Sending Wrong Message

The school in Oceanside, California, has lifted the ban on flags, which included a ban on the American flag.

But the principal says he stands by his original decision. He says the point of the flag ban two days ago was to get rid of the Mexican flag displayed by Mexican-American and Mexican-immigrant kids which was causing the American kids to defiantly fly and wear the American flag.

That was leading to conflict, which was about to lead to violence. This was no small matter. Eighty cops were called to the high school as the kids were about to go into prison riot mode.

However, the school made a mistake banning the American flag, because banning it turned the American flag into gang colors — same as if it were the Bloods and the Crips — and no American can stand for that.

But beyond that, the decision told Mexican kids that it was OK for them to be insulted by the American flag, that it was OK to regard the display of American flags and American colors as a taunt, a challenge, an invitation to fight.

If the American kids — and by that description I assume most of those kids were white — if the American kids were using our flag to taunt Mexican kids, that's bad.

But if the Mexican illegal immigrant kids really do want to be American citizens, they are just going to have to get over feeling they are taunted if they see an American flag. School principals shouldn't haul down the flag because a 14 year old says he or she feels affronted, especially in a town that is home to the U.S. Marine Corps at nearby Camp Pendleton. Young Marines are dying for that flag.

Mr. Principal, show some cojones.

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