Posted on 09/25/2007 1:17:19 PM PDT by CedarDave
A University of New Mexico student who tore down the Mexican flag from a school flagpole said Monday he was upset because the university was flying another nation's flag without the U.S. flag.
"I was livid with the situation, and it wasn't the fact that it was the Mexican flag," said Peter Lynch, a mechanical engineering student who served in the U.S. military for nearly eight years. "It was the fact that it was any foreign banner."
He said he was particularly upset that it happened on Constitution Day, Sept. 17, and that university officials did nothing to rectify the situation after he informed them.
UNM officials said miscommunication led to the Mexican flag flying at Scholes Hall without the American flag.
Flag etiquette prescribes that no other nation's flag be flown in place of the U.S. flag. ...
The U.S. and state flags were raised outside the UNM administration building Sept. 14 by Army ROTC [students] ... A third pole that usually carries the UNM flag was left empty so the Mexican Student Association could raise the Mexican flag later that day in honor of Mexican independence day.
At the end of the day, the ROTC students lowered the U.S. and state flags but left the Mexican flag flying because they believed that the Mexican Student Association would take it down. The students forgot and left it hanging all weekend, McKinsey said.
On Monday morning, the ROTC students who were scheduled to raise the American and state flags forgot to do so.
UNM police say Lynch tore the Mexican flag apart on Sept. 17. A criminal complaint charges him with misdemeanor criminal damage to property.
(Excerpt) Read more at abqjournal.com ...
If I were you, and if you really want to fight this, I'd dial up the political pressure on the university by bringing this matter to the attention of Tancredo, Duncan Hunter, and New Mexico Senator Pete Domenici (forget about Bingaman--he's a 'Rat), all of whom might just ask the university why it was actively violating the U.S. Flag Code.
In the meantime, I'd also run down to the local Five-and-Dime and buy a new Mexican flag to replace the one you ripped to take the air out of the university's sails on this.
I’ll pay his fine.
“..but bringing Mexico with them is unacceptable.”
Why not? It is acceptable to Jorge and many other politicians.
Remember the Alamo!
“Mexican flag flying at Scholes Hall”
Isn’t the point of this story is that it is NOT flying.
They have eyes but do not see.
That's right MSA - Mexican INDEPENDENCE Day. They are a sovereign nation. The USA is a sovereign nation (at least for now). We also have an Independence Day and we don't raise the Union Jack in the States. Celebrate Mexican holidays on Mexican soil.
If you want on or off the NM Ping list, please FReepmail me.
bcsco for your ping list
Right on, Peter!!!
Why should it be tolerated at all that a Mexican Students association put up the Mexican flag AT all on American soild (public property, no less, not private home)!
Especailly so near our Constitution day!!
Mexican independence day can go to France! I don’t care..
ping
The explanation sounds ok to me. The JROTC students would not have done this except for poor communication. Sorry that is just what I believe happened. If others think otherwise than the JROTC students are owed what you think happened.
I think he was pretty ticked off by the time he took it down. He shouldn’t have torn it, but he did.
His actions hardly call for him being labeled as racist, xenophobic, hateful, etc. as the UNM is doing though.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1901205/posts
And you’ll just love this.... No concern at all for Americans or the treatment of the American flag at all.
“The University won’t tolerate that kind of behavior, President David Schmidly said.
“It’s inexcusable to desecrate a flag,” he said. “I’m not going to be very pleasant to deal with on this issue.”
What makes the situation worse is that it was a Mexican flag, Schmidly said.
“For God’s sake, New Mexico was part of Mexico at one time,” he said. “There’s tremendous ties, and we have a large population of Hispanics that live in our state and many of them have relatives and connections to Mexico.”
Thank you, Peter Lynch!!!
We need more — MUCH MORE — of this sort of CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE from our side.
http://www.access.gpo.gov/uscode/title4/chapter1_.html
No person shall display the flag of the United Nations or any other national or international flag equal, above, or in a position of superior prominence or honor to, or in place of, the flag of the United States at any place within the United States or any Territory or possession thereof.
Pete should hie himself down to the nearest federal courthouse and swear out a complaint against the Mexican student organization . . .
Oops, I forgot: our laws don’t apply to our friends to the south.
Since the Mexican flag was not supposed to be raised...there is no problem with taking it down and destroying it.
Its a foreign flag, not an American flag.
Since it is seditious to fly a flag that symbolizes overthrowing America (the flag used by Aztlan movement) I have zero problem with its removal or destruction
Burning is much too respectful.
They're not even good liars!
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