Before everyone goes all nuts on me I do think that some of the students were wearing patriotic flag with less than honorable intentions at that school.

Regardless of the intent of the morons wearing it I just see no excuse for anyone who is a citizen and proud of their country to feel threatened by its very flag.

 

We are talking about teenagers. For many, logic goes completely out the window.

 

I understand the purpose of banning the shirts, but I still would either go for uniforms or allow students to wear patriotic shirts any day of the school year. I don't like banning a shirt just on a certain day. It just feels wrong.

114 years ago there wasn't a Cinco De Mayo celebration in the US either. We are talking about today and people that live TODAY! Every single group of people that have came to this country have faced some sort of oppression and of course some way more than others.

 

Hispanics have been in this country as long or longer than any other ethnic group so if the others have evolved to where German Americans or Italian Americans aren't offended by American Patriotism then neither should Hispanic Americans.

 

My point is that whenever there is a large influx of immigration(legal or otherwise) there is almost always an inevitable native backlash against it in some way. In this case it is kids being less than respectful of this sort of thing for others trying to maintain or celebrate the traditions of their ethnic group while being the minority in their own country.

 

We are a whole lot better about it TODAY!!! I don't remember hearing about any massive attacks on predominantly Hispanic communities being reported in the news. At least not to the level that they happened to the predominantly Catholic immigrants from Europe back at the end of the 19th to the early 20th centuries.

 

The hispanic community does have it much better than those groups did back then, but that doesn't mean that people aren't playing this out racially or in an extremely inappropriate manner to people who are by no means immigrants themselves. Many are just descended from immigrants and are 100% American, but because they have a darker complexion these idiotic kids try to disguise their bullying as "Patrioitism." Which is only slightly better than their spiritual ancestors the "Know Nothings," who once claimed they were just being "patriotic."

We are talking about teenagers. For many, logic goes completely out the window.

 

I understand the purpose of banning the shirts, but I still would either go for uniforms or allow students to wear patriotic shirts any day of the school year. I don't like banning a shirt just on a certain day. It just feels wrong.

Uniforms would solve so many problems with kids in school. Not all mind you, but at least when it comes to clothes, it wold stop a lot of nonsense.

Uniforms would solve so many problems with kids in school. Not all mind you, but at least when it comes to clothes, it wold stop a lot of nonsense.

 

If clothing causes unrest in your school, you need uniforms. You could still have "reward" days where kids could "dress down." You just wouldn't have those on days that you anticipated kids to try to antagonize each other with clothing.

 

Of course, all of this just addressed the symptoms. It doesn't address the mistrust and ill feelings that exist between the two groups. I'm not sure if the school can (or should) fix that.

Regardless of the intent of the morons wearing it I just see no excuse for anyone who is a citizen and proud of their country to feel threatened by its very flag.

 

Shortly after 9-11 is not was not uncommon for Muslims across the country to go to their mosques for worship and to find "true Americans" to be at the entrance with American flags. It was pretty obvious to what their intent was, ie were Americans, you are not. I would say it is safe to say they felt threatened maybe not be the flag but certainly by those oh so proud to wave it.

 

Similar with this case but certainly in a less heated/emotional state. Basically Mexicans being made known they are lesser of Americans.

 

 

Saying this, if these kids were these American flag shirts on a normal basis and it just happened to be a coincidence that they all wore them on May 5th, I take all that back.

If clothing causes unrest in your school, you need uniforms. You could still have "reward" days where kids could "dress down." You just wouldn't have those on days that you anticipated kids to try to antagonize each other with clothing.

 

Of course, all of this just addressed the symptoms. It doesn't address the mistrust and ill feelings that exist between the two groups. I'm not sure if the school can (or should) fix that.

Agree on both points.

 

The ill feelings begin at home and that's where they need to be addressed, but many of the parents are probably worse than the kids.

I sense a lot of racism and bigotry in this thread.

Well on the 4th of July there shouldn't be any foreign flag shirts worn in America.

I sense a lot of racism and bigotry in this thread.

 

Shocker. You sense racism and bigotry everywhere regardless to whether there is any merit what so ever.

Well on the 4th of July there shouldn't be any foreign flag shirts worn in America.

 

I agree. On the Fourth of July, Memorial Day, Presidents Day, etc., I think it is a day for all of us to put aside our individual nationalities which are fine to be proud of and to celebrate this country. But on the flip side, on Cinco De Mayo, I do find it rude and inappropriate to pull out a rarely worn American Flag shirt to purposely arouse tension. I see it as this goes both ways.

