The students were told they could wear the shirts on "any other day," but not on Cinco de Mayo, since it "might offend Mexican-Americans." Mexican-AMERICANS!
They are kids. They don't know what the flag really is, or what it really means, any more than the Nazi youth groups understood the Nazi movement... Again, I am not against these kids wearing a T-Shirt for any reason, but to suggest it was out of genuine pride in America or as a display a true patriotism....that is bullshit. So, since they are kids and are just being kids...WTF is the problem? Let them wear their shirts...but when the right wing types go off on the patriotism angle, that is just a lie... Do I think the American flag should actually stand for something? Yes, I think it should represent the true value of America...which right now would be an American flag with corporate sponsorships all over it...you know, like a NASCAR race car or a NASCAR driver. That is what America truly represents these days, corporate sponsorship, greed, self absorption, etc. There was a time when there was a reverence by Americans for America, and the flag was a representation of that. People cared about our rivers and streams, they cared about the working people, they cared about the rights of the minority groups, they cared about the real principles of America, etc. All I hear now is blaming the government, yada, yada, yada...when the people of America are the real problem. Change begins with the people, and then spreads to our institutions...
Just like the open-carriers who get together at the local Starbucks and can't imagine what all the fuss is about. And let's not forget that there were flag bandanas and t-shirts in THAT group and on THAT day. How could anyone even suggest that these boys were anything but peace-loving patriots who just wanted to get along? Yeah, the administrator had their number. Shit disturbers should not be tolerated on school grounds. It wasn't the flag. It was the laughably obvious intent. Those strutting peacocks were put in their place. They were looking for attention and they got it. And let's not forget that this was not an isolated instance of a t-shirt ot two. It was an entire group of "heroes" with bandanas and t-shirts which, I'm willing to bet, they probably did not wear on OTHER days. Life is about judgment. Those kids and their parents were fresh out.
Let me be clear. If you are offended by the sight of the American flag you do not belong in this country! Period! I don't care where you came from, what your nationality is, what your color is, what your sex is, what your religion is or isn't, what your politics are, what day the the week it is, what other holiday is being recognized...if the visual image of our flag is offensive to you, GET THE FUCK OUT! Further, if you don't GET THE FUCK OUT, we will throw you out. You know the rant had to happen on an issue like this.
I am picking up what your putting down. However, its a matter of perspective and I care not to try to determine the kids perspective as to why they wore a perfectly "acceptable t shirt on any other day" then cinco de mayo.
Hmmm.... I have a question. Did the school also remove the flag from the flagpole of the school, from the auditorium, the principal's office for the sake of being "sensitive" to Mexican-Americans? IF not, then there must be something else to this story. Perhaps oen or more of the five boys have a history of instigating fights with the Mexican-America students. Perhaps some bullying because of their nationality had occurred prior. Even so... Captainobvious's rant says it all really. It's be hard to top that.
LOL!!!! WTF does rivers and streams have to do with anything? Further, at no other time have we cared more about our "river and streams". "Our rivers and streams" now your American?
The captain is choosing to be oblivious. If anything, he should be offended that the flag was intentionally being used as a device. You'd think a person of judgment would be offended that his country's flag was being used (dare I say abused?) in such an obviously contrived and disrespectful manner. Let's not kid ourselves. Those kids were being no more patriotic than a televangelist who cajoles widows for money is religious. If anything, the fact that the televangelist is holding a bible when he's soliciting that money only makes him that much more offensive. He's using the bible as a device. People who actually respect the bible would probably be offended that it be used as a device. See how that works?