Turning back on the flag

[footballfanatic]

I was just wondering what everyone thought about this story.

My personal opinion is that this girl is incredibly naive. The very thing that our flag stands for is what gives her the right to turn her back on it, FREEDOM. Our flag does not represent govt. policies, it represents our freedom, freedom to play sports for one thing, obviously somthing that this college basketball player takes for granted.

 

I just want to know if yall have heard about this story and what do you guys think about it?

[WHSmom]

Well it really made me mad. She needs to go and find a school in Irag to play basketball for - I said this on the open forum board, but will say it here for all of you over here: I hope she can shoot with that veil on her face!

[OS91]

in protesting. There are other ways to protest and to make a point other than to turn your back on the flag that represents and gives you the right to express an opinion.

 

I dont think this young female should be disapproved of for her protest in wanting to bring a viable opinioin concerning war in this country. She had courage to make a point and stand behind something she believed in. From readin this sotry more in depth, she loves the United States, but doesnt want to see American lives loss in a war with Iraq. I think she could have used better judgement, however I repsect her reasons, just not the way she expressed them.

 

And WHS Mom I doubt seriously she would want to wear a veil on her head and play absketball let alone live in Iraq. Her point is about American involvement in Iraq- which everyone can agree on is controversial.

[Edited by OS91 on 2-27-03 2:03P]

[Edited by OS91 on 2-27-03 2:58P]

 

[iamoz]

"I never meant this to be a public statement," Smith told reporters this week. "I did it for my own self-respect and conscience."

 

"A lot of people blindly stand up and salute the flag, but I feel that blindly facing the flag hurts more people."

 

Collection of news stories

 

My grandfather served in the Navy during WWII. I would never dream of doing anything like that. Ever.

 

Many have fought for a final, burning breath to gain one last glimpse of that flag. And she couldn't care less that it even fliees.

 

I hope her freedom means more to her than what her actions show. My grandfather was a pilot on a troop carrier in the Pacific helping to ensure that she wouldn't be speaking Japanese right now.

[Edited by iamoz on 2-27-03 2:45P]

 

[iamoz]

Just found this...

 

Manhattanville traveled to the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, and newspaper accounts of the game say that at least 300 midshipmen turned out to wave flags at her, chanting "USA" and "Leave the Country." At halftime, 50 freshmen -- known as plebes at the academy -- positioned themselves across from the Manhattanville bench, each holding a flag. They stood there for the entire second half.

[tiredbbmom]

I'm sorry but this story just made me angry. It felt like a slap in the face. When you've had members of your family to die on foreign soil, placed in POW camps, and family who are still serving in the military, it's also a slap in their face. I'm proud to be American and have my family fight for her freedom to express her opinions.

[heyitsme]

Ms. Smith's claim that her actions aren't meant to be a 'public' statement, and her claim that she did it for 'her' own self-respect and conscience is laughable and pathetic.

 

You see it IS all about 'her'. If her conscience doesn't permit her to view the American flag during our traditional national anthem, then she should excuse herself to the dressing room during the ceremony.

 

The reasoning is simple. She has made her statement, and we know where she stands. She will always be known as the 'person that would not face the American flag'. By continuing her actions, she now places not only herself, but dozens, if not hundreds of people in jeopardy because of obvious safety concerns. A recent story noted that the attendance at her games have increased dramatically primarily by irate people that are booing and jeering her actions.

 

The small colleges where the team plays are having to increase security, battling with additional security risks just so that this one individual can display her first amendment right.

 

Sounds like it may be legal to "scream fire" in a crowded theatre after all!

 

Another thing: why do I get the uneasy feeling that Ms. Smith probably will become very wealthy (book deals, movie deals) by our 'capitalistic' system that the American flag so fondly represents?

 

You see, no matter how she tries to explain her actions, it's has been, and still is, and probably always will be: ALL ABOUT HER! jmo

[3pointer]

i think it is just short of treason what she is doing

 

it seems to me her coach would have the 3@!!$ to tell her 'you are part of this team and you will not divide this team with your personal, non-sport opinions. if you don't then i revoke your scholarship'

 

then we would see if she REALLY stood up for what she believed in

[lazarus]

my many great grandfather came over in 1688. my ancestors fought the french, the indians, the british (twice), the spanish, and the mexicans. during the war of northern aggression my many great grandfather and his 3 brothers split. 2 fought for the south and 2 for the north. my grandfather lost his hearing to an artillery shell, and his voice was permanently changed by mustard gas in wwI. my uncles served in north africa, the pacific, and europe during wwII. my father during korea. i have, permanently imprinted on my memory, recollection as if it were yesterday the joy and celebration when my cousins returned alive from vietnam. my family has shed blood by the gallon to give this woman the right to believe what she believes and to express her beliefs openly.

 

do i agree with her? H no. i am the one at my workplace who does the flag. up & down, half & full mast, exactly as the president decrees (far too often the last few years). i wasnt assigned the job, i just do it because i want it done right.

 

do i agree with her statement? H no. but i would fight for her right to make it. as a matter of fact, my family has been fighting for that right for over 300 years, about 100 of those years were before the flag even existed.

 

i also believe in the right of anyone to criticize her choice. but i have to say that, in my opinion, the people who need to go to iraq are the ones who cannot tolerate those who disagree with them.

 

thank you for listening.

[silverpie]

Posted by 3pointer:

i think it is just short of treason what she is doing

 

it seems to me her coach would have the 3@!!$ to tell her 'you are part of this team and you will not divide this team with your personal, non-sport opinions. if you don't then i revoke your scholarship'

 

then we would see if she REALLY stood up for what she believed in

 

Manhattanville is a Division 3 school. No athletic scholarships.

[OS91]

Great post. She has a right to protest and people have a right to be critical of her actions. She used the flag to express discontent for a goverment that wants a war which is ok, but to use the flag that represents a history of a nation that has pursued freedom for hundreds of years is questionable. She should maybe redirect her expression in other forms of protest that wouldnt offend the people she most likely wants to preserve.

[WHSmom]

If she never meant for it to be a public statment, she should not have turned her back on the flag in a public setting.

 

I'm going to disagree with her statement.

 

I'm not moving to Iraq.

 

If you live in the good ole' USA, you better respect the flag that allows you the freedoms we enjoy (including disagreement over how, when, or with whom we go to war with). If you can't do that - don't expect alot of people to share "warm fuzzies" with you after the game.

 

If you read the rest of the article, you saw where she said that she hoped someday education had all of the money it needed and the government had to hold bake sales to buy arms with. Well, as much as we would all rather "just get along", those arms are what our service men and women depend on to insure that we can go to school, go to work, go to church, and go to basketball games.

 

There's no such thing as a perfect system; our's is the best. If you don't believe that, ask someone who has lived through the communist system in Russia, or someone whose family was in a refugee camp in Bosnia.

 

OK - I'll get off the soapbox now. Someone else's turn...

[Edited by WHSmom on 2-27-03 4:46P]