Thread: Ruben Navarette Jr... AMERICAN kids are out of control

RUBEN NAVARRETTE JR.: Kids are out of control
Posted at 12:00 AM on Wednesday, May. 12, 2010
By Ruben Navarrette Jr.



SAN DIEGO -- I have no idea what five students at Live Oak High School in Morgan Hill have in mind by way of career plans, but they should take up acting. They're good at it.

First, these mischievous lads -- whom right-wing radio hosts have dubbed "The Morgan Hill Five" -- acted as patriots. One day, they just spontaneously got the urge to wear to school T-shirts adorned with American flags. The mood just happened to strike them on Cinco de Mayo.

Assistant Principal Miguel Rodriguez -- fearing that the boys' attire might provoke a violent response from Latino students who told reporters that they see the faux holiday as "their day" -- approached the youths and ordered them to either turn their T-shirts inside out or go home. The boys chose the latter -- and started acting like victims, insisting that the school was picking on them.

Then, when the story got national attention and the five teenagers were touted as heroes for standing their ground, they acted like defenders of the First Amendment. Considering that, according to other students, the boys aren't known to wear American flag shirts any other day of the year, maybe they were making a statement after all -- the kind you make to drivers who cut you off on the highway.

Finally, now that more details have surfaced, it looks like the boys have, all along, been acting like brats. While it's true that it is not the school district's policy to ask students to remove patriotic clothing, and Rodriguez is in hot water, it is also true that administrators at Live Oak High School asked students beforehand not to wear flag clothing on Cinco de Mayo -- any flags, of the United States, Mexico or Estonia. That's because there had been tensions last year, according to what a Morgan Hill school board trustee told The Associated Press.

Initially, I was prepared to argue that Rodriguez overreacted, that the boys' rights were trampled on, that the American flag shouldn't threaten anyone, and that there was something racist about the assumption that Mexican-American teenagers would react to the Stars and Stripes like a bull reacts to a red cape.

Then I heard the rest of the story -- no thanks, by the way, to those conservative commentators who are blowing this incident out of proportion because it fuels their narrative about how, due to changing demographics, white people are being overrun, the cultural apocalypse is at hand, the Mexican flag is overtaking the American flag, Spanish is drowning out English, etc.

The important thing to remember is that these five boys defied school authorities not once but twice. They wore the T-shirts to stick their fingers in the eyes of Mexican-American students and mock an ethnic celebration that they didn't feel had anything to do with them. They did this despite being told to practice restraint by administrators. And then when they were told to stand down, they refused.

Just whom do they think was in charge at that school -- the adults or the students? And, if the administrators give in to public pressure, then we should ask: Who really is in charge?

When I was in high school, and an administrator told me to do something or not to do something, I complied. I knew my parents wouldn't blindly take my side. It was more likely that I'd get another scolding when I got home -- or worse.

These days, many parents find it easier to defend their kids unconditionally than to raise them properly for the benefit of society. The result is a crop of defiant and narcissistic kids who demand attention and think that rules don't apply to them.

Consider 17-year-old Steve Consalvi, the high school senior who recently jumped onto the field during a major league baseball game in Philadelphia, and wound up being subdued by a police officer with a Taser. What's more startling -- that the officer used a stun gun, or that Consalvi ran onto the field in the first place?

The cultural right wants to cast the story about teenage boys who got in trouble for wearing flag T-shirts as evidence that Americans are losing control of their country. Actually, it's evidence of something more real and thus more troubling -- that many Americans have already lost control of their kids.


Ruben Navarrette Jr. is a columnist and editorial board member of the San Diego Union Tribune. His e-mail address is ruben.navarrette@uniontrib.com.


Read more: http://www.fresnobee.com/2010/05/11/192 ... z0njMciOQQ

Oh, puke. (Do we have an icon for that?)

How about the Hispanic kid that threw an American flag down on the street? Well behaved? Respectful of the country he lives in and collects benefits from? Heck no!

And those Mexicans that walked out of class to protest being "disrespected"? Who's in charge? The Mexican kids or the teachers?

Again, Ruben looking through his brown colored glasses.

Again this Ruben has a way of wasting paper.

He should be turned over to the Sierra club.

Mr. Navarrette;

I am writing because I take issue with wome of the comments in your article about the Morgan Hill 5. To quote your statements correctly.

" it looks like the boys have, all along, been acting like brats. While it's true that it is not the school district's policy to ask students to remove patriotic clothing, and Rodriguez is in hot water, it is also true that administrators at Live Oak High School asked students beforehand not to wear flag clothing on Cinco de Mayo -- any flags, of the United States, Mexico or Estonia"

To begin with, if it was my child, I don't care what any school administrator states, my child may wear a representation of the American flag at any time they wish. Schools generally don't have dress code policies, and I would not allow them to attend a school that would not allow the flag.

You also left out other reports, the ones that state these particular kids have flags sewn on their backpacks, and they wera patriotic clothing all year.

You also chose to leav eout all the pictures of Latino kids wearing clothes as a representation of the flag of Mexico, I could just as easily write the same propoganda by chaning the Flag wearing students to Latino students, it works both ways.

" That's because there had been tensions last year, according to what a Morgan Hill school board trustee told The Associated Press."

Of course there were tensions. I USED to go to Cinco De Mayo celebrations, but after the militant,throw it in your face attitudes by many Latinos, I don't go anymore. Now before you state it is a few, or show me the proof, it only takes 30 seconds on you tube to do it.

