Michigan school district calls historic "Betsy Ross" flag a "symbol of hate"
Two days before the 15th anniversary of the attack that destroyed the two 110-story buildings of the World Trade Center in New York City, students at numerous high schools were wearing red, white and blue.
That evening there was a football game between two Michigan high schools: Forest Hills and Ottawa Hills. Forest Hills students waved a “Betsy Ross” flag in the stands.
For those under 30 who went to publik skools, that's the original Stars and Stripes of the 13 colonies, with 13 stars in a circle.
The students also had a pro-Donald Trump banner.
Briana Urena-Ravelo considered this outrageous: “You can’t deny the overt, intentional racism and intimidation,” she said. "For these white kids from a white school to bring out a flag of the colonies with the ‘Make America Great Again’ Trump flag to a game with black students on the field, it’s all very obvious."
We should note here that Urena-Ravelo is co-founder of the Grand Rapids Black Lives Matter group. And that Forest Hills is predominantly white, while Ottawa Hills is predominantly black.
And the next question is, exactly what is "very obvious"? Urena-Ravelo didn't say, because all her comrades know she was implying "raaacist." But since that's such a cliche, no point in saying the word itself, eh?
If you don't see the connection between the original flag of the 13 colonies and racism, you're not the only one. Same with the "Make America great again" banner: As far as I know Trump has never made a derogatory comment about blacks, and actually has a number of black supporters, who seem to be completely welcomed by other supporters.
Urena-Ravelo wasn't the only adult to see racism in the flag. At least one parent was “shocked” to hear students chanting “USA” and wearing red, white and blue. Another parent responded with a scathing Facebook diatribe accusing students of “brandishing these symbols of nationalism and white supremacy.”
So naturally (?) the ultra-liberal, snowflake-coddling school superintendent had to weigh in. Forest Hills superintendent Daniel Behm wrote a letter to parents lecturing 'em about white privilege. “To wave a historical version of our flag, that to some symbolizes exclusion and hate, injects hostility and confusion to an event where no one intended to do so." Behm continued:
Behm also actually apologized to the inner city school for his students' display of the flag.
If someone had told you in 2008 that within 8 years school systems would feel compelled to apologize for their students displaying our historic flag, you would have thought it impossible. And yet here we are.
That evening there was a football game between two Michigan high schools: Forest Hills and Ottawa Hills. Forest Hills students waved a “Betsy Ross” flag in the stands.
For those under 30 who went to publik skools, that's the original Stars and Stripes of the 13 colonies, with 13 stars in a circle.
The students also had a pro-Donald Trump banner.
Briana Urena-Ravelo considered this outrageous: “You can’t deny the overt, intentional racism and intimidation,” she said. "For these white kids from a white school to bring out a flag of the colonies with the ‘Make America Great Again’ Trump flag to a game with black students on the field, it’s all very obvious."
We should note here that Urena-Ravelo is co-founder of the Grand Rapids Black Lives Matter group. And that Forest Hills is predominantly white, while Ottawa Hills is predominantly black.
And the next question is, exactly what is "very obvious"? Urena-Ravelo didn't say, because all her comrades know she was implying "raaacist." But since that's such a cliche, no point in saying the word itself, eh?
If you don't see the connection between the original flag of the 13 colonies and racism, you're not the only one. Same with the "Make America great again" banner: As far as I know Trump has never made a derogatory comment about blacks, and actually has a number of black supporters, who seem to be completely welcomed by other supporters.
Urena-Ravelo wasn't the only adult to see racism in the flag. At least one parent was “shocked” to hear students chanting “USA” and wearing red, white and blue. Another parent responded with a scathing Facebook diatribe accusing students of “brandishing these symbols of nationalism and white supremacy.”
So naturally (?) the ultra-liberal, snowflake-coddling school superintendent had to weigh in. Forest Hills superintendent Daniel Behm wrote a letter to parents lecturing 'em about white privilege. “To wave a historical version of our flag, that to some symbolizes exclusion and hate, injects hostility and confusion to an event where no one intended to do so." Behm continued:
Injecting partisan politics into a community football game and into a commemoration of the events of September 11th is inappropriate. Parading our current United States flag in a manner that is inconsistent with proper etiquette is disrespectful to all who have served our nation.It should be noted that the flag that was displayed was NOT the current flag.
Behm also actually apologized to the inner city school for his students' display of the flag.
If someone had told you in 2008 that within 8 years school systems would feel compelled to apologize for their students displaying our historic flag, you would have thought it impossible. And yet here we are.
posted by SF at
3:17 PM
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