Student Tears (Down) Mexican Flag; Suspect Remains At Large

New Mexico Daily Lobo ^ | September 19, 2007 | Jeremy Hunt

[DogByte6RER]

Student tears Mexican flag; suspect remains at large

9/19/07

by Jeremy Hunt

Daily Lobo

A student took down a Mexican flag from a flagpole outside Scholes Hall Monday, tore it and took it to the Air Force ROTC office, police said.

A summons was issued for Peter Lynch, 30, by the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court for criminal damage to property, said Lt. Pat Davis, spokesman for UNM Police.

Davis said Lynch is not a member of ROTC, and it is unclear why he took the flag to that office.

Lynch has not been charged because UNMPD cannot find him, Davis said.

UNMPD investigated the vandalism as a potential hate crime, but witnesses from the ROTC office told police it was not a racially motivated crime, Davis said.

"He was frustrated a foreign flag was flown without an American flag nearby," he said. "We're basically investigating it on witness statements."

The Mexican Student Association raised the flag outside Scholes Hall on Friday for Mexican Independence Day, said Cheo Torres, vice president for academic affairs.

Mabel Gonzales, president of the Mexican Student Association, declined to comment.

Torres and interim vice president for institutional diversity Rita Martinez-Purson issued an apology Tuesday from the University for the incident.

"This sort of incident hurts everyone," Torres said. "It's something that you don't expect to see at a place like the University of New Mexico where we celebrate diversity."

Martinez-Purson said the incident caught her off-guard, as well.

"I don't think anything really prepares you for this type of vindictive behavior," she said. "Obviously, we need to have strong dialog across campus about respect for other people and their cultures."

Whether the vandalism was racially motivated or not, it was offensive, especially to the Hispanic community, Martinez-Purson said.

"There's still an impact that has to be dealt with," she said. "He did insult them. His thoughtless behavior had consequences."

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."

[stephenjohnbanker]

“Burning or tearing American flag = constitutionally protected right.

Tearing Mexican flag = hate crime.

—The PC Police.”

Sick, twisted people!

[MEGoody]

"He was frustrated a foreign flag was flown without an American flag nearby,"

As he should be.

"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."

But they are Americans first. If they want to be Mexicans, let them live in Mexico.

[Publius6961]

I don’t feel what he did is a big deal.

Well, this incompetent does not agree with you...

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."

Megalomania. Arbitrary, capricious. Abuse of power.

[trumandogz]

Which is FOREIGN FLAGS IN AMERICA.

Well actually, parts of the United States used to be not only the Confederacy but also; Mexico, Spain, France, the Republic of Texas as well as Britain. Therefore, each of these nations and their cultures are equally important to American History.

As for me, with a home in Louisiana and a home in Texas I have no problem whatsoever if my neighbor in Louisiana flies a Confederate Flag or my neighbor in Texas flies a Mexican Flag. Actually, in New Orleans my neighbor is more likely to fly a French Flag.

What is most important is that each flag and nation is respected and that everyone within the borders of the US respects this nation, just as I respect the cultures of other nations when I visit or live overseas.

[Regulator]

Would the head of the school have reacted so strongly if it was the American flag the kid took down?

Obviously not. He would have elevated him to hero status and said it was his right to desecrate it in any way he wanted.

[Publius6961]

Actually, all national flags should be flown at the same height, no matter the soil.

Thank you for sharing your opinion.

In this country, established flag protocol says differently.
Suck it up.

[melancholy]

What makes the situation worse is that it was a Mexican flag, Schmidly said.

Really? Worse than illegal Mexicans burning Old Glory in public and in front of the international press and fully recorded by their cameras, right here in the US of A?

Get out of our country and take your rags you call flags with you.

PS> I added the “L” in flags because I’m in a charitable mood today.

[Publius6961]

Just fired off a letter to their president. His actions are reprehensible.

Wasting your time. That idiot's arrogance is palpable.

As soon as I get the College board's email address, I am going to send them the following message:

"Please check your district's financial reserves.

Some idiot over at UNM, by the name of David Schmidly is digging you a very deep financial hole as we speak..."

[melancholy]

Student tears Mexican flag; suspect remains at large

Suspect? Remains at large? How many people did he slaughter? Oh, wait, that wasn't murder, then, what happened to freedom of speech and expression?

Oh, pardonez mois, it applies only to American Conservatives, my fault. /extreme sarcasm

[Publius6961]

I don't know but I suspect that if this kid had taken his own Mexican flag and burned it, or whatever, that's constitutionally-protected speech...

OK.

Issue him a citation for a minor infraction and stop talking "warrant", unless he fails to pay.

The following statement is arbitrary, capricious and an abuse of power:

"It's inexcusable to desecrate a flag," he said. "I'm not going to be very pleasant to deal with on this issue."

[Publius6961]

You need to make sure what constitutes "identical."

Not if I know simple things like what "is", is...

[1rudeboy]

It’s just the property-interest in the flag itself that you find confusing?

[Publius6961]

But then who would explain the U.S. Constitution to folks like you.

Don't flatter yourself...

[AngelesCrestHighway]

“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.”....Where in hell does this stupid logic come from?...so this gives you a right to fly a Mexican flag? Does’nt this jackass realize a flag is flown to represent the presents of a countries citizens? The flag of Mexico represents Mexico!...NEWS FLASH to numbnuts!....THIS IS NOT MEXICO!!!!

[Convert from ECUSA]

"A student took down a Mexican flag from a flagpole outside Scholes Hall Monday, tore it"

And the problem is.....????? Good for him, I wish more students would do this to the Aztlans that fly their flag in our faces while at the same time desecrating our flag by flying it upside down.

[ReignOfError]

-the vatican is not a “country”

You might want to call their mission at the UN and let them know. They apparently mlissed a memo.

[Publius6961]

It’s just the property-interest in the flag itself that you find confusing?

Not in the slightest.
You are the one who introduced the red herring that 'it was not his flag' to desecrate.

[azhenfud]

It has been my objective the Stars and Stripes is flown with pride, flies correctly according to US Flag Code, and is retired with dignity when her service life has expired.

Opinion? LOL!
You just ain’t right.

From US Flag Code.
§175. Position and manner of display
(g) When flags of two or more nations are displayed, they are to be flown from separate staffs of the same height. The flags should be of approximately equal size. International usage forbids the display of the flag of one nation above that of another nation in time of peace.

[Rastus]

I am of the opinion that, when I occasionally fly the Vatican flag, I am not declaring my front porch the sovereign territory of the Vatican.

I wish that were true of those flying the Mexican flag as well. But, the Pope didn't say, "Where lives a citizen of Vatican City, there is Vatican City." The president of Mexico did. And, I know that is the attitude of a large portion of those who bear the Mexican flag. Some of them make it plain, with their "it's ours, gringo" and "the border crossed us" stickers and signs.

[1rudeboy]

Let me try this in another way you might find easier to understand. You have the constitutional right to burn your American flag. You do not have the constitutional right to burn my American flag.