Can anybody imagine Irish-Americans attending a St. Patrick's Day parade being offended by people waving the American flag or wearing red-white-and-blue instead of green? There are millions of patriotic Americans of Hispanic ancestry in this country who celebrate their culture but consider themselves as American as apple pie.

 

Unfortunately, there are also millions of Mexicans living illegally in this country who do not consider themselves American, have no desire to jump into the Melting Pot, and who are offended by reminders that millions of Americans still consider them to be part of an illegal, unwelcome invading horde.

 

Schools probably have the legal right to prohibit the wearing of American flag-like clothing, but let's not minimize the anti-American sentiments among illegal Mexican immigrants that are at least as offensive to millions of American citizens as an American flag is to those who see California and much of the American Southwest as northern Mexico. The national Republican and Democratic parties are conspiring to trade American sovereignty for short-term political power and that should offend every American citizen.

 

If this was a First Amendment issue, it would not matter that some people are offended by the sight of an American flag, and the motive of those wearing the flag would not matter either. The U.S. Constitution does not give any of us the right to not be offended by the actions of other Americans.

Unfortunately, there are also millions of Mexicans living illegally in this country who do not consider themselves American, have no desire to jump into the Melting Pot, and who are offended by reminders that millions of Americans still consider them to be part of an illegal, unwelcome invading horde.

 

Unfortunately there millions of first generation Mexicans (and Middle Easterners, Asians, etc.) living LEGALLY in this country who DO consider themselves Americans that millions of "true" Americans still consider them to be part of an unwanted, unwelcome invading horde. Unfortunately, many of these "true" Americans feel the need to point out how "truly" American they are on days that celebrate the countries of origin of these first generation Americans.

 

I think the only reason someone would get an odd look rather than a look of offence due to wearing a US Flag shirt to a St. Patrick's Day parade rather than something Green is because over the generations, Irish Americans have been accepted into main stream America. 100 to 150 years ago, it may have been more controversial. My guess is in a generation or so, Mexican Americans will be accepted into the American way the same way Irish, Germans, Italians, Polish, etc. have been over the last 100 years.

Unfortunately there millions of first generation Mexicans (and Middle Easterners, Asians, etc.) living LEGALLY in this country who DO consider themselves Americans that millions of "true" Americans still consider them to be part of an unwanted, unwelcome invading horde. Unfortunately, many of these "true" Americans feel the need to point out how "truly" American they are on days that celebrate the countries of origin of these first generation Americans.

 

I think the only reason someone would get an odd look rather than a look of offence due to wearing a US Flag shirt to a St. Patrick's Day parade rather than something Green is because over the generations, Irish Americans have been accepted into main stream America. 100 to 150 years ago, it may have been more controversial. My guess is in a generation or so, Mexican Americans will be accepted into the American way the same way Irish, Germans, Italians, Polish, etc. have been over the last 100 years.

I live in a community that is composed primarily of Asians and I don't see the kind of animosity toward them that is directed at illegal aliens from Mexico. Maybe it's because nearly all of them are here legally and they have no groups like "La Raza" (translates to "The Race" in American English) or Mecha (Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan) lobbying our government to ignore the U.S. laws broken by more than 11 million Mexicans.

 

The Asians among whom I live are eager to learn our language (English) and customs, while preserving their native cultures. Our Thanksgiving potluck dinners at the office consist of a unusual but tasty fusion of American classics like turkey and dressing and Indian favorites like curries and biryanis.

 

OTOH, many Mexicans in this area refuse to learn English or, if they know English will act like they don't understand it. Hispanics from other Latin American countries do not seem to share the hatred of this country that the La Raza disciples have. And before anybody accuses me of painting with a broad brush, let me say that I understand that there are many Mexicans who are here legally and who have become proud English-speaking American citizens.

 

Those who came to this country through the proper channels, regardless of their origin, tend to have as much respect for our flag, our laws, and our culture as any other group of Americans. In fact recent legal immigrants to this country often have a deeper appreciation of just how lucky all of us are to live in this country than American citizens whose ancestors came here centuries ago...

Well on the 4th of July there shouldn't be any foreign flag shirts worn in America.

 

If the intent is to say, "I will never conform to this society. I will always be part of whichever country..." then yes. It makes me mad, and this is pathetic, when immigrants attend soccer games where the US is playing someone other than their native country, and they root against the US. It happened in Washington D.C. when I went to watch the US play Brazil. That made me mad. Why be here if you don't want to be here?