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."

[TheSpottedOwl]

Hahahaa, I never wanted a myspace account anyway!

[I_be_tc]

later

[DogByte6RER]

Could you provide an e-mail address?

[DogByte6RER]

Thought you might be interested...

ping

[skeeter]

I’m sorry but the whole private property thing is a side issue. I can’t even believe this conversation is taking place.

I gotta hand it to em... the usual characters did it again.

We need to stop taking the bait.

[Jeff Head]

Vol III about ready?

[Surtur]

Bolded, underlined, and colored red the part of the section of the flag code relevant to this discussion as their was no American flag in evidence. §175. Position and manner of display

The flag, when carried in a procession with another flag or flags, should be either on the marching right; that is, the flag's own right, or, if there is a line of other flags, in front of the center of that line.

* (a) The flag should not be displayed on a float in a parade except from a staff, or as provided in subsection (i) of this section.

* (b) The flag should not be draped over the hood, top, sides, or back of a vehicle or of a railroad train or a boat. When the flag is displayed on a motorcar, the staff shall be fixed firmly to the chassis or clamped to the right fender.

* (c) No other flag or pennant should be placed above or, if on the same level, to the right of the flag of the United States of America, except during church services conducted by naval chaplains at sea, when the church pennant may be flown above the flag during church services for the personnel of the Navy. 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: Provided, That nothing in this section shall make unlawful the continuance of the practice heretofore followed of displaying the flag of the United Nations in a position of superior prominence or honor, and other national flags in positions of equal prominence or honor, with that of the flag of the United States at the headquarters of the United Nations.

[Travis McGee]

Not even close, at least a year.

[Jeff Head]

Ok...just checking. I’m getting lots of requests for more...either seperate one-off/standalone stories about details of DFS, or a sequel.

[STE=Q]

“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...”

Thank you!

[SoCalPol]

This fellow has courage and good for him.

This and worse is done to the American flag in the
U.S. and hey, no problem.

The line has already been drawn and we want our country back.

[ReignOfError]

Your humanitarian sensibilities touch me deeply, but I am on prollem medications as we speak.

Consider taking more.

[Travis McGee]

I wish I was quicker, but you know how writing is. It has its own schedule sometimes. And then real life gets in the way so much too.

[Iscool]

The thing that bugs me is that Pete acted alone...A university, with an ROTC, with no doubt thousands of students...

And 1 Patriot...

Had I been there, there’d have been 2 of us...

[Peter R. Lynch]

Hello,

Please understand that I will post another reply with my full story. For now I would like to show you the following ... I did this was on Monday September 17th!

According to United States “Flag Code” as found in Title 4 of the United States Code and the section of Title 36, Section 6-B; “The flag should be displayed on all days (days removed) especially on Constitution Day, September 17”

Section 6-E; “The flag should be displayed daily on or near the main administration building of every public institution.”

Section 6-G; “The flag should be displayed during school days in or near every schoolhouse.”

[TLI]

“Send your thoughts on this matter to...”

unmpres@unm.edu

They are reading them now and they are in no need of a crystal ball to know my state of mind on this issue.

[Lurker]

He took it down, he didn’t set it on fire, he didn’t desecrate it, he didn’t destroy it...........

Kid's got some self control, I'll give him that.

Maybe I'm wrong on the theft thing. If he'd tossed it in the trash or made off with it that's another thing.

But we're all agreed I think. The Mexican Flag doesn't belong being flown in the manner it was, where it was.

If this kid gets prosecuted, I'll gladly send a few bucks his way to help out.

Travis I think you're right, too. In ten years we're going to look back on this and wish things were still this calm.

L

[Lurker]

We'd all like more information when you're able to provide it.

Thanks,

L

[Guenevere]

Hey...are you really the brave patriot who took the Mexican flag down?

Heads up, all.....I think this is the guy.
He joined today!

[TLI]

Photo time! Lest we forget, What they are after is the vote. A vote that they will use to drage the united States of America down to an advanced version of the skumhole they came from.

A little photo "memory lane..."

Our future "Amnesty Americans" teaching their children to honor the gift of American Citizenship...





and what they did to show everyone their level of loyalty to the u.S...





Plus showing off their keen awareness of history...




my all time favorite, the goal of all good democrats America destroying communists.





but of course (snicker, snicker) you can't vote if your not a citizen! (snort)





Motor Voter

KillingTheBill pics...

Just what IS it with the commies always sticking that finger in the air? Oh well, here are the ones we need to remember...
link (scroll to the top)






Little Johnny with his real friends...




Got her little communist red armband on, ain't that cute!

After the final vote there is not a happy camper in the bunch and gee, Teddy looks Pee-O'ed!

And the reason for the Treason...


.