Thread: Student tears Mexican flag; suspect remains at large

Student tears Mexican flag; suspect remains at large
Jeremy Hunt
Issue date: 9/19/07 Section: News

by Jeremy Hunt

Daily Lobo



A student took down a Mexican flag from a flagpole outside Scholes Hall Monday, tore it and took it to the Air Force ROTC office, police said.

A summons was issued for Peter Lynch, 30, by the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court for criminal damage to property, said Lt. Pat Davis, spokesman for UNM Police.

Davis said Lynch is not a member of ROTC, and it is unclear why he took the flag to that office.

Lynch has not been charged because UNMPD cannot find him,

Davis said.

UNMPD investigated the vandalism as a potential hate crime, but witnesses from the ROTC office told police it was not a racially motivated crime, Davis said.

"He was frustrated a foreign flag was flown without an American flag nearby," he said. "We're basically investigating it on witness statements."

The Mexican Student Association raised the flag outside Scholes Hall on Friday for Mexican Independence Day, said Cheo Torres, vice president for academic

affairs.

Mabel Gonzales, president of the Mexican Student Association, declined to comment.

Torres and interim vice president for institutional diversity Rita Martinez-Purson issued an apology Tuesday from the

University for the incident.

"This sort of incident hurts everyone," Torres said. "It's something that you don't expect to see at a place like the University of New Mexico where we celebrate

diversity."

Martinez-Purson said the incident caught her off-guard, as well.

"I don't think anything really prepares you for this type of vindictive behavior," she said. "Obviously, we need to have strong dialog across campus about respect for other people and their cultures."

Whether the vandalism was racially motivated or not, it was offensive, especially to the Hispanic community, Martinez-Purson said.

"There's still an impact that has to be dealt with," she said. "He did insult them. His thoughtless behavior had consequences."

The University won't tolerate that kind of behavior, President David Schmidly said.

"It's inexcusable to desecrate a flag," he said. "I'm not going to be very pleasant to deal with on

this issue."

What makes the situation worse is that it was a Mexican flag, Schmidly said.

"For God's sake, New Mexico was part of Mexico at one time," he said. "There's tremendous ties, and we have a large population of Hispanics that live in our state and many of them have relatives and connections to Mexico."

http://media.www.dailylobo.com

But this wasn't a hate crime?

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I am beyond sick of this. Illegals can burn our flag under freedom of speech? They can stomp on our flag? But he might be charged with a hate crime? Talk about a double standard.

It's inexcusable to desecrate a flag," he said. "I'm not going to be very pleasant to deal with on this issue."

Ok so if your so into doing whats right why wasn't an American flag also above the Mexican flag! American aren't going to be too pleasant to deal with if this desecration to our flag and our rights doesn't stop!!!

I'm offended. I should sue the Mexican Student Association for flying that flag imporperly and in disrepsect of my country.

I'm offended!!!!!!!!! They were wrong and I'm offended.

Celebrate Mexican Independence in Mexico! We don't go to Mexico and Celebrate 4th of July!!!!!!!!!

Where's the ACLU when I need them?

Dixie

Originally Posted by Dixie

I'm offended. I should sue the Mexican Student Association for flying that flag imporperly and in disrepsect of my country.

I'm offended!!!!!!!!! They were wrong and I'm offended.

Celebrate Mexican Independence in Mexico! We don't go to Mexico and Celebrate 4th of July!!!!!!!!!

Where's the ACLU when I need them?

Dixie

Amen. Recently Chicago had a parade to celebrate Mexican Independence and I kept thinking WHY? Mexico doesn't celebrate July 4th in their country I am sick and tired of the PC BS.

Originally Posted by Nicole

I am beyond sick of this. Illegals can burn our flag under freedom of speech? They can stomp on our flag? But he might be charged with a hate crime? Talk about a double standard.

Remember when the cry was, "criminals have more rights then victims?"

Now it is "illegals have more rights then Americans."

That is, unless the criminal is an alien, then they fight twice as hard for THEM.

Originally Posted by Dixie

I'm offended. I should sue the Mexican Student Association for flying that flag imporperly and in disrepsect of my country.

I'm offended!!!!!!!!! They were wrong and I'm offended.

Celebrate Mexican Independence in Mexico! We don't go to Mexico and Celebrate 4th of July!!!!!!!!!

Where's the ACLU when I need them?
Dixie

Dixie,

Do you think the ACLU will really step in? They would if it were an American flag. It will be interesting to see. I am not so optimistic that they will.

Mexican flag shouldn't fly without U.S. flag present
Issue date: 9/21/07 Section: Opinion
PrintEmail DoubleClick Any Word Page 1 of 1 Editor,

While it is unfortunate that the individual cited in the story published in the Daily Lobo on Wednesday tore a flag, in proper journalism the background should have been explored. If there was no U.S. flag flying in the vicinity, the Mexican flag should not have been allowed to be hoisted and, depending on etiquette, position and simultaneous raising may have been appropriate. In watching a drum corps visiting from Mexico in Socorro last week, the city and the visitors also practiced poor U.S. flag etiquette by using a draping of a U.S. flag and raising the Mexican flag above the U.S. flag. While it may be popular to fly the Mexican flag here, New Mexico became part of the U.S. in 1912. Proper flag etiquette, especially in civil ceremonies and in public places, is the norm and not the exception.

It is interesting to note the two veteran UNM administrators quoted in the highly biased article, which did not cite or explore proper flag etiquette. Before reporting in a biased manner and becoming a puppet of UNM administration, perhaps you might consider the character and behaviors of your administrative sources as well as allowed breaches of etiquette in flag display, which are erroneously described as possible hate crimes.



Richard J. Willis

Daily Lobo reader