[Tango-L] Campeonato Metropolitano de Tango - Message from B.A.

[Sergio Vandekier]

I received this note from Deby, an American tango dancer and teacher of tango, who has lived in Argentina for 7 years.

 

Sergio,   There were MANY errors and lots of 
posturing on the part of the lawyer Christian in that article.
 
The USA Tango Championships are open only to USA residents. I didn't 
hear any complaints about that. What would happen if a bunch of 
Argentine dancers who could "afford" to hang out in the US for a few 
months a year decided to compete in your championships? They would not 
be allowed to and you all would complain to hell and high water about 
it. Why? Because they are not US residents.
 
So lets say some tango lawyer decided to champion their cause saying 
they love "NYC", or "SF" and consider it their home and they are there 
all the time, so why can't they compete? They deserve to. They have 
the right.
 
You guys say? BECAUSE IT IS THE RULES STUPID. So they go to LA NACION, 
CLARIN, and NOTICIAS and probably the NEW YORK TIMES with their case 
about the discrimination of the US Tango community against Argentines. 
They file a lawsuit for discrimination. You get lots of ugly press. 
But you guys maintain your championship rules are clear. That rules 
are rules and that the Argentines are not able to compete in the US 
Tango Championship because they are not US residents.
 
Why is it because the shoe is on the other foot, that foreigners feel 
they are entitled to compete in the Argentine Campeonato? These people 
who are making a big deal are not LEGAL residents. They are people who 
spend a great deal of time in Buenos Aires but they do not have legal 
residency.
 
Many foreigners compete in the Argentine Mundial who are legal residents 
of Argentina. Cherie Magnus competed in 2006. She is a legal resident 
of Argentina. There are people who are Canadians, French, and other 
nationalities who hold the equivalent of a green card and compete.
 
These people complaining are not legal residents. Yet they feel they 
deserve the right to compete when the rules plainly stated you must 
either be born an Argentine or hold legal residency. Just like the 
rules in the USA.
 
The lawyer and his girlfriend did not compete because she did not want 
to. That is what he told me. And the fact he is doing this for free is 
nothing. He got lots of press. If you knew the amount of money these 
immigration lawyers charge people in AMERICAN DOLLARS to get their 
residency here, it is criminal. Lawyers are the same everywhere no 
matter where they live.
 
He talks about championing the foreigner. He does. The rich 
foreigner. The one that has money.
 
Saludos,
 
Deby