Judge upholds ban on American flag t-shirts

[el midgetron]

The US flag also has rules under the "flag Code".

(deep breath...) "Any person who, within the District of Columbia, in any manner, for exhibition or display, shall place or cause to be placed any word, figure, mark, picture, design, drawing, or any advertisement of any nature upon any flag, standard, colors, or ensign of the United States of America; or shall expose or cause to be exposed to public view any such flag, standard, colors, or ensign upon which shall have been printed, painted, or otherwise placed, or to which shall be attached, appended, affixed, or annexed any word, figure, mark, picture, design, or drawing, or any advertisement of any nature; or who, within the District of Columbia, shall manufacture, sell, expose for sale, or to public view, or give away or have in possession for sale, or to be given away or for use for any purpose, any article or substance being an article of merchandise, or a receptacle for merchandise or article or thing for carrying or transporting merchandise, upon which shall have been printed, painted, attached, or otherwise placed a representation of any such flag, standard, colors, or ensign, to advertise, call attention to, decorate, mark, or distinguish the article or substance on which so placed shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished by a fine not exceeding $100 or by imprisonment for not more than thirty days, or both, in the discretion of the court." (...and breath)

http://www.ushistory.org/betsy/flagcode.htm

[make me believe]

The Day an American Flag is banned from a SCHOOLTHAT GETS ITS FUNDING FROM AMERICAN TAX PAYERS is the day that school loses any and all funding from the said tax payers.

Why can't we have a hero judge who says something like this??? No, they are all commie, left wing America-haters. Like the one who struck down Proposition 187 in 1994 - which won 59% to 41%.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Proposition_187_(1994)

.

Edited November 15, 2011 by make me believe

[Paracelse]

This.

Perhaps with this we can create a new holiday and tradition everyone from all ethnicities and background can get behind, bringing all peoples together and and reigning in a new era of unity:

National Facepalm Day.

Isn't that particular holiday named thanksgiving?

[jugoso]

You make it sound like wearing a shirt with the Mexican flag is illegal. It just has to be cleared when broadcast in media, and when being sold as an image for clothing, etc. for reasons you could probably understand. Tarnishing of the image and whatnot. I don't see it as that odd.

You won´t see any t-shirts with the Mexican flag as they won´t give permission. If you see someone wearing a t.sirt wit a Mexican flag, it probably is illegal.

[_Only]

You won´t see any t-shirts with the Mexican flag as they won´t give permission. If you see someone wearing a t.sirt wit a Mexican flag, it probably is illegal.

No, there are a lot of various shirts that are sold worldwide with the Mexican flag on them. Like these:

These just a few examples. I included the UFC and Tapout shirts because they are huge companies that mass produce those shirts all over the world.

Edited November 15, 2011 by Jerry Only

[make me believe]

What about Cain Velasquez's BROWN PRIDE tattoo? He seems to get a pass because he is Mexican.

I GUARANTEE you that if a prominent white athlete sported "White Pride" across his chest, he would be blacklisted and defamed with the usual RacistNeo-NaziBigotHaterKKK diatribe from the media, sports writers, and the Powers That Be.

Edited November 16, 2011 by make me believe

[el midgetron]

What about Cain Velasquez's BROWN PRIDE tattoo? He seems to get a pass because he is Mexican.

I GUARANTEE you that if a prominent white athlete sported "White Pride" across his chest, he would be blacklisted and defamed with the usual RacistNeo-NaziBigotHaterKKK diatribe from the media, sports writers, and the Powers That Be.

I worked for a short time with a guy (an ex-con) who had white (&) pride tattooed on his forearms. He was actually a pretty nice guy..... although very racist...

The subject of racism is a powder keg of public opinion. However, the debate itself seems racist when the words "white" and "brown" cannot be used interchangeably.

I'm all for people being proud of their heritage and ethnicity. For me, the idea of "diversity" is a preservation of those elements.

[make me believe]

I'm all for people being proud of their heritage and ethnicity. For me, the idea of "diversity" is a preservation of those elements.

You bring up a very good point - the preservation of heritage and culture often runs contrary to American consumer culture where everyone worships the same rap stars, plays XBox and watches football every Sunday. "Assimilation" can be a death knell for weak and disappearing cultures, like German and especially Scandinavian ones, they are not as saucy or strongly identified as Mexican, Persian, Muslim or African cultures. Therefore, they require all the more effort to preserve because they are weak and loosely identified at present.

The Achilles Heel of Northern European culture is that it tends to welcome outside groups even if they appear to be hostile or nonproductive. This is especially true of Swedes in the upper Midwest. They have enthusiastically welcomed foreign groups of Hmong, Vietnamese and Somali refugees who have turned parts of St. Paul and Minneapolis into war zones. Yet they gleefully sponsor more and more of these refugee groups who ghettoize vast swaths of their home towns.

I am still fascinated by your idea that diversity preserves culture, because I think it is true. However, diversity breeds political and ethnic/cultural conflict. History proves this. I believe that one geographical area should be home to one dominant culture and people. The Iraq's, Afghanistan's, and South Africa's of the world prove that multicultural and multi-ethnic democracy is a bad idea.

[Order66]

"I want you to remember, amigo, these teeth which bit your face off! RARRRRRRRRR!"

