Posted on 03/30/2006 11:38:23 PM PST by 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.
See my #460! At least there is a little good news for the kids at Apache Juncion High on Monday!
Gee whiz!! Burning an American flag is considered free speech. Burning a Mexican flag is a felony? Why?
Jay, some good news! (see my #460)
I question whether it would stand in court. Burning the American flag has been excused in higher courts as "free speech."
The local yokels in AJ won't have a chance if they really press the issue.
Apparenty the AJ cops don't know the definition of arson.
Malicious intento to destroy property....usually in regards to somone else's property. If it is your own then you might get charged with starting a fire without a permit, etc.
The charge won't stick and if anything happens to this kid or his family, the hispanics/mexicans in this country are going to suffer a backlash they will never forget. This is not a threat to incite violence...it is a common fact. People in this country tend to get very patriotic and sentimental about the U.S. in times like this.
Look what happened after 9/11. The country was awash in patriotism. I wish it had lasted longer. Now, we are out in the open again. Talk about fighting the enemy on our own territory.
I am sick of the treason committed by Mecha, and all those other stupid organizations. Most if not all have tax exempt status in addition to public funding.
We pay for this mess. It happens time and time again.
I believe organizing mexican flag burning parties is in order. I don't feel bad about it and neither should anyone else.
Unkown where you're located, but you might want to research Cardinal Roger Mahony...he is indubitably on record for just that: aiding and abetting illegals. I guess he knows which side his bread's buttered on, given the Southern California demographics.
My wife is a very devout Catholic, but she's livid about all of this, and is prepared to pop her priest with some backtalk if he goes too far with the 'party line'.
How about this, S2R. It's NOT ok. It's not ok to harm children; it's not ok to take down the US flag; it's not ok to pervert justice; it's not ok to force a square into a circle; and it's not ok when you stand to reason that you post here and suggest that I post elsewhere because you can't come up with a good thing to say about homosexuality when asked and when you're defending it. After all, by your own reasoning I'm free to do anything I choose to do. Right or wrong?
If you can't answer the question, why not just say so? Say it and be done with it instead of telling me to move elsewhere instead. And, no. When you refer to a "free republic" that does not – hear me - DOES NOT, mean that you can do as you please. That line of thinking has cost us the precious lives of many who did not deserve to die so that others could wag their fingers in the face of what's right while committing atrocious cruelties against our society, and has furthur attributed to getting us where we are now.
Sticking to the issue. Burn the flag. Raise another in her place. After all, you're free in your line of thinking to do so. But do the remainder of what's left of proud US citizens a favor: live in wherever that spot is that you raise the flag of. Adios, amigo.
Thank you for all the information. Have a good night!
Can't wait to see how this ends up. If a defense fund is necessary for this young man, I'll be contributing.
Is it really? That's certainly stupid. I certainly don't support burning any flags, but it is ridiculous that burning a Mexican flag has a higher penalty than burning an American flag in the US.
Who would write up that law? Let me guess, liberals?
'Night night, BQ!
The courts have said it is an expression of free speech to burn an American flag. You can't be legally punished for it.
And/or worse...communists.
Btw, the "May 1st" boycott they are planning?
Is this not the traditional day the Marxist movement celebrate their agenda? It's no coincidence they picked this day.
(wished I could find the link).
I had never heard it, but I read a post last night that said May 1st was some sort of Marxist celebration.
MY OPINION:
NO ONE IN THIS GREAT NATION NEEDS ANYONE ELSE'S PERMISSION
TO PROUDLY AND PROPERLY DISPLAY OR WEAR
OR JOYFULLY WAVE THE FLAG OF THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!
PATRIOTS, ARISE!
OLD GLORY, 24/7, FROM NOW UNTIL JESUS COMES AGAIN!
International Workers' Day is an international holiday in many countries around the world, but not English-speaking countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom. In most of the world, except in the US, Labor Day is celebrated on the 1st of May in remembrance of the 1886 Haymarket Riot. The adoption of May Day around this time by socialists and communists as their primary holiday cements official resistance to this expression of the day in the US.The Government of the United States has also attempted to create other holidays for the day of 1 May, in order to further discourage the celebration of May Day. Canada, Australia, and New Zealand also celebrate Labour Day on different dates, which has to do with how the holiday originated in those countries. See also Loyalty Day and Law Day.
In a separate attempt to co-opt May Day, the Roman Catholic Church added another Saint Joseph's Day in 1955 that Christianized 1 May as the day of "Saint Joseph, the Worker". It is perhaps surprising that the Church did not take this step earlier, to distract attention from the traditionally virile pagan celebrations of May Day.
Nevertheless, May Day has long been a focal point for demonstrations by various socialist, communist, and anarchist groups. In the 20th century, the holiday received the official endorsement of the Soviet Union; celebrations in communist countries during the Cold War era often consisted of large military parades and shows of common people in support of the government.
Very good. Thank you!
AMEN!
The poor high school kid at Apache Junction is being given a bad rap. If they arrested him, they should have arrested the Mexican kid(s) that first removed the American flag,then hoisted the Mexican flag. There appears to be a cause and affect that is being overlooked.
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