa ain’t su casa, so don’t be bringing it into your defense of your own racism.

Those “Miami guys” are my guys. No one talks crap about our family. We are rich in diversity and can do amazing things with pots and pans.

When you impugn the 85 players on the UM football team, what you’re actually doing is taking a shot at 6 million people. For whatever reason, this is largely seen as totally acceptable in sports media.

Well, it’s not.

And I’ll stand with our Miami guys forever and always. These are my people.

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