Have you ever been so furious that you wanted to do something, but there was nothing you could do that would take care of whatever it was that made you furious? Because there was nothing you could do that would do any good, you felt like punching a wall. You knew that wouldn't solve anything, but you thought it might make you feel better. Then you realized that it would not make you feel better; it would just make your hand hurt. You wanted to scream but knew that wouldn't help either. Finally, you just wanted to say to yourself, "Heck with it. I don't even care anymore." Of course, you knew that you really did still care, but convincing yourself that you didn't was the only way you could think of to deal with the anger.
Have you ever been there? Well, that's were I am right now. And no, I'm not writing this as some sort of a self-therapy. I'm writing this because, although screaming won't help, if enough like-minded individuals speak out, loud and clear, that might help.
Yesterday,
it was reported that on Wednesday a group of students at Live Oak High School in Morgan Hill, California, just south of San Jose, were sent home for refusing to turn their American flag T-shirts inside out.
Wednesday was Cinco de Mayo, and according to the report, the students were told by school officials that "today is sensitive to Mexican-Americans because it's supposed to be their holiday," so the students were not allowed to wear their American flag T-shirts on that day.
Wait a minute. THIS IS THE UNITED STATES! Since when do we celebrate foreign holidays in the United States?
The students were told that the American flag T-shirts were "incendiary" and that they "would lead to fights on campus." Ok, it
is part of the school administration's job to prevent fights and to protect students' safety. But here's an idea: If anyone starts a fight with a student because that student is wearing an AMERICAN flag T-shirt in an AMERICAN school, how about punishing the one who started the fight?
One student at Live Oak, Annicia Nunezhad, said the boys who wore the American flag T-shirts should apologize. "I think they should apologize cause it is a Mexican Heritage Day. We don't deserve to be get [
sic] disrespected like that. We wouldn't do that on Fourth of July."
Wait another minute. I have to repeat this: THIS IS THE UNITED STATES! If we ever start trying to force Mexico to recognize the Fourth of July, and you, Miss Nunezhad, happen to be in Mexico on that day, then go ahead and wear your Mexican T-shirt. Wear the entire Mexican flag for all I care. But THIS IS THE UNITED STATES!
There, I feel better. Not much, but a little.
