Dissent is Patriotic; Hating America is Not

A middle school in Colorado has crossed the line. Citing conflict over the immigration debate, Shaw Heights Middle School in Adams County, Colorado, has banned all wearing of patriotic attire.

Myla Shepherd, the principal, said that tensions over the immigration issue were apparent when more than 20 students came to school wearing camouflage jackets and pants, apparently to show what they call their patriotism and American pride.

I want to know how patriotic attire and American pride can cause conflict over immigration policies! I will save my immigration views for another post, but in my opinion, the wearing of patriotic attire to school is irrelevant to the immigration issue. To issue of war, on the other hand, it is very relevant.

One school even had the audacity to ban all flags.

In Longmont, the principal of Skyline High School banned all flags, including the American flag, because of tensions related to immigration reform.

If you ban the number one symbol that represents the United States of America—the American Flag, you ban everything America stands for.

I am known for matching. Yes, matching—my clothes, my purse, my shoes, my jewelry, my make-up. Everything always matches. It’s a pet peeve of mine. In spite of that, I wore a camouflage Support Our Troops wrist band every day until it broke. After that, I wore a silver bracelet with a yellow ribbon threaded through it, with an American flag charm and a yellow ribbon charm. I wore it every day until it broke. I haven’t replaced either of them, but people noticed and were amused that I wore them no matter what. It was a silent statement that people noticed. Even though it was mostly to laugh about that "There's only one thing that can make Holly not match," people understood that there was a very deep reason and meaning behind a simple bracelet.

Every Friday, I try to wear red. Several weeks ago, when we went home to Louisiana, about 15 of my family members were eating at one of our favorite seafood restaurants on a Friday night. All of us on one end of the table were a sea of red. People noticed and people asked why. (For those who are not familiar with Red Friday, see my post here.) On Red Fridays, it is a silent statement of “I support our troops and I care.” It touches my heart to know that people care and no doubt, it boosts the morale of our troops. I challenge you to wear red this Friday and every Friday!

To ban patriotic attire anywhere is against freedom of speech and freedom of expression. It would be different if these schools have uniforms, but they don’t. They simply banned the wearing of patriotic attire. This is wrong and should not be tolerated! To write to this school, the address is as follows:

Shaw Heights Middle School
Adams County School District 50
8780 Circle Dr.
Westminster, CO 80030

Here is a link to the story, along with a video. It is notable that the school says it is because of the immigration issue that patriotic attire has been banned, but the student interviewed in the video never once mentions immigration. She mentions supporting our troops, our military, and our country, and pride in being American. I agree with her words: “If we’re an American, I think we should be proud to be an American.”

What makes a person a patriot?

AFW posted about her stat counter, and I had to jump on the bandwagon. It sounded fun, so I got one, too. She was right--that thing is addictive. It tells you who has been to your page, where they were referred from, etc. Tonight I got one that caused me to think. Someone had typed into a search engine, "What makes a person a patriot?" and my blog was brought up.

The question is worth an answer. I call my blog Politics of a Patriot, but what classifies a true patriot?

When I think of a patriot, I think of Mel Gibson's movie, The Patriot. I have seen this movie in full on one occasion, about a year ago. I tried to watch it recently, but I couldn't stomach it. I remember feeling like I was literally going to throw up and being frantic to turn the site off. In spite of me not being able to watch this, it shows a family of patriots--people who are willing to give thier very lives for their country.

I call my blog Politics of a Patriot. I chose this name because I love politics, and the patriot part, because I love my country.

I suppose it is possible for a person to be patriotic to any country, but it is America and a waving flag I think of when I think of the connotation of the word "patriotic."

Why do I call myself a patriot? I love my country. I love the United States of America. I don't think you have to be in the military to be a patriot and I don't think that if you are in the military it makes you a patriot.

All patriot aren't in the same party. (Alright, I will argue the point that there are no patriots in Nazi Party or Communist Party USA.) But a patriot can be a Democrat or a Republican--I can't believe I just said that--but they still have that one thing that ties them together.

Anyone can say they love America. Few people do.

The dictionary defines the word patriot as one who loves his country, and zealously supports its authority and interests.

I believe a patriot is willing to die for his or her country. A patriot loves freedom and wants to spread freedom, but they do not want to abuse that freedom.

A patriot isn't necessarily American born. I remember reading Michael Yon's column about all of the soldiers he had met who were fighting in the United States military, who are not even citizens of the United States. These are patriots and they're not even citizens yet. We could all learn from these heroic soldiers.

I hope that I live my life in a way that people would describe me as a "patriot." I cannot think of a better name to be called.

Other hits I've gotten from search engines include, but are not limited to:

Funny Monkeys
Rednecks
Overweight Soldiers
JAG Corps Overweight (WHAT IS UP WITH THE OVERWEIGHT THING?)
My head is here but my heart is somewhere else (Whaaat?)

To say that other referrals are inappropriate would be an extreme understatement.

What the NY Times Left Out

In the comment section of my post about one of the first Marines KIA in Iraq, Anna left a comment referring me to Michelle Malkin's October 28 column on Cpl. Jeffrey B. Starr.

Everyone should definitely go take a look.

Part of the column here:

Last night, I received a letter from Corporal Starr's uncle, Timothy Lickness. He wanted you to know the rest of the story--and the parts of Corporal Starr's letter that the Times failed to include:

Yesterday's New York Times on-line edition carried the story of the 2000 Iraq US military death[s]. It grabbed my attention as the picture they used with the headline was that of my nephew, Cpl Jeffrey B. Starr, USMC. Unfortunately they did not tell Jeffrey's story.

Jeffrey believed in what he was doing. He [was] willing put his life on the line for this cause. Just before he left for his third tour of duty in Iraq I asked him what he thought about going back the third time. He said: "If we (Americans) don't do this (free the Iraqi people from tyranny) who will? No one else can."
Several months after Jeffrey was killed his laptop computer was returned to his parents who found a letter in it that was addressed to his girlfriend and was intended to be found only if he did not return alive. It is a most poignant letter and filled with personal feelings he had for his girlfriend. But of importance to the rest of us was his expression of how he felt about putting his life at risk for this cause. He said it with grace and maturity.

He wrote: "Obviously if you are reading this then I have died in Iraq. I kind of predicted this, that is why I'm writing this in November. A third time just seemed like I'm pushing my chances. I don't regret going, everybody dies but few get to do it for something as important as freedom. It may seem confusing why we are in Iraq, it's not to me. I'm here helping these people, so that they can live the way we live. Not have to worry about tyrants or vicious dictators. To do what they want with their lives. To me that is why I died. Others have died for my freedom, now this is my mark."

What Jeffrey said is important. Americans need to understand that most of those who are or have been there understand what's going on. It would honor Jeffrey's memory if you would publish the rest of his
story.

Big hat tip to Anna! Thanks!