13 year old boy told he cant fly flag on his bike...

[chickened]

Bunny, you are correct in everything you point out. However, my point is that this type of situation does not warrant, in any way, the prohibition of that boy displaying the American flag. Perhaps if he were in Mexico, then that would be a sufficient reason, but he was in the US and we should not only be able to display the flag at all times, but we should never be prohibited from displaying it in our own country because some other group would be offended. I am a fairly liberal person, however, my feeling is that any person in this country who may be offended by our flag should not be permitted to be in this country. I would be satisfied if that were a reason for immediate deportation.

Capvin , you and I agree. This is America, the flag represents America and should be flown by all races if for anything more than a symbol of unity. Something the school should really be concerned with teaching about. A teachable moment.

Our little school had a bright idea once that it called all the non white kids out of class to a special assembly to ask them if they were being picked on. The kids said no they were not, the principle proceded to tell them how different they were from the white kids and that they needed to come tell him if someone was picking on them and he would deal with them severely. This was at the high school level.

 

[b.hromada]

So many times you see something like this on the internet and then find out that it is so preposterous that it can not be true. In this case, it is different, it really is true and I am left with the feeling that there are a lot of really dumb people in this world and some of them are attempting to teach our children. I read the reasoning put forth by the middle school authorities and it is dumb beyond belief. This young boy was not permitted to show the American flag because it might insult some others who may be from a different country or culture. Just dumb.

 

[redhen]

What really touched me was the kid breaking down. You could see how touched and proud he was with the support his fellow Americans showed him.
Folks can say all they want about our country,.. but its been proven time and time again,.. when the crap really hits the fan,.. Americans WILL come together.
Whomever raised that kid did a dam good job..

 

[cassie]

The good news is the school is belatedly doing the right thing. They are allowing the kid to fly his flag and are going after the kids that were causing the problem.

 

[chickened]

Tears of joy or tears of confusion? I think the latter, a boy who looks up to the school and trusts them shatters his trust and damages his image of his peers (the school). That is sad. I am hopng he was just overwhelmed by the support though. Poor little fellow you just want to reach in there and give him a hug.

 

[Gomes Bantams]

HEY PPL! thats my friend Cody!!!!!!! That news is still going around. PPL still give him cra* about that like calling him Flaggot and graffitiing his house Ill try extra hard to post pics of him with Me. BTW, It s in my HOME TOWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[deerman]

Capvin, sourland,

lady and mom'sfolly all on the same page.

add me to that page too........if anyone is offend by anyone flying our flag .....get the heck out of here

 

[shober]

Well just like a very great American said "If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen!" I can't imagine non U.S. citizens being offended by the flag of the nation that they are in! Both of my parents were WWII veterans and my brother served in Vietnam and it offends me when others are disrespectful to this country.

If those non citizens are offended they should just go back home and fly their own colors!!

 

[thaiturkey]

I don't understand what the fuss is about. During the years that I visited Florida, flags were commonly flown outside homes. National pride, so long as it doesn't extend to jingoism, is fine. Objecting to a flag on a bike is odd, unless there's more to the boy's story than has been made public. I saw nothing offensive about the US flag flying in the US and why should I?

In Thailand, many homes fly a small national flag and one of a selection showing respect to the Royal Family. I have never heard an expat. comment adversely on that.

My wife has been given the Union Flag, St. George of England flag and the Canadian flag for her restaurant. She awaits a gift of the US flag! The are discretely hung within the restaurant. A Thai customer suggested that we put them out by the road. I told him that I didn't want to offend anyone by flying foreign flags and he replied to the effect that Thai people don't worry about things like that. I think that's a very mature attitude.

I'm a little puzzled by some comments in this thread along the lines 'if you don't like it, leave the country'. Is this a gratuitous poke at foreigners or was it foreigners who objected to the flag?

 

[Royd]

So many times you see something like this on the internet and then find out that it is so preposterous that it can not be true. In this case, it is different, it really is true and I am left with the feeling that there are a lot of really dumb people in this world and some of them are attempting to teach our children. I read the reasoning put forth by the middle school authorities and it is dumb beyond belief. This young boy was not permitted to show the American flag because it might insult some others who may be from a different country or culture. Just dumb.

You and I should get together and have a couple of beers, on Cinco de Mayo.