By Kelly Marcum I don’t remember electing a new sheriff but I
know of his existence because I received a citation. The citation
consisted of pancake syrup, eggs, toothpaste and toilet paper on my
car. The toothpaste had been used to write the word
”
BAD
”
multiple times on my windows. The pancake syrup was randomly
applied and the toilet paper wrapped my car. The egg had been
thrown from a distance and remained on my car and also on the
nearby garage door.
I don’t remember electing a new sheriff but I know of his existence because I received a citation. The citation consisted of pancake syrup, eggs, toothpaste and toilet paper on my car. The toothpaste had been used to write the word “BAD” multiple times on my windows. The pancake syrup was randomly applied and the toilet paper wrapped my car. The egg had been thrown from a distance and remained on my car and also on the nearby garage door.
Typically, the only interaction with a law enforcement officer comes as the result of a violation of a law or after a summons for help. I hadn’t summoned the new sheriff so could only assume a law had been violated. I found an American flag on top of my car. The flag had been dowsed in syrup, a mostly empty syrup bottle lay next to the flag. I recognized the flag as one that had come from my lawn.
Earlier in the day my son had placed the two-and-a-half-foot flag in our lawn. The new sheriff must have taken offense at the flag.
I know this is a different kind of citation, but the sheriff also wears a badge with a different motto than we are accustomed. Typically the motto of a law enforcer says something like, “To Serve and Protect” but now the motto has changed to “Be Patriotic and Kind.”
Be “Patriotic and Kind” seems a motto that none can argue. What parent wouldn’t want their child to mature loving his country and being kind to all they encounter. The kindness police enforce this motto very strictly. Any deviation from their interpretation of the motto results in a strict citation indicating their displeasure. The problem lies in the fact the tenets of the motto are impossible to comply.
Last month Cinco de Mayo was celebrated. Cinco de Mayo is a day morphed with the help of a slick marketing campaign and special interest groups.
The special interest groups have hijacked the folksy holiday to advance an agenda that includes ideas of a Mexican homeland including California, Arizona, New Mexico and parts of Texas. As a result of the promotion of the agenda the folksy holiday has transformed into a rallying point for Mexican-Americans and a flash point for patriotic Americans that take offense.
The flash point centered at Live Oak High School that day. A group of boys wanting to poke at the militant agenda decided to wear American flag themed clothing. The students were asked to remove their clothing to either prevent violence or force respect for Cinco de Mayo.
Since that time the school, community and nation have polarized on either side of the issue. My visit from the kindness police was most likely an outfall of this event as they took offense at the American flag planted in my front yard.
The kindness police have declared it disrespectful to have any showing of American patriotism on Cinco de Mayo no matter how small or large. A few of the boys had popular logo shirts the letters of which were made of red white and blue colors. It appears this minor adornment was enough to cause concerns with the kindness police and raise the ire of some in the Mexican-American community. From the ire rose the motto “Patriotic and Kind.”
It is impossible to be both patriotic and kind by the definition of the kindness police. The kindness police state it is OK to be patriotic 364 days a year but on the 365th day (Cinco de Mayo) the patriotism must be repressed. They say it shouldn’t be too much to ask for a person to repress their patriotic intentions one day out of 365.
If this is good for the American-Mexican community then shouldn’t it also be fair for the African-American community, the Irish-American, the Italian-American, the British-American and so on?
Shouldn’t the American flag themed clothing be retired to the closet for Kwanza, St. Patrick’s Day, Italian Independence day and maybe the Queen’s birthday? America is a melting pot of nationalities. With the help of the kindness police the flag-themed clothing could be relegated to the closets for a large majority of the year.
Soon the freedom of self expression and freedom of speech for all will be taken away in order to appease the desires of specific classes.
In April, the Japanese-American community celebrated Haru Matsuri, which is a celebration of the spring season. My family attended this event and enjoyed the Japanese culture.
At the festival one could hear traditional Japanese drums, taste traditional Japanese food and view Japanese art and clothing. Here people of many ethnicities and culture mingled without concern and without repressed expression. Here all were truly free to be American.
The kindness police and Mexican-American community could learn from the example at the Haru Matsuri.
As Americans we proudly embrace all cultures.
We enjoy learning about different cultures.
We bristle and react when we are told it is disrespectful to wear the flag of our country on any day.
Return Cinco de Mayo to a day of sharing cultures and rid the day of the agenda espoused by the militant groups such as La Raza, MEChA and the United Farmworkers.
There is never a wrong day to wear or display the flag of the United States of America.
It should never be considered by any racial group to be disrespectful to wear or display the flag of the United States of America.
Kelly Marcum lives in Morgan Hill with his wife and two children.