"there was something racist about the assumption that Mexican-American teenagers would react to the Stars and Stripes like a bull reacts to a red cape. "

Well, I don't know what to say, I can show you the video of Latino kids smacking away a flag on a persons truck, the Latino kids provoking a guy in a wheel chair. I can further show you video of May Day protestors trampling the American flag. Sir, it is not racist if it is true.

While I realize, you are writing an article with the main idea of being inflamatory, and your questions of who is in charge. I could make a few more comments, you have a Latino name, and you try to make the Morgan 5 to be little punks, yet, you do not ONCE mention the behavior of the Latino students disrupting traffic.

Not once do you mention the screaming from the Latino students

Not once do you deal with the issue of multiple Latino students with a single person in a wheelchair.

Not once do you deal with the Latino students trying to pick fights with people driving by.

You sir, as you try to throw out the race card, may want to look in the mirror. Americans are frustrated, and the word no longer has any meaning.

Originally Posted by sdbrit68

Mr. Navarrette;



I am writing because I take issue with wome of the comments in your article about the Morgan Hill 5. To quote your statements correctly.



" it looks like the boys have, all along, been acting like brats. While it's true that it is not the school district's policy to ask students to remove patriotic clothing, and Rodriguez is in hot water, it is also true that administrators at Live Oak High School asked students beforehand not to wear flag clothing on Cinco de Mayo -- any flags, of the United States, Mexico or Estonia"



To begin with, if it was my child, I don't care what any school administrator states, my child may wear a representation of the American flag at any time they wish. Schools generally don't have dress code policies, and I would not allow them to attend a school that would not allow the flag.



You also left out other reports, the ones that state these particular kids have flags sewn on their backpacks, and they wera patriotic clothing all year.



You also chose to leav eout all the pictures of Latino kids wearing clothes as a representation of the flag of Mexico, I could just as easily write the same propoganda by chaning the Flag wearing students to Latino students, it works both ways.





" That's because there had been tensions last year, according to what a Morgan Hill school board trustee told The Associated Press."



Of course there were tensions. I USED to go to Cinco De Mayo celebrations, but after the militant,throw it in your face attitudes by many Latinos, I don't go anymore. Now before you state it is a few, or show me the proof, it only takes 30 seconds on you tube to do it.



"there was something racist about the assumption that Mexican-American teenagers would react to the Stars and Stripes like a bull reacts to a red cape. "





Well, I don't know what to say, I can show you the video of Latino kids smacking away a flag on a persons truck, the Latino kids provoking a guy in a wheel chair. I can further show you video of May Day protestors trampling the American flag. Sir, it is not racist if it is true.



While I realize, you are writing an article with the main idea of being inflamatory, and your questions of who is in charge. I could make a few more comments, you have a Latino name, and you try to make the Morgan 5 to be little punks, yet, you do not ONCE mention the behavior of the Latino students disrupting traffic.



Not once do you mention the screaming from the Latino students

Not once do you deal with the issue of multiple Latino students with a single person in a wheelchair.

Not once do you deal with the Latino students trying to pick fights with people driving by.



You sir, as you try to nthrow out the race card, may want to look in the mirror. Americans are frustrated, and the word no longer has any meaning.

You did it again, SD - excellent!

All anchor babies are deemed "citizens"; and therefore, "American kids". Yet, Navarrette does not consider them "American kids" - he is only referring to the white American kids. Americans come in all colors.

Mr. Navarrette has it all wrong. It should be American Kids are taking back Control. Maybe Mr. Navarrette should visit more schools or talk to kids. I don't mean the illegal immigrants, I mean the American kids. They are the ones that have been bullied and seen all of their rights as American's taken away. This in your face attitude by Hispanic's is growing thin. How many times have I heard kids complain and when I have said stand up for your rights, it is always the same answer. If you fight one you have to fight them all. Right or wrong didn't matter.

We were always PC the Hispanics of our time were the hard working immigrants, but a lot of this new generation illegals and anchor babies are arrogant and plain mean. Our children have had to deal with them and are getting tired. They are learning that they are not alone and more and more of them are banding together to take back their rights. I have wittnessed this is in the small town I live in.

I drive by the local High School everyday and what I saw on Cinco De Mayo was a parking lot full of red, white and blue flying proudly. Kids cruised the streets after school with their flags flying. No fights or demostrations broke out. Why, because the kids here have learned and have sent out the message clear and loudly that you take on one you take on all.

So, no Mr. Navarrette, our kids are not out of control; they are simply taking back control.

The school official caused this tension. When Latino students complained about the boys with U.S. flag shirts they should have been given a dose of reality.
Reality is that this is still a free country. The boys have just as much right to display their national pride as Mexicans have to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. When stupid school officials take sides against American flags--trouble results.

I just registered and then posted this:

"it is also true that administrators at Live Oak High School asked students beforehand not to wear flag clothing on Cinco de Mayo -- any flags, of the United States, Mexico or Estonia"

So the five students who disobeyed and wore American Flags deserved to be singled out but nothing needed be done to the more than 100 students who ALSO disobeyed by wearing the Mexican Flag? Typical BS logic that Ruben seems to always subscribe to.

I sure wish every true American would cancel their subscription to these anti-American newspapers. You can get balanced pro-Americans news from the Washington Times online.