Award Winning Writer / Columnist / Photojournalist
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Award Winning Writer / Columnist / Photojournalist
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PATRIOTISM QUESTIONED OVER MEXICAN FLAGIn times like these, when everyone has a heightened sense of patriotism, simple acts of support that rise out of our multi-national culture can easily be misunderstood. That’s what happened to Vincente Galacia, of Kansas City, Kan. Galacia lives in an extremely well kept home in the historic Strawberry Hill area. He’s spent approximately $3,000 for holiday lights and decorations to bring holiday spirit to his family and that of his neighbors. His efforts haven’t gone unnoticed. For three years, he’s been awarded ‘Best Holiday Decorations’ by the Board of Public Utilities. He’s also won a special award from the Strawberry Hill Neighborhood Association. But when he put up his lights this year, he wanted to put up a flag to show his support for his adopted country. Since he didn’t own a U.S. flag, he erected a Mexican flag in a simple gesture that he intended as a show of unity and support from his native country for the United States. Galacia is proud of his Mexican heritage, and he’s proud that Mexico has shown unity with his new homeland during the war on terrorism. But then, someone walking past his home made a negative comment to him about the flag. “They said that I shouldn’t be flying the Mexican flag,” he said. “The only reason I put that up is because I didn’t have a United States flag.” He doesn’t like controversy and was even reluctant to discuss the incident with Kansas City Hispanic News. But he pointed out the exchanges he made in his display to rectify the situation, and said he felt he should make them even though he believed his original message had been misunderstood. In fact, he removed the Mexican flag altogether and posted the American flag on the windows of his home. Using strings of lights, he also created an American flag for his outside Christmas display. “Vincente has done everything to brighten up the neighborhood and is a part of our community,” said Carole Diehl, president of the Strawberry Hill Neighborhood Association. “If someone said something to Vincente regarding the flag, I didn’t know about it.” Diehl noted that Vincente and his family were very disturbed about the events of September 11. “I had to talk him into putting up his display this year,” Diehl said. “I told him we need to really celebrate Christmas now more than ever.” Diehl is president of a neighborhood association that represents what is perhaps the most diverse area of Kansas City, Kan. It boasts a large population of Latino, Bosnian, Korean and other immigrants, combined with a large contingent of World War II era veterans, many of whom are of Croatian descent. It’s a challenge having so many people and customers in one area, she said. “If a veteran sees something that they thing is anti-American, it will upset them,” she said. “I’ve been telling everyone that education and communication are key and we need to enlighten ourselves with their traditions as well.” “There was one incident that I knew of in which a Hispanic was flying the Mexican flag and his neighbors asked him to fly the American flag alongside it,” Diehl said. “He knew is upset his neighbors, so he kept it up. I believe he finally took the Mexican flag down, but that isn’t what his neighbors were asking him to do.” Diehl said that the toughest parts of her job are trying to help educate immigrants about American customs while trying to help educate the American-born residents about tolerance. But flag flying is more than mere custom and the details of how a flag should be flown are governed by U.S. code. Section 175c of the United States Code, which is the official compilation of federal laws, deals with the position and manner of displaying the flag and dictates the protocol of flag flying, even on private property. It says, “No other flag or pennant shall be placed above, or if on the same level, to the right of the flag of the United States of America, except during church services conducted by naval chaplains at sea. No person shall display the flag of the United Nations or any other national or international flag equal, above or in a position or honor to, or in place of, the flag of the United States at any place within the United States or territory or possession thereof.” It continues, “The flag of the United States of American should be on the right, the flag’s own right and its staff should be in front of any other flag.” There are no penalties regarding enforcement of the code. Dick Kurtenbach, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union for Kansas and Western Missouri, said he isn’t aware of any complaints received by the ACLU about flying another nation’s flag. “I’ve seen a lot of Mexican flags flying, but they are usually with the American flag,” he said. He added that to his knowledge, the code regarding flying the flag hadn’t been tested in court. “I suppose it would come under a free speech issue and the Supreme Court has already ruled that burning the flag can be a display of protest, which flag burning is a part of that same code.” Kurtenbach said his organization would only become involved if the government tried to enforce the code, which to his knowledge, hasn’t happened anywhere. Michael Gormalley, Veterans Foreign Wars national director of citizenship, education and community services, said the issue comes down to unity between two countries. “When a person of another nationality is on sovereign soil of another country, it does show unity and respect to fly both countries’ symbols,” he said. “When you look at the foreign ministries in this country, they always fly an American flag alongside their own.” Diehl said that unusual times bring a heightened sense of patriotism and some shortened fuses. “Right now we are in a war,” she said. “We aren’t asking anyone to give up their ethnicity, we’re just asking them to incorporate American values with their own.” As for Galacia, he said that this experience was a learning experience for him. And the VFW view? “We like to say that if there’s no disrespect intended, there’s no disrespect,” said Gormalley.
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