Mexican flag burned at Apache Junction HS

AZ Star Net ^ | March 31, 2006 | Blake Herzog

[beaversmom]

Tensions over immigration reform heightened in the Phoenix area's East Valley Thursday when students raised a Mexican flag over Apache Junction High School — and then other students yanked it down and burned it. "I know (they) shouldn't have burned the Mexican flag," said Jacob Stewart, a 16-year-old sophomore. "I heard it was raised above the American flag and that just irked me."

He said the turbulence was tied to debates going on in the state Legislature and Congress, where ideas ranging from offering illegal immigrants a chance at citizenship to making them felons are being floated.

Freshman Chelsea Garcia, 15, and junior Brittany Ramage, 16, said the unrest had more to do with long-running racial tensions at the school.

The week's events might have sparked some anger, Ramage said, "but kids aren't too deep about that stuff."

The Hispanic student who brought the Mexican flag said he was responding to a remark directed at him Wednesday. The flag-raising, flag-burning, and shoving match that followed happened before most students arrived at school.

Six students — three Hispanic and three white — will be disciplined, Principal Chad Wilson said.

Officials with the Apache Junction Unified School District would not specify what punishment the six face.

Wilson did say in a letter sent home to parents that there would be "increased supervision, including additional police officers, on the campus over the next couple of days."

School flagpoles have been lightning rods across the country this week, including an incident in which a Houston high-school principal was disciplined after he flew a Mexican flag underneath his campus' U.S. and state flags.

A new political awareness among students has also been grabbing attention, as thousands have walked out on classes to join rallies in Phoenix and elsewhere. More than 100 students from Mesa's Carson Junior High and Westwood High schools marched in protest on Mesa streets Tuesday.

[inkling]

I didn't insult you, I drew a parallel.

Thanks, Mr. Kerry.

Look, I live down the road from A.J. and am utterly disgusted by the pro-illegal protests, the waving of Mexican flags, the burning of American flags and all the other la raza BS. But when I dipped into this thread late last night there were several people tacitly approving many illegal acts. You don't fight illegal immigration with illegal violence. We're better than that.

We're all pissed about what is going on, but the public is rapidly turning against the illegals. Let's not muck that up by turning them into victims. There are limitless legal ways to turn this tide. Let's not get Free Republic and our side bad publicity by insinuating lynchings and destruction of private property.

[brytlea]

Count me among the peace-lovers. The Mexican flag shouldn't have been over ours, but if, say, an irish flag were hoisted under it, nobody would get all riled up.

If we were being inundated with zillions of illegal Irish immigrants who were marching in the street telling us how to run things for their benefit, you had bet your bottom dollar that people would be equally riled up about their flag being hoisted above ours.

People make the most nonsensical analogies.

susie

[Dont_Tread_On_Me_888]

Six students — three Hispanic and three white — will be disciplined, Principal Chad Wilson said.

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not 6-0
Not 5-1
Not 4-2
Not 2-4
Not 1-5
Not 0-6

But 3-3.

Somehow, this commie DOE school just had to find the right politically correct balance to somehow justify that this is the proper guilt ratio.

America! What a politically correct degenerating country!

[adam_az]

"Let's not get Free Republic and our side bad publicity by insinuating lynchings"

You're the first person to use that word - now you're accusing us of using it.

Who's like Mr. Kerry? You.

[inkling]

I said "insinuating" which definitely was done late last night. I most definitely did not accuse anyone of using that term (I clearly said "insinuating"). The mods removed one of the most offensive posts.

[HungarianGypsy]

Did they go by your house. Ick. I was expecting it over here, because we have a few illegal pick up areas around here. My husband told me there were picketers the other day against the illegals.

[texan75010]

When the cost of crossing the border becomes a higher price to pay than the benefits, all of this will stop.

The Mexican people, through their own actions, are making that price higher and higher each day by turning more and more formerly apathetic Americans against them.

I say to those who embrace the mexican flag, keep it up. Karl Rove could not have asked for a better scenario to set up an overwhelming backlash against the illegals.

My belief is that April 9th will be the day the tide turns against these invaders and they will wake the sleeping giant. They will feel the fury of a tidal wave of backlash. They will quickly realize which side has the army, bullets, guns, and tanks.

[blackie]

Protect our borders and coastlines from all foreign invaders!

Support our Minutemen Patriots!

Be Ever Vigilant!

[NY Attitude]

You don't fight illegal immigration with illegal violence

Okay, then we will just sit back and allow our senators and congressmen correct this situation. I think that we have seen just where their allegiances lie. It certainly isn't with the American people.

[inkling]

I say to those who embrace the mexican flag, keep it up. Karl Rove could not have asked for a better scenario to set up an overwhelming backlash against the illegals.

You got that right.

[HungarianGypsy]

Haven't listened to the stations, but for about two or three weeks someone would throw Spanish language newspapers into our driveways. What I could read was a lot of whining about how unfair it was that we would insist English be learned by them. Even the fashion magazine sample I read once was a bunch of whining of how they are victims.

[Wallace T.]

The man holding the burning American flag appears not to be Hispanic. Perhaps the one waiving the red flag is also not Hispanic, though it is not as clear. I suspect they are white Marxist radicals who used the Mexican nationalist rally as an occasion to burn the Stars and Stripes. Another group in this protest appeared to be Muslim extremists who marched in support of the Mexicans.

The enemies of America - Marxist, Muslim extremist, Hispanic irredentist - are on the march. They may have differing visions, but a common goal, which is the destruction of the United States of America.

[brazzaville]

Good morning.
"Maybe I am missing something but when did the "Mexicans" destroy some redneck radio station towers"

The oldest AM station in our county which, coincidentally broadcast most of the conservative talk shows available at the time, magically, literally overnight, turned into a Spanish language music and news station. There was no discussion and we had no options for preventing it.

It's not quite the same as cutting the legs of a tower but the effect was the same.

Actually, the sabotage is too close to the work of the Night Action Committee terrorists from Earth First for me to be comfortable with it.

Michael Frazier

[TheForceOfOne]

Are you a legal citizen of the United States?

[TLI]

That picture will become one of the most widely distributed, and hated, pictures on the internet.

my thoughts exactly.

[dljordan]

"It beyond reasoning. People applauding the destruction of radio towers aka private property. Applauding some kids that are burning flags. Sounds like Palestine and the middle East to me and a mob mentality. I don't like the fact that kids are in the middle of this anyway on either side. The Tower thing really disturbs me."

The courts aren't helping us, our politicians have turned their backs on us, we have invaders marching in our streets threatening us, foreign gangs are shooting people in the streets, foreign nationals are shooting across the border at our law enforcement officers, enough is enough. The time for talking is at an end. We are dealing with a culture that only respects power and thinks that we have none. They are spitting on us and all many emasculated, weak-kneed Americans want to do is hug and talk. You can't reason with the cultural invaders so you've got to get their attention.

[Sir Gawain]

If it was the American flag being burned by Mexicans, the MSM would bury it.

[Tokra]

Check out this site: Click Here

Watch the introductory film - it will either scare you or enrage you or both.

[buccaneer81]

Can it be any more clear that Jesus saying that tit for tat actions are not allowed?

Yeah, right. Ever heard of Pearl Harbor? How about September 11?

[antceecee]

All this because they want to come here to do the jobs that Americans won't do?
Do Americans truly want these thugs in our country?