[jugoso]

No, there are a lot of various shirts that are sold worldwide with the Mexican flag on them. Like these:

These just a few examples. I included the UFC and Tapout shirts because they are huge companies that mass produce those shirts all over the world.

None of those examples are an actual Mexican flag.

[rashore]

I don't know who has licensing or not to be selling apparel with Mexico's flag, colors, symbols.. But this link might be helpful in finding such items. lmgtfy.com Other nations apparel can be found online too. Again, I don't know about the licensing agreements of any of the companies.. But the clothes do exist.

[LimeGelatin]

Did it really have to come to this. Why can't we as americans accept that we live in a land that other cultures find desireable to live in, and allow them to enjoy their heritage while still living in america. It would be extremely offensive if someone were to dress in american flag gear and run around putting down the Irish on St. Patricks day. So, why isn't it as equaly offensive to do so on Cinco de Mayo?

[rashore]

Well, I don't remember the American wearing kids were putting down people.

But anywho, yeppers some Americans wear the American flag on St. Pattys day. There's also a whole bunch of attire out there for Irish American too, like the Irish and American flags being used together. Seems like there's a lot of people in the U.S. that can feel proud of Irish and American heritages at the same time.

I rarely hear St. Patricks day being cited as an independence day for Ireland. I have heard Cinco de Mayo cited as an independence day for Mexico fairly often. Which always strikes me as odd, because for all the partying done on May 5th, it's awfully quiet on September 16th as far as furor goes.

[make me believe]

Well, I don't remember the American wearing kids were putting down people.

But anywho, yeppers some Americans wear the American flag on St. Pattys day. There's also a whole bunch of attire out there for Irish American too, like the Irish and American flags being used together. Seems like there's a lot of people in the U.S. that can feel proud of Irish and American heritages at the same time.

I rarely hear St. Patricks day being cited as an independence day for Ireland. I have heard Cinco de Mayo cited as an independence day for Mexico fairly often. Which always strikes me as odd, because for all the partying done on May 5th, it's awfully quiet on September 16th as far as furor goes.

The 800 pound gorilla in the room is that Ireland is not "invading" America, via a 2,000 mile border, with millions of illiterate immigrants and thousands of tons of narcotics.

[Order66]

Schools are an American instution, built by and for Americans by American tax dollars. It's not indoctrination to acknowledge that. It is honoring the people who worked hard to create what would otherwise not be possible according to Elizabeth Warren. What is the Mexican contribution? Bad border security which let their parents through? Poverty which forced them to leave?

[jugoso]

It's not a heritage festival but a national one for a battle fought in Mexico.

Despite the fact it greatly helped the US at the time it has nothing to do with America or Hispanics. Just Mexico. I'd be like me flying to Mexico and shoving the 4th of July down everybody's throats there with waving American flags, parades and parties in the streets and schools.

And if the shirts are banned because of a reaction... Why wouldn't they ban the Cinco de Mayo in the school for provoking a reaction from students?

American Thanksiving was just celebrated down here. Funny, I didn´t hear ONE Mexcican complain about this. Most of the Mexicans I know were happy for the Americans and offering best wishes. People have every right to be proud of their heritage and should be free to celebrate it wherever they are IMO.

[Karyotype]

I don't believe the Mexican children wanting to celebrate a Mexican holiday was the problem.

The problem was the fact that the American folks were concerned about violence. No children

of any ethnicity should be allowed to cause violence. I believe that all children should be

taught to be respectful of others, even if they do not agree with them.

just my thoughts

[LimeGelatin]

Did it really have to come to this. Why can't we as americans accept that we live in a land that other cultures find desireable to live in, and allow them to enjoy their heritage while still living in america. It would be extremely offensive if someone were to dress in american flag gear and run around putting down the Irish on St. Patricks day. So, why isn't it as equaly offensive to do so on Cinco de Mayo?

Rash, I made an inference about the students intentions for wearing the American flag on Cinco de Mayo based upon my experiences working in a factory that employes many immigrants. I may have been reaching too far, but the oppinions and actions of many of my non-hispanic co-workers on Cinco de Mayo this past year left a huge impression upon me. The same people we worked with on a daily basis became subject to a multitude of verbal assaults simply because they were of hispanic descent. I find it extreemely offensive for one human to judge another based solely on their race, and I assume the school district which would go to such an extreem as to prohibit the right of a student to wear a piece of clothing, that is produced with the intention of honoring the integrity of the nation that that school is located in, has probably had a past probablem with students disrespecting eachother over racial differences.

[rashore]

Wow Lime, that's really not right that your co-workers were picked on. Very not cool

That's what really bugs me about the whole Cinco de Mayo thing in the U.S.. WAY too much ignorance about the history of the date itself coupled with people getting all flaked out about something they don't understand.

I'm 100% cool with celebrating heritage when it is done with respect and knowledge of that heritage, no matter where the person is. But when it is done in ignorance simply as a party point to start fights over, I want to say cram that holiday in inappropriate places.

I think I would have a little more tolerance for the shenanigans that seem to happen on May 5th if I saw as much pride in heritage being celebrated on September 16th.

And jugoso, that's kind of interesting that U.S. Thanksgiving was celebrated by you... But why? I mean, are there a lot of U.S. folk by you, or it's a cool eating holiday, or what? I can understand why folks in the U.S. celebrate a bunch of pilgrims not starving to death, but I'm not sure why people in other countries would celebrate that.

Edited November 29, 2011 by rashore