U.S. Olympic Athlete - Mexican Flag?

[PraetorianND]

U.S. Olympic athlete, Mexican flag? - CNN.com

What do you think of this?

 

[AvesEvo]

Born in Mexico, good for him to celebrate his heritage.

 

[FLDomer]

Ok, I have thought about and instead of ignorantly just saying its "crap", I have no problem with pride in the nation where he was born but he is wearing a USA uni and was given the opportunity to run in the Olympics because of his God given talents and probably in large part because he has trained in the US. It is fine to be proud of heritage, as I am proud of my Polish heritage also but I dont introduce myself as a Polish American but rather as an American. I just think if you are given the opportunity and privilege to run for a Country you should not disrespect the Country that has given you said opportunity by sharing the light with another.

 

[Emcee77]

Huh, that's really interesting. I suppose it would be silly to say he can't mention or honor his Mexican heritage in his celebration by including a Mexican flag in addition to the American one. He has an opportunity to give hope to a lot of Mexican-American kids who feel marginalized. Nothing wrong with that.

I would like to know what his exact quotes were about representing both the U.S. and Mexico. That part kind of troubles me. He doesn't represent Mexico in the Olympics. He represents the USA, which includes a lot of Mexican-Americans. I have no problem with him recognizing his Mexican heritage; I suppose I do have a problem with him claiming that he represents Mexico, though.

It's not totally clear from the article exactly what he said to the media because his comments aren't quoted directly, so I'll withhold judgment on that part. But he did tweet that he won silver "representing two countries, USA and Mexico" and I just don't think that is quite right. He represents the USA and a lot of Mexican Americans who live there, not Mexico.

 

[irish4ever]

So what the hell is Manzano "suggesting" ... that USA gets credit for 1/2 silver medal and Mexico get credit for the other 1/2? WTF? Which country gave him the opportunity to get to this stage and to compete. As noted in the article, what country was on the front of his singlet? Nuff said!

 

[irishfanjho15]

He was born in Mexico and moved to the US when he was four years old. I don't see any problem with it. He is proud of his natural born heritage and of his citizenship as an American.

 

[DSully1995]

Good for him!

 

[tadman95]

crap

This! US Olympic Committee should send their Mexican counterparts a bill for half. Poor taste on his part.

 

[irishog77]

It would be like Hakeem Olajuwon wearing the Nigerian flag after he won gold for the U.S. If you want to wave the flag of the country you were born in...great-- go do it...but you should be competing for that country instead. If this guy loves Mexico so much, then maybe he should represent them and their team...not 'Merica.

Sidenote-- unless you win gold, I don't think any of these athletes should be draping themselves in flags anyway. You weren't the best. I don't seem to remember the Patriots waving any flags after the Super Bowl when they came in 2nd place.

 

[AvesEvo]

From the picture, it looks like he has the US flag draped over his back and is holding the Mexican flag in his left hand. This is only one picture, but it seems to me that draping yourself in a country's flag is much more symbolic of belonging to that country than holding a flag.

 

[Cali_domer]

Good for him, congrats!!!!

 

[irishog77]

I was playing with 2 of my nieces yesterday and gave one a piggy back ride and carried the other one in my arm.

I definitely love the niece that was holding on to my back more than the one I carried in my arm.

 

[Who'saWildManNow]

I really don't see a problem with it but he will suffer in the endorsement arena for fear of backlash.

 

[Emcee77]

From the picture, it looks like he has the US flag draped over his back and is holding the Mexican flag in his left hand. This is only one picture, but it seems to me that draping yourself in a country's flag is much more symbolic of belonging to that country than holding a flag.

Right, I think this is a key difference. If he were truly draped in the Mexican flag, that might bother me. Holding the Mexican flag while wearing the Stars and Stripes doesn't really bother me though.

 

[Who'saWildManNow]

It would be like Hakeem Olajuwon wearing the Nigerian flag after he won gold for the U.S. If you want to wave the flag of the country you were born in...great-- go do it...but you should be competing for that country instead. If this guy loves Mexico so much, then maybe he should represent them and their team...not 'Merica.

Sidenote-- unless you win gold, I don't think any of these athletes should be draping themselves in flags anyway. You weren't the best. I don't seem to remember the Patriots waving any flags after the Super Bowl when they came in 2nd place.

I was playing with 2 of my nieces yesterday and gave one a piggy back ride and carried the other one in my arm.

I definitely love the niece that was holding on to my back more than the one I carried in my arm.

Both of your statements make very little sense.

- Comparing a Super Bowl loser to an Olympic silver medalist? Really? The Olympics are so much bigger than the Super Bowl.
- Flag treatment, shockingly, differs from child treatment.

