Silver Medalist Carries American and Mexican Flag

U.S. Olympic athlete, Mexican flag? - CNN.com

I thought this would create a very interesting discussion and the writer makes some strong points.

At the end of the day, its really not a big deal, but I'm not a huge fan of him carrying the Mexican flag either.

Originally Posted by MJAlltheWay24

At the end of the day, its really not a big deal, but I'm not a huge fan of him carrying the Mexican flag either.

I agree with your comment, MJ. I also don't think he should have carried the 2 flags. When an Olympic champion drapes the flag like that, it is a representation of the the country they were competing for, were sponsored by, and the team they were on. By carrying the American flag, he is in no way misrepresenting or "dissing" his country of orgin, Mexico.

On another note, let's say that an American born Olympian became a citizen of Mexico and won a medal. If he would carry both flags, how would that fly?

But again, in the grand scheme of things, not a big issue.

Two opposing views:

1. You rep the USA, damnit. If you want to wave the Mexican flag go back to Mexico.
2. We are a country who was founded on immingrants and we celebrate that and waving the US flag along with Mexico's flag supports that belief.

I lean more towards #2. If he only waved a Mexican flag then I'd have a big issue.

Originally Posted by Clyde

Two opposing views:

1. You rep the USA, damnit. If you want to wave the Mexican flag go back to Mexico.
2. We are a country who was founded on immingrants and we celebrate that and waving the US flag along with Mexico's flag supports that belief.

I lean more towards #2. If he only waved a Mexican flag then I'd have a big issue.

My not a big deal would turn into a very big issue as well.

I can see why he did it and where he's coming from, but I lean more towards #1. We are all immigrants in one way or another, which is what is suppose to make our country great. Leave your Mexican flag at home.

This is the Olympics, you represent your country, not countr(ies).

What country's "team" are you competing in the Olympics for?

Disrespectful is all it is.

I have zero respect for him.

Scenario: Nick Calathes (remember him?) played for the Greek National Team last Olympics, his grandfather or great-grandfather was of Greek heritage so he was able to compete for them.

Had Greece won an Olympic medal, how do you think his teammates and Greece would've felt had he said the things this guy did about representing both Greece and America?

Originally Posted by MJAlltheWay24

My not a big deal would turn into a very big issue as well.

I can see why he did it and where he's coming from, but I lean more towards #1. We are all immigrants in one way or another, which is what is suppose to make our country great. Leave your Mexican flag at home.

Exactly!! Technically, under the immigrant argument, every single American could justify carrying more than one flag, some of us several flags. We are the melting pot, that melted into one great country.

For the Olympics, you carry the flag of the team that has $upported you to get there. If confused, look at your uniform!

Originally Posted by UKMustangFan

Scenario: Nick Calathes (remember him?) played for the Greek National Team last Olympics, his grandfather or great-grandfather was of Greek heritage so he was able to compete for them.

Had Greece won an Olympic medal, how do you think his teammates and Greece would've felt had he said the things this guy did about representing both Greece and America?

You seem to be saying we should be how we feel off of how others would feel. I've never subscribed to that theory.

You are representing the country across your chest, the country you compete for...not your heritage.

This made me think about the video of Kat Williams stand up routine when he got into it with a Mexican in the crowd?

You play for the name on the front of your jersey, not the back !!!!!

Originally Posted by MJAlltheWay24

You are representing the country across your chest, the country you compete for...not your heritage.

Exactly. What he did was and is a complete slap in the face to his country, his teammates, and the Olympics. It's a shame he medaled.

Originally Posted by MJAlltheWay24

You are representing the country across your chest, the country you compete for...not your heritage.

This is the only way to view this IMO.

As to Clyde's 2nd viewpoint in post #3, that could get really confusing and look rather a shambles if everyone from this country did that. Heck, I'd have to carry and wave three flags if I wanted to include my heritage along with the country I'm representing. Of course, the closest I'll ever get to an Olympics is my television.

Originally Posted by Run To State

This is the only way to view this IMO.

As to Clyde's 2nd viewpoint in post #3, that could get really confusing and look rather a shambles if everyone from this country did that. Heck, I'd have to carry and wave three flags if I wanted to include my heritage along with the country I'm representing. Of course, the closest I'll ever get to an Olympics is my television.

If everyone did that I'd agree. I don't get too rattled and root against the guy for wanting to celebrate his heritage.

We are all too anxious to find something to upset us.

Originally Posted by Clyde

If everyone did that I'd agree. I don't get too rattled and root against the guy for wanting to celebrate his heritage.

We are all too anxious to find something to upset us.

Me either, it really doesn't affect me one way or the other. I do, however, agree with those that say he should carry only the flag of the country he represents. If for no other reason, to prevent the very controversy it appears to be attracting.

I find the very practice of wrapping oneself in a flag at all to be disrespectful to flag protocol. I'm sure that's in the Flag Manual somewhere.

While I personally would not have displayed the flag of Mexico, the American flag itself is a symbol of our country's very freedom to display our heritage, speech, and flags as we see fit. That is why while I do not personally like flag-burning, I do not believe it should be against the law. Your flag must stand for your fellow citizen's right to display that which you would oppose at the top of your lungs, or else your flag means nothing.

Just my .02.

Originally Posted by Hearsay

I find the very practice of wrapping oneself in a flag at all to be disrespectful to flag protocol. I'm sure that's in the Flag Manual somewhere.

While I personally would not have displayed the flag of Mexico, the American flag itself is a symbol of our country's very freedom to display our heritage, speech, and flags as we see fit. That is why while I do not personally like flag-burning, I do not believe it should be against the law. Your flag must stand for your fellow citizen's right to display that which you would oppose at the top of your lungs, or else your flag means nothing.

Just my .02.

My man.

Agree on both including the part about wrapping one's self in the flag.

My only problem is he won the silver and not the gold. You lost, put the flags down.

Originally Posted by Crash Davis

My only problem is he won the silver and not the gold. You lost, put the flags down.

I thought that was awkward throughout the Olympics. I saw a thought of silver and bronze medalist wrapping themselves in flags, mostly Americans.

That's a slap in the face to Mexico. He "cares" enough about them to carry their flag but he won a medal for the United States.