The American Flag is Disrespectful on Cinco de Mayo?

by Greg Knapp

We’ve reached a new low. A high school disciplined students for wearing American flag t-shirts to school because they did so on Cinco de Mayo. As some of the students of Mexican descent explained – “That’s ‘our’ day.”

“We knew it was Cinco de Mayo. But we just came to show our flag,” said student Dominic Maciel. “We didn’t mean anything by it. We didn’t want to start anything. Nothing like that.”

We obviously aren’t teaching our kids well. They should know that the American flag is offensive in America! I blame the parents.

Student Anthony Caravalho was also sent home for not turning his shirt inside out. “They said we had to wear our t-shirts inside out and then we could go back to class and we said no,” said Caravalho. “It would be disrespectful to the flag by hiding it.”

It’s our flag that’s disrespectful. They could have avoided trouble and been hailed as tolerant if they’d burned the American flag t-shirts.

Some Mexican-American students KTVU spoke with said they thought wearing red, white and blue on Cinco de Mayo was disrespectful. “It’s just kinda disrespectful that they would do that on this day,” said student Victoria Wright. “I mean, we don’t go around on 4th of July wearing red white and green and saying ‘Viva Mexico,’ because that’s disrespectful.”

Sure they live in America, they’re getting a free education at taxpayers expense, and they have tremendous opportunities here they wouldn’t have in Mexico, but they want to celebrate the country their parents couldn’t wait to get out of. That makes perfect sense. Huh?
I am a first generation American. My mother came over from England after WWII. My grandfather died flying for the RAF. But I don’t see England as my country. I’m an American and proud of it. I like England and I respect my ancestry, but I LOVE America and never find flying her flag disrespectful. The vast majority of legal immigrants feel as I do. I don’t understand the ones who don’t.

Dominic Maciel said his father is of Mexican descent. “I have no problem with them wearing their Mexican stuff, their Mexican flags,” said Maciel. “I just thought I’d show my pride. American pride.”

Way to go, Dominic. I’m not easily shocked by how far we’ve gone in the PC game. But this one got me today.

What do you think??