Flag Flap Cause Of Frustration (NM-Peter Lynch)

That is his identity now, still, more than a year since he tore down — and tearing up — both the fabric of another country and the fabric of his life.

It is not the identity he wanted. He never imagined himself the poster boy of both patriotic zeal and xenophobic bile, never imagined his single act would crystallize in him both what he loves about his country and what he hates.

You remember this guy. On Sept. 17, 2007, Lynch was fresh from eight years of military service and a student at the University of New Mexico when he took matters and the Mexican flag into his own hands after seeing it flying on campus unaccompanied by the U.S. flag — a clear violation of flag protocol and an especially egregious affront on Constitution Day, an obscure holiday but one on which flying the flag is most obligatory.

Lynch says he made efforts to peaceably rectify the matter, contacting the Army ROTC, the Dean of Students Office and the Veterans Office.

Lynch was eventually charged with misdemeanor criminal damage to property, but even before then he was cast across the talk show airwaves and national news as both patriot and bigot, his act a hate crime or a heroic deed.

Thanks for the links to the previous stories; they filled in the gaps (see quote below). I feel sorry for Lynch; I believe him when he says his anger was directed at the failure to observe proper flag etiquette and was not racial.

At first he did the right thing: he notified the people involved of the breach in etiquette. When they didn't respond fast enough, he should have taken photographs, notified the press, written a letter to the editor, etc. I could even understand taking down the flag, respectfully folding it, and giving it to the campus police or the ROTC. But to tear the flag to shreds was not necessary. I think the court was right to order anger management counseling.

I feel sorry for Lynch, too, for the media coverage and the harrassment that followed.

Here's the quote from a previous story:

The flag, which had been put up for Mexican Independence Day, was never supposed to have been flying by itself, but when the Army ROTC on campus went to retire the U.S. and state flags on the evening of Sept. 14, 2007, they left the Mexican flag flying, thinking its owners would take it down, the Journal has reported. Then, the Army ROTC students, who were supposed to raise the U.S. and New Mexico flags on the following day forgot to do so, the Journal said.

Not Really... I voted for Obama becasue I lived in AZ when McCain lost the super bowl... Obama was the lesser of two evils in my opinion... just worried that the 2A rights and constitution may suffer... either way seems like a lot of people don't give a damn about the constitution anymore ... or the country... let alone the flag... Shouldn't have torn it? At least in tearing it it got some coverage... who would have known about it if I just handed it back to the Racist group that put it up?

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