Posted on 03/30/2006 11:38:23 PM PST by beaversmom
Tensions over immigration reform heightened in the Phoenix area's East Valley Thursday when students raised a Mexican flag over Apache Junction High School — and then other students yanked it down and burned it. "I know (they) shouldn't have burned the Mexican flag," said Jacob Stewart, a 16-year-old sophomore. "I heard it was raised above the American flag and that just irked me."
He said the turbulence was tied to debates going on in the state Legislature and Congress, where ideas ranging from offering illegal immigrants a chance at citizenship to making them felons are being floated.
Freshman Chelsea Garcia, 15, and junior Brittany Ramage, 16, said the unrest had more to do with long-running racial tensions at the school.
The week's events might have sparked some anger, Ramage said, "but kids aren't too deep about that stuff."
The Hispanic student who brought the Mexican flag said he was responding to a remark directed at him Wednesday. The flag-raising, flag-burning, and shoving match that followed happened before most students arrived at school.
Six students — three Hispanic and three white — will be disciplined, Principal Chad Wilson said.
Officials with the Apache Junction Unified School District would not specify what punishment the six face.
Wilson did say in a letter sent home to parents that there would be "increased supervision, including additional police officers, on the campus over the next couple of days."
School flagpoles have been lightning rods across the country this week, including an incident in which a Houston high-school principal was disciplined after he flew a Mexican flag underneath his campus' U.S. and state flags.
A new political awareness among students has also been grabbing attention, as thousands have walked out on classes to join rallies in Phoenix and elsewhere. More than 100 students from Mesa's Carson Junior High and Westwood High schools marched in protest on Mesa streets Tuesday.
Social justice is sometimes a very loaded word. It means different things to different people. Even in Catholic circles it has been misused. The excesses of the Liberation Theolgy movement is a prime example. But that being said, I don't want charitable organizations and churches criminalized for certain actions. So yeah if a Priest brings the Sacraments to some illegals of course I dont want that to be illegal. Neither do I want other such actions as making sure they have proper health care if there sick. A church does that
R-i-i-i-g-h-t. Just like 'cooler heads' started the American Revolution. Apathy wins neither battles nor wars.
This has already proved a strawman argument. HR 4437 does not target charities or churches engaging in legitimate charity or providing communion. It only prosecutes the knowing aiding-and-abetting of illegal immigration. Next baloney sandwich, please.
No, the tension that could possibly cause a french/muslim style riot is.
That was in response to a post where the Catholic Church was accused of aiding and abetting illegal aliens. Since that had a criminal aspect I just wanted to address it.
Apparently, his kid was arrested by AJ Police and was held in detention in Florence all day yesterday. CHarged with Arson. It took all of their savings to get a retainer for an atty.
It gets better. The family is now getting death threats. They were informed by police that there are those trying to find out where the family lives, and are going after them. AJ police stated to the father, there is nothing they can do about it, until someone actually shows up on their property.
Also, there was another kid from the school (Rod, who said he was a "future" Marine) read that letter from the school, forbiding any kid to wear any article of clothing resembling or representing a flag, no matter what country it represents.
He said emphatically, that he *will* wear the US Flag to school Monday.
Apparently this flag burning was near the ROTC table.
My respect for the kids in AJ have grown a hundred fold!
My respect for the kids in AJ have grown a hundred fold!
You are NOT the only one!!!
Bet they'd be safe wearing the UN Flag.
Saw it, thanks!
Talk about spineless administrators...
HA! Would love to see the face on that &*#@ principal's face with that one!
That would be a "gotcha!"
Thanks, archy. I hadn't heard that.
I heard that same radio show and there are more details. This happened before school started. The Mexican kids had brought a Mexican flag to work and ran it up the ROTC flagpole. Some ROTC students went over and asked them to take it down but they wouldn't. So the ROTC guys ran it down, removed it, and gave it back to the Mexicans. As soon as they left, the Mexicans ran it back up the flagpole again. That's when the ROTC kids took it down and burned it, and the scuffling started.
