Staff Writer
BROWNSVILLE, Texas - Not a word of it was printed in the local newspaper, but it seems some people went nuts here yesterday when Mayor Pat Ahumada arrived at a Memorial Day ceremony wearing a black shirt sporting the Mexican flag. So, on this lovely Tuesday morn, is this unnervingly silly, or is this merely the mayor being the mayor?
Action 4 News, the CBS affiliate in Harlingen, had the story, and it wasn't pretty for the popular mayor. Some 300 mourners gathered at Brownsville Veterans Park, where sobbing veterans and others grieving the loss of their family members expressed shock at seeing the Mayor's garb - a Mexican flag patch on the upper left sleeve of his Harley-Davidson motorcycle shirt. According to Channel 4, some veterans called the patch "offensive," yet not one was willing to go on camera, as they say in TV News.
"To see the mayor have a flag that is Mexico, I think that he's telling us what?" Martha Shears, the wife of a 32-year veteran told the TV crew. "Actually he should be in Mexico, and it is embarrassing."
Asked about the patch, Ahumada said: "Protocol is that if you wear it in the right its disrespect. This has to do with a motorcycle club I'm going to ride with after this parade."
So, big deal...or no big deal?
"I'm an American," the mayor said. "I'm a patriot. I love my country. I serve my city."
Perhaps it wasn't a big deal. Maybe it was just a slow news day for excitable Action 4 News. There was not one word about this in The Brownsville Herald. Some in town will say it is no big deal, as Brownsville, they will tell you, is the Most-Mexican of the many Rio Grande Valley communities...
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Saw him riding his black hog at the very end of the procession. He was on his cell phone and a police cruiser was rolling right next to him. Told my wife, while we waited to turn onto Central from Price, watch him get arrested for being on the cell phone. But had we noticed the mexican flag anywhere on him, we would have run him down.
ReplyDeletejalisco(Veteran, U.S. Army)
Martha Shears is big time politiquera. Too bad the reporter didn't know that and recognize this to be a political issue.
ReplyDeleteANON: (1.) City cops actually out to get the mayor? Why? And why would anyone be for the rogue cops in cases such as this? (2) Wearing the Mexican flag upsets you? Do you know where you are on the planet? What is a flag anyway? It's a cultural allegiance. The mayor is certainly free to wear whatever he pleases. We start taking sides and all is lost, my friend. Yes, you're an American, and yes, it was Memorial Day. But every citizen is still free to wear whatver he/she pleases, no matter what the day may or may not be. Some kids in California were hassled cause they wore American flags to school on Cinco de Mayor. It upset the Mexican-American kids, but they were free to wear them, no? Isn't freedom what Memorial Day is all about? Why don't you place a patch of the American flag on your shirts and stroll up and down the halls of City Hall. It's not just about YOU... - Editor
ReplyDeleteMemorial day is the day we (U.S. citizens) celebrate those who died fighting for people who stand for the U.S. flag. To have a known drunk ride his big old black motorcycle, while himself wearing black, like some kind of hells angel on drugs (a known non-veteran) show up wearing a flag from a country who can barely keep it's people fed and who allows drug cartels to dictate law, would have been nothing but a full fledged disgrace. And, as it turned out, it was.
ReplyDeletejalisco
ANON: From your perspective, that is probably true. But we don't live in an insular world where we can chain ourselves behind a fence - or flag - and rail against all that is offensive to us. Those days ended sometime ago. But as the mayor is certainly free to wear what he pleases, so are you free to lash him with words. I hope you called him or sent him an Email message. We don't feel his pain, so we can't do much for you other than allow you to have your say... - Editor
ReplyDeleteThat Rosanne Cash, sings pretty good, good music to get the sould moving. Thanks
ReplyDeleteThe men and women who died serving our country deserve all honor and respect. That being said, perhaps the mayor was a trifle insensitive. On the other hand, many Mexican citizens have fought and died alongside our own and they deserve the same respect and honor. Everyone who showed up to pay their respects should be commended for doing so. Leave the politics out of it just this once, remember the big picture. Plus it's too damn fricking hot to get riled up over this.
ReplyDeleteMr. Editor you are correct, people can wear anything they want reardless of the celebration,after all we live in America.
ReplyDeleteAs respect to the fallen soldiers and out of respect for the families he should have been more sensitive. And as the Mayor of a city of more than 140.000, he should have used some discretion.
But then, we expect too much from an individual who thinks he is above reproach.
I am not disputing your comments, because you are correct.
The Mayor's behavior is questinable at best. More of that of a 5 year old.
ANON: It seems to us that the mayor arrived to, indeed, show his respects. He did not wear a Japanese or German or Italian flag. He did not wear a North Korean flag, nor a North Vietnam flag. What's the big deal? He happens to be of Mexican descent. You should know that Italians in New York wear their native country's flag to a myriad of events, and it wouldn't bother us one bit if they decided to display their cultural connections at, yeah, a Memorial Day ceremony. Honor the dead soldires, not silly symbols. We are more than a freakin' flag, For Chrissakes. Freedom wins... - Editor
ReplyDeleteBy the way, why didn't you guys put Korri Marra along with Pat Auhmada, Annie Oakley and Doc Holladay.
ReplyDeleteI read that woman comes out of west texas and likes pistols. Pat likes to drink and wear western clothing.
Two of a kind.
ANON: We have little info on Commissioner Kori Marra, although slivers of tidbits keep coming in. We did not know she was from West Texas, a region we sort of know. If true, that would be very, very interesting, as Artie Johnson used to say on Laugh-In. Ha ha. West Texas, eh? An "outsider"? They fear & loathe outsiders in Harlingen! Oh, boy... - Editor
ReplyDeleteNote this:
ReplyDeleteCounty Sheriff
Sheriff Joe Hunt
222 West Harris
San Angelo, Texas 76903
Phone: 325-655-8111
Fax: 325-655-5393
Email: joe.hunt@co.tom-green.tx.us
ANON: Okay. Now tell us why we should be interested in knowing the name of Tom Green County's sheriff?... - Editor
ReplyDeleteI think her dad was a sherrif,or something like that, I think she is from San Angelo or one of those places, or so the rumor goes.
ReplyDelete(He happens to be of Mexican descent.)
ReplyDeleteI'm of mexican decent to. Yet, you wouldn't catch me dead wearing a mexican flag.
jalisco
" JALISCO / A " That's Because You're a Soldout " STRARVING MALINCHISTA " from Matamoros, Tam.!!!
ReplyDelete