UNM will not tolerate acts of racism or xenophobia

UNM Daily Lobo ^ | 9/19/07 | Rita Martinez-Purson, Cheo Torres

[Peter R. Lynch]

Editor,

We wish to respond to the recent incident involving the desecration of the Mexican national flag that was raised Friday on the south side of Scholes Hall.

The incident is still being investigated, but what we do know at this point is that after a ceremony celebrating the Mexican independence day - Dieciseis de Septiembre - the flag that was raised during the celebration was subsequently taken down and, as we understand it, ripped to shreds.

We understand that a suspect has been apprehended by the police, but the investigation is still ongoing at this time. We want it to be understood that the flag desecration is abhorrent to President David Schmidly and everyone in the administration.

In light of incidents that have taken place in the past several days involving students being targeted because of their race or nationality, we want it to be known that UNM will not tolerate acts of racism and xenophobia. These incidents will be answered with disciplinary and/or legal action against the responsible individuals. The person who perpetrated this despicable act will answer for it.

We wish to offer apologies on behalf of UNM to the Mexican Consul to New Mexico, Juan Manuel Solano; to the Mexican Student Association; to all Mexican nationals who have been affected by this deplorable act; and to anyone else who has been adversely affected by this incident. Please know we are doing everything in our power to make sure this act will be sternly

addressed.

Rita Martinez-Purson

Interim Vice President,

Institutional Diversity

Cheo Torres

Vice President

for Student Affairs

[Peter R. Lynch]

Yes, I am facing Criminal Charges if anyone wants to check out the Governor Bill Richardson’s MySpace page and send him an email?

The state of New Mexico is charging me with Criminal Damage...

[Altura Ct.]

Are you getting any support from students or any local support?

[Twink]

Ditto. Well said. My grandparents came to this country for a better life and worked hard to achieve it without any help from anyone, including the government. I support the person who took measures to flag flying (Lynch?) seriously.

Amazing that it’s ok to burn the American Flag but other nations’ flag, UN flag? WTH?, are off limits.

[ROP_RIP]

You may not agree with what the Mexican flag expresses

Uhm... sedition?

[Peter R. Lynch]

Are you getting any support from students or any local support?

Today is the first time I have spoken since my REACTION, I did not act.. I reacted to the situation...

[GOP_Raider]

Sad to see UNM taking the political correctness thought control route here.

[Does so]

The "Burning-the-American-Flag-Amendment" failed by one vote in 2006.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/06/27/flag.burning/index.html

Maybe if we added the Mexican flag to the amendment—it will pass?

[Tai_Chung]

I don’t understand why the US would celebrate Mexican independence day. Does Mexico celebrate the 4th of July?

[Exton1]

WE are loosing this country due to name calling. All crimes by illegals or minorities are met with “RACIST” should you object of point out the crime.
THIS HAS TO END.
From now on we should consider it a badge of courage and proof of being a true American to be called a RACIST OF XENOPHOBE by the Left, for it means we are sticking up for AMERICAN values.

[Khepri]

So this was a University-sponsored activity.

Write Tancredo and get him in on this...

If the school insists on this behavior they should have their federal funds withheld...something like that...grrrrr

[Khepri]

IMO what the universoty and those students did in raising a foreign flag is nothing short of sedition...downright treasonous act and the school official should be charged accordingly...

I'm not holding my breath...

[Tai_Chung]

It would be a mistake to allow the Left to label you. Put them on the defensive.

According to the USM website, the school has only about 800 foreign students. I am willing to bet that Mexicans are not part of the foreign student body count. I would want to know exactly how many Mexican international students attend and why they feel it is necessary to celebrate their independence when so few attend the school.

There might be more students from Taiwan, but they would certainly not celebrate it because it would offend China.

As for the flag, I agree with all the statements here that no US school should dishonor their own country in an attempt to honor another country.

