Turning your back to the flag?

Originally posted by Winston Smith
I would like to ask a question of the participants of this topic:


Would you rather this person be forced to face and respect the flag?

NEVER !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Or it's a dictatorship and not a democracy anymore. OTH, nobody can be forced to " respect " something. Respect is comming from himself.

We are not living in China, where you are executed if you turn your back to the Chicom flag !

No she not be forced too.This is America,not China.
I think she is just setting a bad example.As a professional athlete,she is in the public eye and should be setting a higher standard for her team and sport.
I think she will end up regretting her actions at some point.

Originally posted by Winston Smith
I would like to ask a question of the participants of this topic:


Would you rather this person be forced to face and respect the flag?

No Winston, if she was forced to do so then that would be stripping her of her freedom. I just thought it was a lousy way of protesting war. To me, the Flag represents freedom. But I guess it means different things to different people.

And here is the crux...

For as terrible as you take her actions, the alternative of forced reverence is much, much worse.

Be glad you in a country where this happens.

Excelent post Winstone Surely her turning her back on that symbol is what separates America from Iran.


I wanted to poke my oar in only to find you answered the debate fully in one simple line...

PA, (in all respect) your pavlovian response to the action you witnessed is based on the socialization you recieved from childhood to bind you to a symbol and create unity in a diverse country. You have been indoctinated to your symbol and beliefs (as good as they are) as thoroughly as the North Koreans.

Its is a fundamental american error that to disagree with one part of American policy, etc is to reject the entire parcel. I am sure if you talked to the individual you would find a pro american freedom loving person like yourself.

To say she just wants attention only belittles the stand she takes. Good on her for being strong enough to show her disapproval against the indoctinated or socialized majority.

Unbelievable. I wasn't able to read all the undigestable fiber in this thread, I have to tell you.

By turning her back to the flag, she is doing more than protesting the war, which in and of itself is a request for suicide, in my opinion, but turning her back on all of which it stands. It does not stand for inequity, it does not stand for oppression, it stands for the constitution, for the Bill of Rights, it stands for all the ideals we want our nation, and all others, for that matter, to rise to. (Pardon the ending in a preposition)

There is no excuse for her ignorance, there is no excuse for anyone not understanding this, and there is no excuse for her teachers not correcdting her, much less prompting her, and there is no DARNED excuse for her parents allowing or condoning such behavior.

This young child is nothing but a gullible tool of moronic and America-hating adults.

Originally posted by Thomas Crowne
Unbelievable. I wasn't able to read all the undigestable fiber in this thread, I have to tell you.

By turning her back to the flag, she is doing more than protesting the war, which in and of itself is a request for suicide, in my opinion, but turning her back on all of which it stands. It does not stand for inequity, it does not stand for oppression, it stands for the constitution, for the Bill of Rights, it stands for all the ideals we want our nation, and all others, for that matter, to rise to. (Pardon the ending in a preposition)

There is no excuse for her ignorance, there is no excuse for anyone not understanding this, and there is no excuse for her teachers not correcdting her, much less prompting her, and there is no DARNED excuse for her parents allowing or condoning such behavior.

This young child is nothing but a gullible tool of moronic and America-hating adults.

...damn man...don't burst a blood vessel or nothing...

...so like Winston said, what should have been done?? It sounds like you might be all for her teachers or superiors marching up to her and either spinning her around to face the flag or kicking her off the court...if so...think maybe your idea of Freedom is smelling a little too 'Chi-com'...

...ya know...as a Foriegner looking in on a number of predominately American Discussion groups I see a lot of berating of people (prinicipally Americans) who speak out, or act out, against the impending War or their countrys Politics...seen a lot of "Pack your bags and get on the first plane to Afghanistan/Iraq/Korea/China you traitor etc etc"...then in the same breath see a lot of emotional expression about this much exalted ideal of 'Freedom'...honestly, it makes me wonder if some haven't perverted or completely forgotten what 'Freedom' really is...



Peace,
ALIEN

[Edited on 5-3-2003 by alien]

Ya know alien, it just seems there are people who take it for granted.

She turns her back on the flag when our national anthem is played before each game. She's opposed to "the inequities that are embedded into the American system" and "the war America will soon be entering" with Iraq. You know, it would be really cool right now to launch into a 2000 word essay about how great this country is because people are free to express viewpoints any way they want to. In fact, we rely on all tyes of expression to create a balance of sorts in our national dialogue. But something about this just doesn't feel "right". I wonder if somewhere along the way, we haven't kind of lost track of what's "right", as opposed to what's "legal". Maybe a refresher course is in order. Here are a few things that are legal, but not really "right": Ethnic jokes; fantasizing about naked nuns; admiring a booger at the dinner table; making-out in a movie theater showing "Shindler's List"; getting a lapdance from your grandma; taunting a homeless guy with a Twinkie on a string; letting your mom shovel snow off the sidewalk while you're inside watching the spice channel; jumping up and doing a "sack dance" after communion; peeing in the kitchen sink; referring to Mother Theresa as "that kind-hearted ho-bag"...you get the point. Ironically, the Flag that Toni Smith chooses to turn her back to, would never turn it's back to her.