Mexifornia

[Wrath of Dagon]

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local-beat/...e-92945969.html So when are we ceeding sovereignty?

[Walsingham]

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local-beat/...e-92945969.html So when are we ceeding sovereignty?

 

Tinpot academic authorities make collossal balls of sensitive issue. Nothing new here.

[Monte Carlo]

It doesn't bode well for the future, does it? Kids refering to their national flags as 'colours' like a gang motif?

[HoonDing]

[Wrath of Dagon]

It doesn't bode well for the future, does it? Kids refering to their national flags as 'colours' like a gang motif?

Well, the flag is sometimes referred to as "colors", as in "these colors don't run". But overall, yes, it doesn't bode well for the future.

[Enoch]

Clearly, a PR disaster. Which is probably exactly what the kids (or perhaps their parents) intended. In a racially divided school, a group of kids agreeing to show up decked out in American flag regalia on a day that is designated to acknowledge Mexican culture is definitely antagonistic behavior. They went trolling for an aggressive response and they found one.

[Wrath of Dagon]

OK, so aren't the hispanic kids supposed to be Mexican-American? So how is an American flag antagonistic to Americans, unless they don't consider themselves Americans?

[Enoch]

OK, so aren't the hispanic kids supposed to be Mexican-American? So how is an American flag antagonistic to Americans, unless they don't consider themselves Americans?

Context matters. I think everyone involved understood pretty clearly that, in a racially divided high school, 4 white kids wearing USA shirts and American flag bandanas on Cinco de Mayo was meant to convey the message that "we're real Americans and you're not."

[Calax]

OK, so aren't the hispanic kids supposed to be Mexican-American? So how is an American flag antagonistic to Americans, unless they don't consider themselves Americans?

They are american, but butting into somebody else s cultural heritage and effectively saying "I'm more american than you!" with a teeshirt and paraphinalia on a day when the other students are celebrating their cultural heritage (rather than just using it as an excuse to go out and get loaded on vaguely mexican sounding alcohol) is a slap in the face. Like if somebody showed up a Bar/bat mitzpha (I butchered that) wearing a burka.

[Monte Carlo]

^ I think the point is that this shouldn't be an issue in the first place. If the American kids want to wear American flags so what? The Mexican kids should be big enough to be cool with it. And vice versa.

 

I lived through the politically correct 80's and 90's and went to school in the 70's (when racism was endemic) and no surprises for guessing that all the PC edicts have made things worse. Something had to happen, racism was a massive issue, but the Left couldn't let it go as a political - cultural weapon. It was the large calibre rifle that never ran out of ammo.

 

And now we have this, these perceived slights and walking on eggshells.

[Wrath of Dagon]

OK, so aren't the hispanic kids supposed to be Mexican-American? So how is an American flag antagonistic to Americans, unless they don't consider themselves Americans?

Context matters. I think everyone involved understood pretty clearly that, in a racially divided high school, 4 white kids wearing USA shirts and American flag bandanas on Cinco de Mayo was meant to convey the message that "we're real Americans and you're not."

What's the message of decking out a school in foreign flags to the exclusion of American flags? Had they put up both flags, there would be no issue. Other ethnic groups display flags of their country of origin/ancestry, but always in combination with the American flag, unless they're purposefully trying to be provocative. And what does it have to do with "racially divided"? The race determines how American you are?

[Enoch]

And what does it have to do with "racially divided"? The race determines how American you are?

"Racially divided" meaning the recent history of the school in question. The Vice Principal cracked down on this because he thought it would exacerbate existing tension and mistrust between the latinos and the gringos in the school, possibly leading to fights. And he was probably right-- I'm sure that the students in question did this specifically because they knew it would piss people off. (That said, yes, the Vice Principal was an idiot, and everything would've worked out much better if, as Monte said, everyone was big enough to be cool with it.)

[Wrath of Dagon]

The story I linked doesn't mention any racial problems at the school, do you have extra info?

[Hurlshort]

This school is a few blocks from my house.

 

One oddity in this story is that the School District has taken the opposite side of the administrators at the school site. Usually they back the administrators or at least hedge, but they said straight up they disagree with the decision.

 

I'm against political statements in K-12 schools period. If the shirts were causing a disruption, then the students should not wear them. This can go for any T-shirt.

 

And you know what, it's in bad taste to wear a US flag on Mexican Heritage Day on purpose. If it was accidental, then that's fine, the students would probably not make an issue of changing. I personally would have been embarrassed if I had shown up with my US flag shirt on Cinco de Mayo, because it's a stupid thing to do. It's like going to a baseball game wearing a hockey jersey. You aren't expected to wear a baseball jersey, but you don't need to embarrass yourself.

[Hurlshort]

Also, most schools are not in session during the 4th of July, but if a group of students were wearing Mexican Flag bandana's on a Veteran's Day celebration, they would probably be told to remove them as well.

