U.S. Olympic Athlete - Mexican Flag?

[gkIrish]

I think he should have used both flags. Have no problem with the Mexican flag, but not by itself because he is on the U.S. team.

 

[WaveDomer]

That's exactly what I was saying in prior post....why celebrate heritage of a country that you fled because of conditions and lack of opportunity?

And he was 4 when he left. I'd understand it if he was older and actually built some real memories and ties....Granted, he was born there...but come on, 4 years old and he feels he has strong enough ties to wave their flag at the olympic games?

This type of thing happens all the time. People, even in America, grow up in bad situations, move on to a better one, but never forget where they came from. People have pride in all sorts of things. It's personal.

 

[NDBoiler]

Yeah, but the USOC is funded through private donations and corporate sponsors, correct? I don't think the USOC is run by the government. It's just board members and employees running a non-profit.

Correct.

 

[Grahambo]

I guess when I win an Olympic medal, I'll just fly the Irish flag with the American flag since I am proud of my heritage too even though I was born and raised in America and am like a 5th (I really have no idea) generation American but still proud of my heritage.

There's a time and place to celebrate your heritage and that wasn't one of them.

In retrospect, not a big deal..just poor taste.

 

[WaveDomer]

I guess when I win an Olympic medal, I'll just fly the Irish flag with the American flag since I am proud of my heritage too even though I was born and raised in America and am like a 5th (I really have no idea) generation American but still proud of my heritage.

There's a time and place to celebrate your heritage and that wasn't one of them.

In retrospect, not a big deal..just poor taste.

Actually, people could probably argue that the Olympics is just the right place to do that, since it's about bringing the world together through sport.

 

[Buster Bluth]

Not a fan of this.

 

[Pachuco]

While many tend to stereotype Mexico as merely a place of crisis, it is a country that harbors real people who have families, histories, traditions, joys and sorrows just like the US. If anything, the spirit of the Olympics transcends the political and cultural divides, and connects our experience through adversity and triumph. While some view his tribute to Mexico as a negative, another perspective reveals his act as a testament to the best of our United States, a country whose citizens truly represent a global picture.

 

[magogian]

I think the use of two flags is very revealing. It feeds the perception, rightly or wrongly, that for all too many Mexican-Americans, the word "Mexican" does not modify "American" but instead that there is some sort of equivalence in the two, i.e. both Mexican and American.

I don't have a problem with someone being proud of their heritage. But there is a big difference between celebrating your heritage generally and wearing the flag of another country.

Further, as Reuben N. points out, it is rather ironic to celebrate a crappy situation that forced your parents to leave. I'd think that someone in his situation would be so in love with the country that provided such wonderful opportunities for him and his family (opportunities that they likely would never have received in they stayed) that is rather curious to celebrate the two on a relatively equal footing.

To draw from personal experience, my father is an immigrant from Germany. He is very proud of his German heritage. When I was growing up, I learned much about German history, culture, language, food, etc. However, he is fiercely loving of the United States and all the wonderful opportunities it provided him (and the contrast between Germany and the US is far less than Mexico and the US). FWIW, he thinks it is incredibly offensive to celebrate on an equal footing the country which welcomed you and provided you with so many opportunities to the country you left.

 

[pumpdog20]

Being a fellow Chicano, I am very proud of my heritage. With that said, I bleed, fought for, and love no country more than the Stars and Stripes. The U.S. is still a young country, so we haven't reached a point where peoples' heritage is "American". When ever someone is asked background, it's always, German, Italian, AA, Mexican, Boricua, etc. I look forward to the day when someone's background is United States.
This isn't to say people aren't proud of the U.S.A, so don't confuse what I'm saying.
With all that said, I am disappointed in my fellow Mexican-American brother, but respect his decision. A value engraved by living in the greatest country that ever existed.