I caught a snippet of news that really got my dander up. It seems some students in Morgan Hill, Calif., at Live Oak High School, wore American Flag T-shirts to school on Cinco De Mayo and were told by the vice principal, Miguel Rodriguez, that they had to turn their shirts inside out or be suspended. This supposedly came about because the Hispanic students protested their wearing the shirts on a Hispanic holiday, thus in their minds disrespecting their heritage.
Excuse me? In the United States of America someone is chastised for wearing a patriotic shirt?
What is happening to this country? Five students refused to turn their shirts inside out and were sent home. Their decision to leave meant they would have an unexcused absence on their records. They accepted this rather than wear the shirts inside out saying that to turn them inside out was disrespecting their country.
I say “Bully for them” to use on one of President Roosevelt’s “sayings.”
If one of these kids were mine, I’d be proud to let them walk out. They were not disrespecting anyone’s heritage. This is America and the Hispanic population needs to start either being part of our country or leave. I’m so tired of having to press "one" for English when everyone in this country should speak our language. The rest of America should not have to learn Spanish, Chinese, Swedish, Italian, Japanese or any other language of a group of people who have immigrated to this land.
Our representatives are so afraid they might lose some votes that they refuse to make English our official language. How sad.
No one says that we don’t respect other heritages. On the contrary, we revel in celebrating along with them. We don’t deny anyone the right to practice their traditions in their homes or even on the streets. It is a free country, after all. But that freedom came at a cost that also has to be respected.
The settlers of this country fought and died for the freedoms we have, but they spoke English. They made their own traditions for this country, which people of other cultures that live here now take part in.
When we go to Mexico or Spain we don’t demand or expect everyone speak our language, follow our traditions, or celebrate our holidays. Why is that not the same for people coming to this country?
I understand the day after the five students took their stand Hispanic students walked out of Live Oak High School and marched downtown carrying Mexican flags to protest the “lack of respect” of their Hispanic heritage.
Apparently, the fact that they were allowed to do this freely then return to school escaped them altogether. Because they are in America with guaranteed freedom of speech and the right to protest without being beaten or jailed there were no dire consequences for them. But we disrespect them?
I can’t see how. Frankly I am happy I am as old as I am so I don’t have to live to see my country that my grandfather fought for in World War I and my uncles fought for in WW II turn into a Hispanic country where everyone has to learn their language and we English speakers are the outcasts. I see that coming soon and it makes me very sad.