 

[DSully1995]

It would be like Hakeem Olajuwon wearing the Nigerian flag after he won gold for the U.S. If you want to wave the flag of the country you were born in...great-- go do it...but you should be competing for that country instead. If this guy loves Mexico so much, then maybe he should represent them and their team...not 'Merica.

Sidenote-- unless you win gold, I don't think any of these athletes should be draping themselves in flags anyway. You weren't the best. I don't seem to remember the Patriots waving any flags after the Super Bowl when they came in 2nd place.

Absolutely ridiculous. When you work you whole life in an athletic event just for one moment and you give it your all, go ahead and celebrate it, have you ever been even #2 in the world at anything? Hell, even number 17 id be ecstatic.

 

[irishfanjho15]

Everyday I pray for threads on Irish Envy that are sports related with political undertones.

 

[woolybug25]

Insert Irishpat political rant in 3...2....

 

[irishog77]

Both of your statements make very little sense.

- Comparing a Super Bowl loser to an Olympic silver medalist? Really? The Olympics are so much bigger than the Super Bowl.

Says who- you? How many people watched the 1,500 meter race and how many watched the Super Bowl? How many people in the world run the 1,500 meter, and how many play football? How many fans attend 1,500 meter races worldwide...and how many attend football games? How much money did advertisers pay for a commercial spot in the 1,500m...and how much do they pay for a Super Bowl commercial?

- Flag treatment, shockingly, differs from child treatment.

Thanks for clearing this up-- I thought children and flags were the same thing. Please go on, though, and explain to me user-intent when holding, draping, showing, or displaying a flag. Perhaps after that, you can meet up with Al Gore and the 2 of you can finally decipher all of the voters' intent on the ballots he questioned.

 

[notredomer23]

I have no problem if he lived in America and represented Mexico instead. The Hatian that won a medal, the Dominican that won gold, and Maria Sharapova just to name a few were either born in America or have lived here for the majority of their life and are reaping the benefits that the USA gave them. So good for them that they are successful and given the chance to represent their forefather's land. This I just find odd. He is representing America. Not Mexico. The US olympic committee paid for everything he needs, so by saying he is half doing this for Mexico, should Mexico receive half of the silver and pay for half of whatever Manzano needs?

 

[NDBoiler]

I don't think Manzano's intent was to be disrespectful. He is proud of his heritage as well as the place of his citizenship. Maybe would've been a better decision to think it through a little more before acting on it, but he was likely caught up in the moment. Just a poorly thought out decision with no malice intended IMO. It's also worth notiing that the article author is of Mexican heritage as well and he speaks out strongly against it.

 

[Who'saWildManNow]

Thanks for clearing this up-- I thought children and flags were the same thing. Please go on, though, and explain to me user-intent when holding, draping, showing, or displaying a flag. Perhaps after that, you can meet up with Al Gore and the 2 of you can finally decipher all of the voters' intent on the ballots he questioned.

You're welcome.

Sidenote-- unless you win gold, I don't think any of these athletes should be draping themselves in flags anyway. You weren't the best.

Next time you kill an 8 point deer and not a 12, don't brag about it.

 

[irishog77]

Does anybody expect to see Aaron Lynch waving an ND flag after USF comes in 2nd place?

 

[irishpat183]

You guys miss the point...if he wants to honor his mexican heritage, he should be on the mexican olympic team.

The olympics isn't about honoring heritage, but about countries competing to see who has the best athletes. He is an American now. America has given him the great life that he has.

I never understood why some would flee a country because of the way they are treated or lack of opportunity...only to turn around and wave it's flag as if to be proud of the place they bascially escaped from.

 

[PraetorianND]

Does anybody expect to see Aaron Lynch waving an ND flag after USF comes in 2nd place?

I guess the difference in this case is that Lynch is no longer part of ND.

I just think that if you're part of team U.S.A. you should rep team U.S.A. - maybe this is oversimplifying.

 

[irishpat183]

Insert Irishpat political rant in 3...2....

I won't even bring politics into it...for your sake. Just an observation.

 

[AvesEvo]

Also, it is his life and not yours so get over it.

 

[irishpat183]

Also, it is his life and not yours so get over it.

Very true...but he's a part of a team.

And nice argument. Maybe we should take this to every single topic on recruits on here and just shut it all down. That'd be fun, right?

Gimmie a break.

 

[PraetorianND]

Also, it is his life and not yours so get over it.

He's part of team U.S.A. therefore what he does when representing our country reflects on us as a whole. That's the point of the Olympic team. That's why athletes can be kicked off for making racist comments or other things that are not athletics related.

 

[Irish Houstonian]

I personally don't care -- he could have a communist flag for all I care -- but he's lucky he lives in the U.S. where the only repercussion will be a few angry comments on media like college football message boards.

If he were from anywhere in Europe, pulling the same thing, I would genuinely fear for his and his family's safety. (Well, maybe not Belgium, but you get the idea).