US Olympic athlete with Mexican flag

[Robinrs]

Because people disagree with something means their "knickers are in a knot"? It would be a boring world if we all agreed with everything everyone did.

Disagreeing and knickers in a knot are two different things. I think the OP was referring to the FB response which was over the top angry.

The man is an American athlete who is proud of his heritage. So what? Why do some Americans think that anything that is not ALL them is ANTI them???? The only true Americans got ripped off for $24!

 

[Princess Dolly]

Disagreeing and knickers in a knot are two different things. I think the OP was referring to the FB response which was over the top angry.

The man is an American athlete who is proud of his heritage. So what? Why do some Americans think that anything that is not ALL them is ANTI them???? The only true Americans got ripped off for $24!

Exactly

 

[luvmy3]

Disagreeing and knickers in a knot are two different things. I think the OP was referring to the FB response which was over the top angry.

The man is an American athlete who is proud of his heritage. So what? Why do some Americans think that anything that is not ALL them is ANTI them???? The only true Americans got ripped off for $24!

I don't care that he is proud if his heritage, and I certainly don't see it as anti-American, but when competing in the Olympics he isn't competing for his heritage, he was competing as an American and representing this country.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

http://us.cnn.com/2012/08/10/opinion/navarrette-olympics-flags/index.html?hpt=hp_c2
Someone posted this on Facebook and made the comment

"I have no words to express my disgust with this "BEEPED OUT BAD WORD". "

I was thinking what is the big deal. Why can't you be proud of where you came from. It is obvious he isn't trying to disgrace the US but he also wants to remember where he came from.
What if it was a flag from canada or somewhere else would it be as much as a big deal???

It's clear to anyone with at least half a brain that isn't prejudiced, he loves the United States and wasn't attempting to dishonor it in any way. Other than the technical violation of flag code that every track athlete that medals does and which we rightly overlook rather than get miffed about, there's nothing wrong at all. And if the worst picture you have is the guy unfurling the American flag proudly and also holding the Mexican flag dangling, you've got nothing. But for some, the sight of anything Mexican brings out the hate like red capes bring out the bulls.

 

[bunkkinsmom]

Disagreeing and knickers in a knot are two different things. I think the OP was referring to the FB response which was over the top angry.

The man is an American athlete who is proud of his heritage. So what? Why do some Americans think that anything that is not ALL them is ANTI them???? The only true Americans got ripped off for $24!

My husband is Native American. Apache to be precise. If he won he would hold the American flag, not that of the Apache nation.

 

[Toad_Passenger]

I see this as no different than my neighbor who flies the US Flag on his flag pole, with the Canadian flag flying underneath.

So long as he is proud of where he is now, I see no reason why he can't be proud of where he has come from.

Of course, I grew up playing hockey, and have known so many dual citizens that the US/Canada side-by-side thing is rather normal. Why can't the US and Mexican colors fly together too?

 

[Bonnie151]

Eh, it says he's a dual citizen. He probably feels as much a Mexican as he does an American. I'm a dual citizen. Being British doesn't take away from my being American and vice versa. He carried both flags so he didn't exactly snub the US.

 

[Sgt Mickey]

It's clear to anyone with at least half a brain that isn't prejudiced, he loves the United States and wasn't attempting to dishonor it in any way. Other than the technical violation of flag code that every track athlete that medals does and which we rightly overlook rather than get miffed about, there's nothing wrong at all. And if the worst picture you have is the guy unfurling the American flag proudly and also holding the Mexican flag dangling, you've got nothing. But for some, the sight of anything Mexican brings out the hate like red capes bring out the bulls.

and that bottom line is why I asked if it was a flag of Canada or Switzerland or something not so controversial would it even be an issue.

 

[Minnesota!]

I have no problems with it. He is proud all parts that make him, him. His father's background in Mexico, gave him a better life in America.

 

[luvmy3]

and that bottom line is why I asked if it was a flag of Canada or Switzerland or something not so controversial would it even be an issue.

I'd feel the same no matter what flag it is. If you are competing as a citizen of a country, then you display that flag, not the flag or flags of your heritage.
I don't believe the winning podium of the Olympics is the place to show your pride for your heritage, when you aren't competing for the country in which you were born. It would be the same if someone held up an American flag when competing for Mexico, Canada, Spain, etc. It just doesn't feel right to me.

 

[Northstar]

It's fine with me. He wasn't disrespecting any country.

A little nod to the Olympic ideals of international understanding and being proud of all the athletes and their countries.

