School systems often seem to live in a bureaucratic mirror universe, where logic and reason have no meaning. Here’s a perfect example. Skyline High School in Colorado is banning the American flag because they’re afraid it might incide violence. They’re actually hassling students over t-shirts and flags inside cars. And some other schools are now doing the same thing. That’s quite possibly the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard of. This is exactly the wrong lesson for kids to be learning.
Yeah now that’s just ridiculous. No matter what a student thinks about the current administration, the flag doesn’t stand for Bush or anyone for that matter, but for an ideal of the Federal Union, freedom, all that.
You can love America without loving the administration. That very freedom is what the flag represents.
Just read the second article you posted. I love that one! Especiall this line:
“We should be thrilled that our students — whether American or immigrant — are arguing about the propriety of legislation before the Congress.”
It is my understanding that this was a result of some sort of violence between the two groups. The school banned all flags so not to have any more hostility, just not ours.
And of course they took it too far like they usually do.
What I am not seeing from mass media about this situation from a macro sense is this isn’t about being anti-immigration or racist like the open borders side is portraying it.
This is about being anti-illegal alien or anti-undocumented worker for the PC folks.
One question: Does the school itself displays the american flag?
If people do not want the American flag to be displayed in this country, then they should go back to the country they came from and live in the poor conditions, lack of human rights, lack of jobs, and lack freedom.
Read the linked articles. It’s not about banning displaying of flags, though there guidelines for displaying the american flag. It was the school, a public institution banning the display of flags by students in the interest of containing violence. There aren’t any “people” involved in the situation.
You said it yourself Pat, a public institution had to put a band on displaying the flag in order to contain violence, it should not have been necessary to begin with.
Yeah it’s pretty sad.
Let me just stoke the fires here.
It seems that we’re all in kind of in agreement that banning of flags is stupid and is a complete encroachement on free speech. The rationale used is that the brandishing of flags tends to incite violence.
That said, even though I think their message and means are totally inappropriate, can one really justify the proposed ban on funeral protests?(recently posted about here).
Yes it is justify to proposed ban on a funeral protests:
1. A funeral is not a public place, it is a family event
2. There are other places to protest against a war that are more appropriate.
3. Protesting at a funeral shows disrespect to the loss person and their families.
4. A funeral is really for the family and friends left behind. A funeral serves as tool for people to deal with the loss.
One more to the list.
Yes it is justify to proposed ban on a funeral protests:
1. A funeral is not a public place, it is a family event
2. There are other places to protest against a war that are more appropriate.
3. Protesting at a funeral shows disrespect to the loss person and their families.
4. A funeral is really for the family and friends left behind. A funeral serves as tool for people to deal with the loss.
5. A protest at a funeral interferes with peoples ability to deal with the loss.
All true indeed.
I agree totally that it’s inappropriate, and shows a total lack of consideration for other people.
Now, the flip side, begin ACLU talk.
They were protesting OUTSIDE the funeral home, which is as public an area as any. Additionally having the right to grieve is not protected under the constitution, where free speech is, except in the case where exercising it could directly harm or kill someone (ie. shouting “fire in a crowded theater”).
Additionally the government is not permitted to pass laws forcing people to be polite. The exception to that is that it’s permitted at the will of the people (supposedly), such that if a community deems certain behavior unacceptable they may pass laws against it. Vulgarity is thereby defined by the community, and only then can the government regulate it (ie. Red light districts).
The key issue is this: If you’re going to continue to allow students to bring flags to school, you have to acknowledge that funeral protesters, no matter how appropriate, may just have the same right, especially since the argument has been that their presence may incite violence.
And around and around we go !
I agree. Solutions are never simple. Government is often forced to walk a fine line when it comes to legislate decency. If everyone knew how to behave themselves, there’d be no need for government at all!
Personally, I’d prefer to have the liberties and freedoms, as I think we all would. With that though, there has to be a realization that people will often bend that freedom until it borders on the boundaries of decency.
I really don’t think allowing minors to bring flags to schools for the purpose of protesting each other is/should be protected under the constitution. They are for the most part not responsible for their own actions, at least not legally. You had two groups of individuals chanting and yelling at each other each other, which is common in your typical protest. But all it would take is for the school administration to allow it and have one shove or one punch thrown and then it gets out of hand. Then everyone would come down hard on the administration for allowing it to happen, along with more possible violence later with the tension between the groups being higher. Schools don’t have the security/police staff standing by to make sure that the protests are peaceful, nor should they. Was the school administration a little heavy handed with banning all items showing flags, yeah probably. But high school students while enjoying the freedoms that come with living here do not have the responsibility that those rights come with. In a year to a few years all of these students will be adults and will be able to protest whatever they want to their hearts content.
The funeral protesters are intentionally trying to be hurtful and inflammatory. If I was attending a funeral for a close friend or family member and there were protesters carrying placards saying “Thank God for EIDs” or “Fag Soldier in Hell” I think I might have to voice my own freedom of speech and it wouldn’t involve carrying a sign.
Shouting fire in a crowed theater indeed.
Here is a websight about the Westboro Babtist Church that protested at funeral in Westminster. It is amazing that people will follow a nutcase. Take note that most of the people in the group are related or married into it.
Here is a websight about the Westboro Babtist Church that protested at funeral in Westminster. It is amazing that people will follow a nutcase. Take note that most of the people in the group are related or married into it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westboro_Baptist_Church
Mike brings up a good point. Schools are entreated to act as “local parentis” when the kids are there, literally meaning in the abscence of parents. You can’t take you mom to court for telling you not to swear, similarly schools can have tighter policies in regards to free speech.
You’ll notice too that their policies about marrying outside the “church” if forbidden, leading to incestuous relations.
Putting the fun back in fundamentalism!!
today i was approached by my landlord telling me he’s from canada and he didn’t like me having an AMERICAN FLAG on my front door of a apartment complex. so i told him if he doesn’t like it move back to canada ! ! ! the landlord told me that people find the flag offensive, i responded the flag was put up for veterans day and because alot of men gave their lives for the freedom that we have in this country, landlords responce was people are dying in other countries too…
i replyed but i live in the UNITED STATES not somewhere else… i told the landlord that i would take it down, gave him a dirty look !!!
so i’m writting this to see if anyone can help with some guidence on how to handle this matter !!!