[IrishCatholic]

Do you have info on what you are being charged with and how? I mean: What is the statute number for the charge? Who is the complainant? Is it a misdemeanor or felony? Will it be handled in a district or municipal court? Have you been served any complaint or warrant?
You say the state of New Mexico is charging you, if that is anything like Kansas that is boiler plate process so the state can prosecute instead of the individual. It could mean a misdemeanor taken at the district level by a Nifong type.
I will look at the Governor’s page also.

I just gotta say what John Wayne would have: “A man does what he thinks he should.”

[Peter R. Lynch]

The state of New Mexico issued a Criminal Summons.

They spelled my name wrong...

For Criminal Damage to Property
“Contrary to section 30-15-1 NMSA 1978”

Name of Law Enforcement entity Filing the Criminal Complaint:
University of New Mexico... Officer Davis.

[BruceysMom]

emails are:
Rita Martinez-Purson: rmpurson@unm.edu
David Schmidly: dschmidly@unm.edu
All colleges have the same system. First initial, last name, @
college abbrev . edu

[Nickname]

Why wouldn't UNM fly an unaccompanied Mexican flag? The university is a proud supporter and host of MEChA and El Centro de la Raza is cozy with them as well. Discover the Networks has just about all you need to know about this group. By allowing the Mexican flag to fly as it did, I believe the UNM agrees with and supports their agenda. "Founded in 1969 at a conference at the University of California at Santa Barabara, MEChA is an acronym for El Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán (the Chicano Student Movement), an umbrella organization of radical Chicano student groups. Aztlán refers to the territory in the Southwestern United States -- including California, Arizona, Texas, New Mexico, as well as parts of Nevada, Utah, and Colorado -- that Mexico ceded to the United States in 1848 but which Mexican separatists consider part of a mythical Aztec homeland that rightfully belongs to them. One of MEChA's more notable co-founders was Lawrence Estrada, who is currently a tenured associate professor at Fairhaven College. MEChA’s core philosophy is set forth in its founding manifestos, “El Plan Espiritual de Aztlán” and “El Plan de Santa Barbara.” In the former document, MEChA declares, “We do not recognize capricious frontiers on the bronze continent [the United States],” and vows to repel the “brutal ‘gringo’ invasion of our territories.” MEChA further states: “Where we are a majority we will control; where we are a minority we will represent a pressure group; nationally, we represent one party: La Familia de Raza [the Family of Race].” MEChA’s mission finds additional expression it the organization’s slogan, “Por la Raza todo. Fuera de La Raza nada," which translates to “For the race, everything. Outside of the race, nothing.” Although MEChA has claimed that the aforementioned documents no longer represent its beliefs, this defense is belied by the organization’s more recent documents. MEChA’s current constitution, for instance, instructs chapter leaders to “[o]rient all members by discussing and reading historical documents of our Movimiento including: El Plan de Santa Barbara, El Plan Espiritual de Aztlán …” Accordingly, MEChA member groups, such the UC Berkeley chapter, cite these documents and explain that “MEChA understands that our founding documents are the fundamentals to MEChA.“

[Nickname]

Paragraphs apparently weren’t my friend.

Apologies for the wall of text!

[Peter R. Lynch]

Did you notice, although the police, and witnesses state no racist intent these people are the ones who took it to that level...

David Schmidly (University President),
Rita Martinez-Purson (Interim Vice President for Academic Diversity), and
Cheo Torres (Vice President for Academic Affairs)

[CitizenUSA]

If you destroyed or took property that didn’t belong to you, you are guilty of a crime. Although I agree the flag was illegally displayed, that doesn’t give you the right to vandalize it. If you hadn’t destroyed it, I think you would be in a better position. You could have lowered it and given it to campus authorities with an explanation.

If the university owned the flag, they are probably on good legal ground here. If a student owned the flag, the student could sue for damages. This is separate from the academic issues as the university probably has quite a bit of leeway to decide what constitutes improper behavior on campus.

From the sound of things, these jerks (the university administrators) sound more like Mexican citizens than Americans. They appear to have an ax to grind here, and you’re the target. I’d get a lawyer.

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

Ripping up a Mexican flag is xenophobia and will be punished, but burning a American flag is constitutionally-protected free speech and will be encouraged.