It's not a war, people. Waving a flag at the Olympics is not the equivalent of pledging allegiance to another country.

 

[supercarrie]

I see no problem with it either, but then again I am a dual citizen, and occasionally people have also told me they disagree with my decision to be a dual national.

If he was holding just the Mexican flag, then I could see the issue.

 

[Hrhpd]

I could care less if he carried both flags.

What bothered me was in his interviews he clearly stated that he carried the Mexican flag because he was representing both countries.

No, he was representing the USA.

If he had said he carried the Mexican flag because he was proud of his Mexican heritage, fine, not a problem.

But he said he was representing both countries. He was on the US Olympic team, not the Mexican Olympic team, thus he was representing the USA. Big difference between saying you are actually representing another country and saying you are proud of your history.

I think the last paragraph in the quoted article says it all for me:

This country took you in during your hour of need. Now in your moment of glory, which country deserves your respect -- the one that offered nothing to your parents and forced them to leave or the one that took you all in and gave you the opportunity to live out your dreams?

The answer should be obvious.

To me, it was pure disrespect for the country that you chose to move to and gave you all the opportunities to win that silver medal,to say that you are representing the country you left because you had no opportunities there. And I would say that for anybody who said they were representing another country that they chose to leave for a better opportunity.

Be proud of your heritage, but do not dis the country that you chose to come to because your previous country was so bad you had to leave by saying you are representing both countries.

 

[Kim&Chris]

I can understand the pride he feels for Mexico, but it probably wasn't the appropriate thing to do, at the Olympics.

I'm an Irish American, and if I won an Olympic medal, I'd carry the American flag only because that's the country I would be representing.

 

[sbell111]

There was one athlete who was born in New York, grew up in California, and competed for the Dominican Republic. I don't get why that is even allowed.

I'm thinking that his mom was a citizen of the Dominican Republic.

He would run no more races for the USA if I ran the USA team.

This is the first time in over forty years that an American has medalled in that event. As such, I'm thinking that USOC's response to this athlete's actions will be 'Thank you'.

I don't care that he is proud if his heritage, and I certainly don't see it as anti-American, but when competing in the Olympics he isn't competing for his heritage, he was competing as an American and representing this country.

Happily, when they do the medal count, his victory will be shown under the USA's totals, not Mexico's. There won't even be an asterisk.

 

[Robinrs]

My husband is Native American. Apache to be precise. If he won he would hold the American flag, not that of the Apache nation.

And good for him because he has that choice.

This man had a choice, too.

 

[Princess Dolly]

I could care less if he carried both flags.

What bothered me was in his interviews he clearly stated that he carried the Mexican flag because he was representing both countries.

No, he was representing the USA.

If he had said he carried the Mexican flag because he was proud of his Mexican heritage, fine, not a problem.

But he said he was representing both countries. He was on the US Olympic team, not the Mexican Olympic team, thus he was representing the USA. Big difference between saying you are actually representing another country and saying you are proud of your history.

I think the last paragraph in the quoted article says it all for me:



To me, it was pure disrespect for the country that you chose to move to and gave you all the opportunities to win that silver medal,to say that you are representing the country you left because you had no opportunities there. And I would say that for anybody who said they were representing another country that they chose to leave for a better opportunity.

Be proud of your heritage, but do not dis the country that you chose to come to because your previous country was so bad you had to leave by saying you are representing both countries.

So in his mind he was representing both. Again, doesn't bother me.

Not the same, but to use an example. The University of Florida is tracking how well Gator athletes are doing in the Olympics (right now Gator Nation would be ranked 11th in the medal count). Many of the Gators (current and former) are gator chomping and making other statements about the Gators and representing our school. Offensive?

 

[sbell111]

I can understand the pride he feels for Mexico, but it probably wasn't the appropriate thing to do, at the Olympics.

I'm an Irish American, and if I won an Olympic medal, I'd carry the American flag only because that's the country I would be representing.

Were you born in Ireland?

 

[Robinrs]

It's fine with me. He wasn't disrespecting any country.

A little nod to the Olympic ideals of international understanding and being proud of all the athletes and their countries.

It's not a war, people. Waving a flag at the Olympics is not the equivalent of pledging allegiance to another country.

the term UGLY american applies here. All or nothing at all.

 

[luvmy3]

Happily, when they do the medal count, his victory will be shown under the USA's totals, not Mexico's. There won't even be an asterisk.

Which is exactly why he should have only held up the American flag when he was receiving it