Zero tolerance for patriotism

Our minds are being conditioned to believe that colonization is wrong, for it presupposes one culture is dominant to the one it replaces.

We are taught that the history of Europe and the United States of America is one long train of genocide and displacement of "indigenous" people while never shedding light on the obvious fact that the indigenous peoples being conquered functioned by the same mentality of conquest within their own culture, which ultimately makes them no different than their conquerors – but that's an entirely different subject for another day.

When decades of these teachings have slowly replaced rational thinking with lemming-type acceptance of our obvious guilt over such actions, you get a situation where almost no outrage exists for one of the most outrageous incidents of reverse colonization I've ever read about.

Reverse colonization might be too strong a term, since it was President Bill Clinton himself who cheered on the demographic changes occurring in America during a speech he gave in 1998 at Portland State University.

But with these demographic changes, come new ways of interpreting the United States Constitution (you know, the one Charlton Heston's "old, dead white guys" wrote …).

"Interpretations" such as the ones that favor the ascending majority in California and deem the United States flag a hostile symbol.

In case you aren't aware, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals recently agreed with school administrators at California's Live Oak High School who ordered students daring to wear the American flag – on Cinco de Mayo of all dates – to turn their shirts inside out or face expulsion.

Zero tolerance for patriotism in America, especially for those students in California who dared wear the flag of their nation on a date that is nothing more than an excuse for Americans (largely of non-Hispanic descent) to drink a margarita or two.

Read Rocker's firsthand account of his public battle with the PC thought police: "Scars and Strikes," at the WND Superstore

Cinco de Mayo is a celebration of a minor victory by the Mexican military over the French during the late 1800s; that has now resulted in a decree by which American students must reverse their shirts or face expulsion for potentially "inciting racial violence." This disgusting restriction of the First Amendment right of these students is a clear sign something is seriously wrong in not just California, but in our country.

Our national experiment always worked because immigrants assimilated to the culture those American patriots (some wearing white powdered wigs) helped create when they went to war with the British and dared challenge King George III's tyranny.

Today, our national experiment is fragmenting because of decisions like the one by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, which basically stated: "The court said fears of racial violence by students outraged over the American flag displayed on the T-shirts outweighed the right guaranteed by the Constitution." Call me crazy (and I'm sure many of you do), but in this situation I'm not sure what is worse: an American court of appeals blatantly infringing upon the First Amendment rights of American citizens or immigrants, who have voluntarily chosen to reside in this country, being incited to violence by the mere appearance of its flag.

So to put this into the appalling perspective it deserves, because some American kids dared to wear American flag shirts on Cinco de Mayo, the court declared the fear of racial violence outweighed the right guaranteed by the Constitution.

What was the point of the American Revolution if students in this country will be told they can't wear the flag of their country on their shirt, because it might offend and create racial blowback/violence?

What does this say about our ability to assimilate immigrants as well as the desire of those immigrants to assimilate when this type of antagonism is created over our nation's most basic symbol? It's always been my understanding and fervent hope that people came to America because they wanted to become Americans. It's sad to say, but I'm starting to learn – and feel a bit naive in the process – that many, many immigrants haven't the slightest interest in following the footsteps of those that came before them and made this country the incredible place that it is.

Considering the situation at Live Oak High School, my eyes are starting to slowly open to the new and disheartening reality taking hold. This is one of the first instances of this nature I've encountered, and somehow I don't think it will be the last.

What types of fears could outweigh the rights guaranteed by the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights?

Instead of the fear of inciting racial violence via an American flag T-shirt, perhaps we should – as Americans – become more frightened by the continued erosion of our rights as citizens in this country.

Or am I missing something?

This is the type of story we aren't supposed to pay too much attention to, for the unanswered questions it presents don't speak well of the melting pot working in California.

And as California goes, so often goes the nation.

I have to agree with John Whitehead, president of the Rutherford Institute, who said this:

The court's rationale behind this ruling was essentially that it's not safe to display an American flag in an American public school, for fear of causing offense and disruption.

This case signifies so much of what is wrong with America today, where the populace is indoctrinated into a politically correct mindset, starting in the schools, while those who exercise their freedoms are punished for it.

Not only do I completely side with those American students who wore American flag shirts on Cinco de Mayo, I'd proudly stand with them wearing a "Speak English" shirt the next time they want to make a statement.

For now, such an act of defiance would be constitutionally protected.

For generations many brave men and women have gone to their graves defending our flag and everything it stands for. It seems that those who oppose the symbol of Old Glory are not only trying to impose their tyranny throughout the world, but in our own backyard as well. That flag and the freedom it embodies has been fought for over many decades. It looks like the fight for our flag needs to be taken up once again, starting with the ones on the shirts of some patriotic California students.

Media wishing to interview John Rocker, please contact [email protected].