Students sent home from school for wearing American flag

[LHammonds]

(this would be a good topic for the debates forum)

Not really. There isn't really anything to debate. The idiots at that school are sure not going to come here and talk to us.

 

Example Debate:

 

I think that Americans should not be allowed to sport the American flag in their own country on certain days.

 

Example Replies:

 

EPIC FAIL x 1,000 (and war veterans would be doing IP searches trying to track down where the OP lives)

[overload1977]

wait lol the world cup 2010 in africa is soon, does this mean i cant wear my england T-shirt? becuase of some idiot said so lmao :thumbsup:

[DarkeWolf]

What I want to know, is what is the larger picture here?

 

1) Are these boys known troublemakers? Are they known to have expessed anti-hispanic bias, or known to have caused issues with the school's hispanic population?

 

2) Is this one of these towns/cities where the hispanic community could no longer be considered a minority, where some of the citizenry see them as "Illegals that are taking away jobs and not paying taxes"? Which ends up in confrontations between the different nationals?

 

3) Does the school have even a small group of hispanic students which display anti-white, or anti-american sentiment?

 

4) Whats the racial background of the principle and his himself, his family, or his close acquaintences?

 

See.... what I'm wondering is what is this principles motivation for this? Was this a legitimate effort to "keep the peace" in a troubled area? In an area where racism is a heated and touchy subject?

Was it something that he saw as an act of a group of boys deliberately trying to start up trouble?

 

Or was it as it appears with so little information... simply something really stupid that one person did, either out of personal affront, or out of some idiotic sense of being PC?

[Maharg67]

My post will not be popular though I have mixed feelings about what happened to the students. I can understand American Mexican sensitivities but think the students should not have been sent home or threatened with suspension.

 

The Spanish and then the Mexicans ruled California before the US did. As quoted below.

 

The History of California is characterized by several periods: the Native American period; European exploration from 1542 to 1769; the Spanish colonial period, 1769 to 1821; the Mexican period, 1821 to 1848; and statehood in the United States which continues to the present day.

 

The USA took California by force in the war with Mexico. Rightly or not many American Mexicans are still sensitive, or so I have picked up, about California's past history. Given very special local politics, perhaps sensitivity is important. This does not go for every part of the world or every cause: it does go for some parts of the world.

 

I am Australian but on a day or place celebrating Aboriginal traditions, I would not wear an Australian flag. I would wear the Aboriginal flag. We have plenty of other special days for showing the Australian flag.

 

Knee jerk responses to complicated problems don't lead to positive solutions.

 

Please don't flame in response.

[bben46]

@Maharg67 I am happy to see an Australian interested in California history. Many Americans and even Californians don't actually know much about it. The US actually did not take California (or Texas) away from Mexico. Both of these territories revolted and won their independence from Mexico before voting to become a part of the US. - Both with the encouragement of the US.

 

In both territories, the majority of citizens who fought against Mexico were Hispanic and had been citizens of Mexico. Others were immigrants who immigrated while Texas or California were part of Mexico. In both cases, more so in Texas than California, US volunteers went to assist the revolutionaries in their war with Mexico. The biggest reason the little revolt in California (33 mostly Anglo men declared the revolution) was successful is Mexico was tied down with a series of revolts in other provinces at the same time (the president - the same one who lost Texas, was not very popular and was eventually overthrown) And the US immediately declaired war on Mexico in support of the revolution.

 

In California, there was a US Army unit in California who's presence caused the Mexican general to be overly cautious in prosecuting his war, and probably led to his defeat. The Mexican 'Army ' that was sent to put down the revolt consisted of 55 men. Not long after declaring their Independence, the California Republic realized that Mexico was mobilizing to recapture it and asked the US to take them in as a state. The republic lasted an entire 26 days, possibly a record for the shortest successful country.

 

The Republic of Texas lasted much longer, 10 years before voting to join the US. When they did join, they had to give up claims to parts of the territories of the present states of New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado and Wyoming. so the original Texas republic was actually a third larger than the present state.

[Maharg67]

@bben46

Thank you for the information. You have given me some interesting insights into the history of California, the USA and Mexico.

Edited May 10, 2010 by Maharg67

[Retribution]

Well, Maharg, I wouldn't wear an Australian flag on a day celebrating Aboriginal traditions if I lived in Australia either, I would be too scared.

[Pyrosocial]

still though isnt it our right though?

 

a school is not going to send home anyone who is a Muslim on 9/11 are they? no because its racist to do that(or prejudiced. take your pick.)

[Balagor]

Well, Maharg, I wouldn't wear an Australian flag on a day celebrating Aboriginal traditions if I lived in Australia either, I would be too scared.

 

.....or respecfull perhaps

[Retribution]

Well, Maharg, I wouldn't wear an Australian flag on a day celebrating Aboriginal traditions if I lived in Australia either, I would be too scared.

 

.....or respecfull perhaps

Nope