Wave It With Pride

There was a recent BlueSky post in which someone suggested that those participating in the protests in Los Angeles should leave their Mexican flags at home, due to the concern that the protestors will play into the narrative of the invading force from another country. The post has since been deleted, but it has been referenced a few times by others, mostly urging the opposite with multiple responses from others explaining what that flag means to the protest. What the flag means to the people protesting.

I myself also replied to the post, and made the argument that the flag shows everyone who exactly is being targeted and why they are targets, due to their background, what ethnicity they are, and their national origin. In case there is any shred of doubt left, the flag is right there. But it also shows that rather than cower in fear, the same people being targeted are there fighting back through their right to protest.

Throughout posts from the different publications that attempt to make the argument that waving the Mexican flag is not only what Trump wants, in order to continue to spew lies and make villains out of the people protesting, but the comment sections in these posts are filled with people arguing that "real Americans" shouldn't – or rather, wouldn't wave the flag of another foreign nation, and that if they wanted to wave that flag, they should go to that country to do so instead.

There are multiple arguments that can be made for why this is terrible way of thinking that can only come from those who forget they too might have come from immigration themselves, whether generations ago, that doesn't matter. Or it might come from some who have no pride in where their families really came from that they might have forgot. Or they choose to be ignorant of those facts in the guise of "patriotism." And so I offer this rebuttal:

What about those who wave the Italian flag? The same people who argue that we should celebrate Christopher Columbus? Should they go to Italy instead to do that? What about all the Irish flags? I don't see anyone in Connecticut hiding their Irish heritage.

Or what about the Israeli flag? That's the flag of a sovereign nation and yet it has been waved in response to the Free Palestine movement. Some of our politicians even chose to drape themselves in it. Should they leave for Israel?

What about those who waved a confederate flag for the sake of "southern pride"? Some could make the argument that they are traitors and need to be treated as so.

What about those that would give the Nazi salute?

It's funny that this argument should come up during Pride month, where LGBTQ community celebrates who they are, even at a time where their government opposes them for, well, being themselves. But they don't leave that celebration behind. Instead, they fight for it, through celebration, and through protesting the wrongs they are going through as well. They wave their flag because they want you to know who they are and that they are willing to fight.

And its been made abundantly clear, whether through the suppression of information, or by threats of violence, or the fed misinformation, and Trump's administration clearing of anything relating to DEIA - diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility – they are not only trying to get people to go against anyone who isn't them but they are also trying to make people forget what makes them different, or what makes them just like those they are trying to get rid of. Maybe it's even supposed to make some forget that almost everyone who resides in the United States, again, came from immigration themselves.

All of the years of fearmongering are paying off. According to CBS News, Trumps deportation program is netting positive approval from Americans, but due to being misinformed that the administration is prioritizing people they believe are dangerous criminals. But that same poll also states that if they are told that the focus is on innocent people who have not committed any crimes, that support drops dramatically.

It comes to the fact that these people who offer this support don't want to see the cruelty that comes with blaming a group that are victims of scapegoating from capitalists/fascists. They'd rather not see it and think themselves still clean and good. This is why some feel more comfortable if you "leave the flag out" of the protest. They don't want to know who is protesting, or rather, they want to know the protestors as nothing but the "criminals" they are supposed to fear. Not your neighbors, friends and loved ones with their own backgrounds, with their own culture, but just criminals they are told are here through social media.

This should remind or tell you that the wiping anything DEIA-related was never about fairness for those who apparently don't fit in within its definition, rather it was to suppress. Suppress culture. It was part of the plan the entire time. And they will continue to do everything they can to suppress that diversity– because they don't want you to celebrate others. They don't want you to care about about what's out there.

Just like Pride month celebrations, the Los Angeles protests and those that will come after can also be considered not only defiant messages that they are willing to fight for who they are, and what they believe in, but they're also here to celebrate who they are no matter what lies the President of the United States, a known liar and his fascist administration are willing to lie or do otherwise.

So no, the Mexican flag should not be left behind. In fact, no matter where you came from, you should wave the flag too, not for the sake of claiming Mexican heritage or nationality, but in support– that you not only see those protesting, that you not only support their cause, but you know who they are, where they came from and you celebrate that diversity. Hiding that diversity is what they want. Don't give in.

Hell, bring the flag of your national origin to protests as well. Let them know you'll be part of that fight. You'll be celebrating that origin but you'll also be celebrating the United States of America by protesting in the first place. It's your First Amendment right after all, what better way to celebrate?