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Thread: American athlete under fire for carrying Mexican flag

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  1. #1
    Senior Member JohnDoe2's Avatar
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    American athlete under fire for carrying Mexican flag

    American athlete under fire for carrying Mexican flag

    2012-08-10T10:11:27
    The Associated Press
    37 minutes ago


    A U.S. athlete is under fire by some in the Mexican-American community for carrying a Mexican flag after winning a silver medal in the 1,500 meters.

    Leo Manzano, a Mexican immigrant who became the first American man to win a medal in the metric mile since 1968, draped himself in the flags of both his countries after his race at Olympic Stadium. That decision earned some cheers, but mostly jeers from Mexican-Americans.

    Ruben Navarrette Jr., a CNN contributor and Washington Post Group writer, was among those criticizing the flag choice. Manzano competes for the United States, not Mexico, he wrote. Why would he carry a flag of the country his parents left when he was four years old?

    Some people will insist that this is Manzano's choice to make, that it was his sweat and sacrifice that got him to London, and this was his victory to celebrate however he saw fit. Those people are wrong.

    They're focused on the individual. But the last thing the Olympics is about is the individual.

    It's about being part of a team -- the U.S. Olympic team. It's about national pride, not ego. Manzano wasn't there to compete for himself but to represent his country. All he had to do was decide which country that was. He chose not to choose.

    What am I missing? Where were the Italian-American athletes waving the Italian flag, or the Irish-Americans waving the Irish flag? I didn't see that.

    The last one is the money quote. We all come from somewhere. Not everyone is an immigrant, but every Olympian has roots. But did you see Danell Leyva holding a Cuban flag at his medal ceremony? Or Michael Phelps carrying a Union Jack because he has English blood in his ancestry?

    I talked to a friend with a Mexican background and she was vehemently against Manzano's action. "It's fine to be proud of your roots," she said, "but not in this context."

    At least Manzano wears the red, white and blue. To me, it's even more offensive when athletes who live, train and hold citizenship here make the choice to compete for other countries because it makes for an easier path to the Olympics. To take one example: Milorad Cavic, the man who nearly beat Michael Phelps in the 100 fly in Beijing, was born and raised in the United States but made the choice early in his life to swim for Serbia, where he holds dual citizenship.

    A poll on the CBS Atlanta website showed that 83 percent of respondents think Manzano shouldn't have carried the Mexican flag. I believe it's more complicated than a yes or no answer, but can't disagree. Athletes with dual citizenships are naturally going to have competing loyalties and mixed feelings. Yet when they step to the starting line with a USA on their chest, there should be no confusion.

    American athlete under fire for carrying Mexican flag
    NO AMNESTY

    Don't reward the criminal actions of millions of illegal aliens by giving them citizenship.


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    Senior Member SicNTiredInSoCal's Avatar
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    I saw this on Yahoo, but the teaser didn't say what flag from what country. I should have known it would be from that cesspool mexico!
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    Senior Member JohnDoe2's Avatar
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    If you're really that proud to be Mexican you need to go live in Mexico and live that great Mexican heritage all day every day and wear their uniform in the Olympics.
    NO AMNESTY

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    Senior Member JohnDoe2's Avatar
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    Former Undocumented Immigrant Leo Manzano Wins Silver Medal for U.S.

    by Jorge Rivas, Wednesday, August 8 2012, 9:41 AM EST

    On Tuesday, Mexican-born American runner Leo Manzano won a silver medal in the men’s 1,500-meter final, running the fastest time ever by a U.S. athlete at the Games. Manzano, 27, entered the U.S. at the age of 4 without papers, according to LetsRun. He didn’t gain legal residency until 10 years later.

    “Silver medal, still felt like I won! Representing two countries USA and Mexico!”, Manzano tweeted shortly after his win. Most of his tweets throughout the Olympics have been in both Spanish and English.

    “I am honored and excited to represent both the United States and Mexico by earning this silver,” Manzano told the Associated Press.

    “Standing on the podium has been a dream of mine and I share it proudly with my family, friends, coaches and all my supporters from Austin, Marble Falls, and Granite Shoals, Texas as well as Dolores Hidalgo, Mexico.”

    On the track Manzano celebrated with the U.S. flag and the Mexican flag.

    “I’m really excited, so thrilled and so pumped. It was an insane race. It was probably the toughest race physically and mentally that I’ve ever been in,” Manzano said in a statement.

    Manzano’s father Jesus gained legal residency under the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act, but it would take 10 years for the rest of the family to gain legal residency,
    according to Heather Jelen at the National Immigration Forum.

    Leo Manzano became a citizen in 2004 and also represented the U.S. in the 2008 Olympics.

    Manzano is also the first in his family to graduate from high school. He landed a track scholarship to the University of Texas, where he became a five-time NCAA champion and an 11-time NCAA All-American. He graduated with degrees in Spanish and Portuguese, and a minor in business.

    Lastly, Manzano has a pre-game ritual which is interesting to say the least. Take a look for yourself (@ link) and please do comment below if you know anything about it.

    Former Undocumented Immigrant Leo Manzano Wins Silver Medal for U.S. - COLORLINES
    NO AMNESTY

    Don't reward the criminal actions of millions of illegal aliens by giving them citizenship.


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  5. #5
    Senior Member TexasBorn's Avatar
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    No surprises here. You don't display the flag of another country, especially in an event like the Olympics where country means everything! Some argue that he is also from Mexico so why not fly that flag as well? That logic doesn't fly since he has basically known no other country but the U.S. since coming here at the age of 4. If he hasn't pledged full allegiance by now, when will he?? We all see this crap every day, Mexicans, both illegal and legal, here in the U.S. flying the Mexican flag. It's WRONG and disrespectful to this country. I am of German descent but don't fly a German flag. Never even considered it!
    ...I call on you in the name of Liberty, of patriotism & everything dear to the American character, to come to our aid...

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    Letter From The Alamo Feb 24, 1836

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    Senior Member Kiara's Avatar
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    He didn't realize how insulting this would be to America? Does the guy have a brain or what?

  7. #7
    Senior Member TexasBorn's Avatar
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    QUOTE=Kiara;1297635]He didn't realize how insulting this would be to America? Does the guy have a brain or what?[/QUOTE]

    Kiara, maybe he just has an agenda.
    ...I call on you in the name of Liberty, of patriotism & everything dear to the American character, to come to our aid...

    William Barret Travis
    Letter From The Alamo Feb 24, 1836

  8. #8
    Senior Member ReggieMay's Avatar
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    Oath of citizenship:

    I hereby declare, on oath,

    • that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen;
    "A Nation of sheep will beget a government of Wolves" -Edward R. Murrow

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  9. #9
    Senior Member HAPPY2BME's Avatar
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    ADDED TO ALIPAC HOMEPAGE News with amended title ..

    http://www.alipac.us/content.php?r=8...g-Mexican-flag
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  10. #10
    Senior Member partwerks's Avatar
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    Arrogant and bull headed, just like the rest of them.

    You owe me mentality.

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