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smokingGun, That's an absurd conclusion, meant only to fan what little flame this story actually is. The craven desire to marginalize any questioning of minorities political, moral or personal postions as racist is not only simple minded but intellectually dishonest.
Let's be honest, those hs kiddies were not trying to engage in any sort of political discourse. They didn't picket, petition or protest, or articulate in any demonstrable way their beliefs on any issue. Wearing the shirts was just a way of provoking a fight, inflaming racial tensions. It's exactly the same if kids dressed up in the confederate flag on MLK day.
Let's be honest, those hs kiddies were not trying to engage in any sort of political discourse. They didn't picket, petition or protest, or articulate in any demonstrable way their beliefs on any issue. Wearing the shirts was just a way of provoking a fight, inflaming racial tensions. It's exactly the same if kids dressed up in the confederate flag on MLK day.
They're high school kids. For them to picket, petition or protest, or articulate in any demonstrable way their beliefs on any issue is absurd. What exactly were the Mexican kids doing? Having a lecture on the history of Mexico? Their action was passive and adolescent. As somebody else pointed out, Cinco de Mayo isn't even a real holiday in Mexico. To equate the wearing of the American flag with wearing the Confederate flag on MLK day is a straw man. The only reason this incident has traction is because the principal took the bait and kicked them out. A situation like this would have been dismissed as typical high school BS. Like I said before this is a non story meant to provoke a Pavlovian response in people like you who glean the internet for any potential racial fart.
Last edited by modsquad81; 05-09-2010 at 09:59 PM..
Must be the principal for got what country he lives in.
Five sophomores had the choice of going home, turning their t-shirts inside out or being suspended because the shirts had the American flag on them.
This is in California, folks. The principal said he thought it was insensitive of them to wear the shirts on cinco de mayo so gave the boys the ultimatum.
How far is this going to go before we do something to stop it?
And the parents didn't go kick this turkey's butt?
A friend of mine sent me and a few others a different article about this. Most of the responses were the same, and I agreed for the most part. But then there are one or two who take it a bit too far. One of the gals stated that this is America and they should celebrate American holidays. No one sees her fronting the line to celebrate "Swedish Meatball Day".
So, I see some issues all the way around.
I think the administrators in school were wrong. I do understand the safety concerns, but this was over the top.
But this really caught my attention.
(from Students Kicked Off Campus for Wearing American Flag Tees - NBCBAYAREA- msnbc.com (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36981179?GT1=43001/from/ET - broken link))
"I think they should apologize cause it is a Mexican Heritage Day," Annicia Nunez, a Live Oak High student, said. "We don't deserve to be get disrespected like that. We wouldn't do that on Fourth of July."
Apologize? No non-American holiday prohibits or precludes Americans from displaying their patriotism. What these school officials did was reinforce what these sadly misinformed kids are already thinking - they own the 5th of May. I'm glad the school officials made a public statement, hopefully snapping them out of their delusions of entitlement. I celebrated Cinco de Mayo as well. Maybe I should have stayed home out of respect for them, being an American and all.
Conversely, if you choose not to celebrate "Swedish Meatball Day", that is your right as a free American. I am an American and Hispanic by descent. I will celebrate American holidays, if I want to. I will celebrate Hispanic holidays as well, if I want to. This is my right as a free American.
You really believe that? Then why do "mistakes" like this never happen in favor of supporting those showing their patriotism for the US?
I'm not sure what you mean. The opposite of sending kids home for wearing patriotic shirts is ... not sending kids home for wearing patriotic shirts. My kids have worn shirts with flags on them; my son wore one just the other day (no, not on May 5 ).
What kind of "mistake in favor of patriotism" are you envisioning? You don't believe any kid in America was allowed to wear anything patriotic last Wednesday?
Last edited by JustJulia; 05-10-2010 at 06:15 AM..
The flag is not supposed to be used as apparel. If they want to wear the colors of the flag, then that's up to them. But using it as apparel does not show it the proper respect.
Duh, when it's cut up and sewn into a shirt, then no, but when it's a picture of a flag on a shirt there is nothing wrong with that.
And the parents didn't go kick this turkey's butt?
Exactly. I would have marched my child right back to school with the same shirt on, wearing one myself.
If they were worried about safety issues, they should have been ready to punish those causing the trouble (Mexicans who did anything to those wearing our flag on their shirt), not punish those who wore the flag.
It was (I think fairly obviously) not hatred of America that led to the school's actions; they obviously were concerned that the kids with the American shirts were wearing them that day deliberately to incite tensions and potentially start fights. Not flag shirt as symbol of patriotism or love of country or any such thing, but flag shirt as way to send a political message. Given the situation in Arizona and some of the other rhetoric these days it's easy to interpret that message as anti-Hispanic and/or anti-immigrant.
I think the school vastly overreacted and that the kids should certainly have the freedom to wear flag shirts (even if their intent was malicious) but let's not pretend that this is some sort of anti-American act. They just wanted to keep their school campus and its students -- of all backgrounds -- safe and calm.
Then they are cowards. Cinco de mayo is not an American holiday. It was wrong of the school to allow it to be celebrated in the first place.
If the Mexicans are sending a political message by taking over the school by celebrating a foreign holiday, then those boys had every right to stand against that and wear their shirts.
My 2 cents... First of all this is THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!!!!! This is our country. For those who want to come here better their lives and live here LEGALLY, welcome aboard! My ancestors did the same thing LEGALLY! Therefore, they learned our language, got a job, applied for citizenship, and paid their taxes! I love to learn about and respect other cultures. I think that if more people would do the same, then maybe this world would be a better place. All that I ask is that you respect mine, and when you are in my country you follow our rules. With that being said, if you are here illegally then you either A) need to do the right thing, such as get in line and apply for citizenship THE RIGHT WAY, or B) GO BACK TO WHERE YOU CAME FROM!!! It's that simple!!! While I do not begrudge anyone for celebrating their native land's holiday such as Cinco De Mayo or St. Patricks Day, DO NOT TELL ME that I cannot wear a t-shirt with the flag of my country the USA on my own soil! That school official was out of line and should be dealt with.
Bottom line; to those kids of Mexican decent that got offended for the kids wearing shirts with the US flag, TOO BAD!!! Get over it, or go back to Mexico!
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