My Thoughs About Live Oak High School, Cinco de Mayo, and The American Flag

As you may know by now, students at Live Oak High School in Morgan Hill, California were sent home from school for wearing clothing decorated with the American Flag, as well as red, white and blue colored clothing. They did so on Cinco de Mayo, which has offended some Hispanics and caused yet another firestorm of debate over immigration and the place of Hispanics in America.

The disciplined students (those wearing the American flag) said that they were simply attempting to show their patriotism.

Some Hispanic students, including one named Annicia Nunez, had different opinions.

When asked, Miss Nunez said this about the issue:

"I think they should apologize cause it is a Mexican Heritage Day. We don't deserve to be get disrespected like that. We wouldn't do that on Fourth of July."

Since that time, about 200 Hispanic teens are reported to have marched to the school district headquarters just north of Tennant Avenue in Morgan Hill. When they arrived, they were told to leave. The students say they want people to know that they are proud of their heritage and they believe wearing red, white and blue on Cinco de Mayo is disrespectful.

"We did this to support the Latino-Hispanic community," said Francine Roa, who graduated from Live Oak in 2005. She brought her 2-year-old son, Elias Martinez, on the march.

I have something to say to the students who are complaining about the red, white and blue clothing, as well as to everyone who marched in Morgan Hill in protest of these students and their desire to display American patriotism.

Shut the hell up.

If you don't like people wearing red, white, and blue clothing, or clothing with the American flag on it, regardless of what day it is, you live in the wrong nation.

This is America, and you need to respect America first.

I get it that you are of Mexican descent. Fine. I understand you have pride in your heritage. Fine. Wear your red, white, and green, and be proud. More power to you. Be proud of the land from which your ancestors came. That's very important. On May 5th I'll gladly drink a Dos Equis in your honor, and if you're old enough I'd be honored to drink one with you as you celebrate Cinco de Mayo and your heritage.

But if you are American, there should be nothing more important to you than being exactly that - American.

Your family came here for a reason - to give you a better opportunity.

Your family came here so that you would have the right to wear red, white, and green in the land of red, white, and blue and not be persecuted for it.

In some nations you would be jailed, tortured, or possibly killed for speaking out against the nation in which you live.

Yet here in America you have the right to wear whatever you'd like, say whatever you'd like about our government (short of threatening leadership or planning a coup), and act in whatever way you feel is appropriate as long as you are not breaking the law.

And if you are not American (and therefore you are an illegal alien), but have been blessed to make it to America alive and are enjoying the fruits of this blessed land, then you - even more than your American friends of Hispanic descent - need to sit down, shut up, and be grateful for the blessings you have today.

America is an incredibly kind and giving nation, as you should know very well by now. The American government could (and has every legal right to) round you up like cattle and herd you back across the border, build a gigantic wall, and not given a moment's thought about whether you live or die.

But that's not who we are. We are the land of immigrants, the greatest political and social experiment in the history of mankind.

Because we are exactly that - the greatest nation on Earth - we will, in due time and after proper process, find a way to absorb the majority of you into our family and accept you as Americans.

You will then be entitled to equal justice, which in the big scheme of things is one of the greatest blessings... ever.

In the mean time, however, please understand that it is America, her people, and her traditions that deserve your respect.

So please... whether you are American or immigrant - put on some red, white, and blue, pledge allegiance to the most beautiful flag in the world, and be grateful for all that you have.

More information can be found at Gateway Pundit, and there's plenty more discussion at Left Coast Rebel and Memeorandum.