[WILL THE ALMIGHTY]

What the hell is Cinco de Mayo and why does it matter in the US in the first place?

[Enoch]

What the hell is Cinco de Mayo and why does it matter in the US in the first place?

It's a minor Mexican holiday celebrating a victory against a French army (I think) back in the 1860s. It has been heavily promoted in the U.S.-- mostly by companies that sell Mexican booze-- as a day for Mexican-style partying. Sort of like St. Patricks' day with tequila and Corona in place of Guinness and Jameson's.

[Orogun01]

What the hell is Cinco de Mayo and why does it matter in the US in the first place?

Mexican Independence day and it matters because we also celebrate St. Patrick's day. Since when do people need an excuse to do tequila bodyshots

[Hurlshort]

It is pretty odd how Cinco de Mayo became a huge holiday in the US. Half of my family is living in Mexico, and it's practically a non-event there.

[Oblarg]

This school is a few blocks from my house.

 

One oddity in this story is that the School District has taken the opposite side of the administrators at the school site. Usually they back the administrators or at least hedge, but they said straight up they disagree with the decision.

 

I'm against political statements in K-12 schools period. If the shirts were causing a disruption, then the students should not wear them. This can go for any T-shirt.

 

And you know what, it's in bad taste to wear a US flag on Mexican Heritage Day on purpose. If it was accidental, then that's fine, the students would probably not make an issue of changing. I personally would have been embarrassed if I had shown up with my US flag shirt on Cinco de Mayo, because it's a stupid thing to do. It's like going to a baseball game wearing a hockey jersey. You aren't expected to wear a baseball jersey, but you don't need to embarrass yourself.

 

Look, this is ridiculous. If people are thin-skinned enough to take offense at someone wearing an American flag at a school in America simply because it's on a Mexican holiday, something is wrong. Being proud of your heritage is one thing, and this is something quite different. It's not as if they were wearing shirts that said "**** Mexicans."

 

Also, most schools are not in session during the 4th of July, but if a group of students were wearing Mexican Flag bandana's on a Veteran's Day celebration, they would probably be told to remove them as well.

 

And this is equally ridiculous.

Edited May 6, 2010 by Oblarg

[Hurlshort]

The kids went out of their way to disrespect a rather large group. That behavior is what is ridiculous.

 

I'll tell you exactly went on in their heads, because I work with kids like this every day. These 5 boys got together and said, "I'm starved for attention, so let's all wear something that will take away from the cultural celebration that happens on Cinco de Mayo. Since the Mexican flag is a the main symbol of this celebration, let's wear Old Glory to cause a distraction.*"

 

*paraphrased and removed all the bad language and bad grammar.

[Oblarg]

The kids went out of their way to disrespect a rather large group. That behavior is what is ridiculous.

 

I'll tell you exactly went on in their heads, because I work with kids like this every day. These 5 boys got together and said, "I'm starved for attention, so let's all wear something that will take away from the cultural celebration that happens on Cinco de Mayo. Since the Mexican flag is a the main symbol of this celebration, let's wear Old Glory to cause a distraction.*"

 

*paraphrased and removed all the bad language and bad grammar.

 

Sure, the kids may have done it for the purpose of getting a reaction, but honestly it's such a small thing that they shouldn't have gotten a reaction. Anyone who gives them a reaction is actively looking for things at which to be offended.

[Volourn]

"The kids went out of their way to disrespect a rather large group. That behavior is what is ridiculous.

"

 

Wearing a tshirt with your country's flag on it in your own country is not disrpectful. That's an absolutely ridiculous notion. Thje behaviour that is ridiculous is the school's and thsoe defending their decision as the 'right' thing. It's not. What 'day' it is unimportant.

 

I guess one shouldn't wear a tshirt of a white Amerikan icon on Martin Luthor King or heck the entire Black History Month (one of the msot racist things I have ever ehard of) since it would be 'disrespectful' to balcks, right?

 

And, I seriosuly doubt a stink would be raised if someone worean Amerikan flag tshirt on St. Patrick's Day either.

 

It should be noted, that it's completely irreleavnt what the kids' 'intentions' were since the 'action' in question is meaingless. Only bigoted people who hate Amerika would have a problem with Amerikans wearing a tshirt with an Amerikan flag on it in Amerika.

 

The 'logic' just boggles. I loathe bigotry and this was an act of bigotry.

[Wrath of Dagon]

Since the Mexican flag is a the main symbol of this celebration, let's wear Old Glory to cause a distraction.*"

OK, so waving a foreign flag in our faces is not disrespectful, it's a cultural celebration. But wearing an American flag in front of supposedly American citizens is disrespectful? Wow!

[Hurlshort]

Some of you are arguing way off in Ideal World rather than the Real World. Ideally, it wouldn't matter what these kids wore to school. But realistically it was inflammatory.

 

You have a small group doing something stupid. You have a large group who is likely to react in a stupid way. Which is easier to police?