The dad said that his son has been in ROTC for 3 years and is proud of it, planning to be a military officer. Said that the AJ PD decided to make an example of him so charged him with two felony counts - arson and something like interfering with an educational institution.
Since the dad used all of his savings to retain an attorney, I would expect that the radio station would be trying to set up a fund to help defray his costs. If so, Freepers can check back at www.kfyi.com periodically to see if that fund is available.
This makes me angry and I hope the kid is exonerated because in my opinion he and his friends are heroes.
Barbara Frietchie
UP from the meadows rich with corn,
Clear in the cool September morn,
The clustered spires of Frederick stand
Green-walled by the hills of Maryland.
Round about them orchards sweep,
Apple and peach tree fruited deep,
Fair as a garden of the Lord
To the eyes of the famished rebel horde,
On that pleasant morn of the early fall
When Lee marched over the mountain wall,—
Over the mountains winding down,
Horse and foot, into Frederick town.
Forty flags with their silver stars,
Forty flags with their crimson bars,
Flapped in the morning wind: the sun
Of noon looked down, and saw not one.
Up rose old Barbara Frietchie then,
Bowed with her fourscore years and ten;
Bravest of all in Frederick town,
She took up the flag the men hauled down;
In her attic-window the staff she set,
To show that one heart was loyal yet.
Up the street came the rebel tread,
Stonewall Jackson riding ahead.
Under his slouched hat left and right
He glanced: the old flag met his sight.
"Halt!"—the dust-brown ranks stood fast,
"Fire!"—out blazed the rifle-blast.
It shivered the window, pane and sash;
It rent the banner with seam and gash.
Quick, as it fell, from the broken staff
Dame Barbara snatched the silken scarf;
She leaned far out on the window-sill,
And shook it forth with a royal will.
"Shoot, if you must, this old gray head,
But spare your country's flag," she said.
A shade of sadness, a blush of shame,
Over the face of the leader came;
The nobler nature within him stirred
To life at that woman's deed and word:
"Who touches a hair of yon gray head
Dies like a dog! March on!" he said.
All day long through Frederick street
Sounded the tread of marching feet:
All day long that free flag tost
Over the heads of the rebel host.
Ever its torn folds rose and fell
On the loyal winds that loved it well;
And through the hill-gaps sunset light
Shone over it with a warm good-night.
Barbara Frietchie's work is o'er,
And the Rebel rides on his raids no more.
Honor to her! and let a tear
Fall, for her sake, on Stonewall's bier.
Over Barbara Frietchie's grave,
Flag of Freedom and Union, wave!
Peace and order and beauty draw
Round thy symbol of light and law;
And ever the stars above look down
On thy stars below in Frederick town!
Unbelievable!!! Other than hearing that "a few" students in CA had truant officers after them, I haven't heard much about any consequences for the ANARCHISTS for skipping school, blocking traffic, improperly displaying the American flag, etc. etc.
Thanks, T.
This makes me angry and I hope the kid is exonerated because in my opinion he and his friends are heroes.
I believe many here of FR will agree with you that they are heroes. They have more friends than they know!
Good idea about keeping tabs on
We'll keep checking if a legal defense fund arises!
That is disgusting, sick, and wrong. I woke up in a foreign country, did I?
Doubtless there are some in the Catholic Church aiding and abetting. That has nothing to do with legitimate charity work or legitimate offering of religious services. Neither of those are criminalized under HR 4437. That is a pure work of fiction conjured up as a strawman to scare Catholics into opposing the legislation.
It's getting to the point that we have to really wonder about that.
Mel Gibson was right!
"POLITICAL CORRECTNESS IS INTELLECTUAL TERRORISM!"
...and it's getting worse that that.
Just ask those AJ kids about their principal.
Hmmmm....dead silence from the ACLU on this matter....
/loud crickets
I am just so tired of the double standard going on in this country.
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