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From El Centro La Raza's website:

"Many people incorrectly translate our name, "La Raza," as "the race." While it is true that one meaning of "raza" in Spanish is indeed "race," in Spanish, as in English and any other language, words can and do have multiple meanings. As noted in several online dictionaries, "La Raza" means "the people" or "the community." Translating our name as "the race" is not only inaccurate, it is factually incorrect. "Hispanic" is an ethnicity, not a race. As anyone who has ever met a Dominican American, Mexican American, or Spanish American can attest, Hispanics can be and are members of any and all races.

The term "La Raza" has its origins in early 20th century Latin American literature and translates into English most closely as "the people" or, according to some scholars, as "the Hispanic people of the New World." The term was coined by Mexican scholar José Vasconcelos to reflect the fact that the people of Latin America are a mixture of many of the world's races, cultures, and religions. Mistranslating "La Raza" to mean "the race" implies that it is a term meant to exclude others. In fact, the full term coined by Vasconcelos, "La Raza Cósmica," meaning the "cosmic people," was developed to reflect not purity but the mixture inherent in the Hispanic people. This is an inclusive concept, meaning that Hispanics share with all other peoples of the world a common heritage and destiny."

Shame on La Raza and Mr. Lynch!

I may not be a "Bad American" but I am certainly an odd one...

1) I believe that America is the most successful experiment in classical liberalism and liberty the world has ever known -- I am proud to be an American!(and as such, I believe flag burning should be protected speech)

2) I believe in Jesus Christ as my Savior and am in awe of His power and of the Man who is the greatest advocate of individual rights the universe has known (and as such, I believe religion should stay out of our public institutions -- my God is powerful enough to not need sanctioning by the state -- is yours?)

3) I believe in free markets and that the ability of people to freely purchase goods and services and to offer their labor in exchange for pay will, over time, cure most societal ills (and as such, I believe that relaxing visa requirements and finding an orderly way to legalize all those allowed in by lax border enforcement is in America's best interest)

4) I believe the American way of life is worth protecting and that a strong and modern military helps decrease the odds that we'll ever need it -- and that we should spend even more perhaps (and thus, I feel we should pull-back from the majority of our deployments overseas to just a handful of strategic locations -- military spending should go to technology, equipment, recruiting, and training and not the operation of bases where we're not wanted. Oh, and we should not have gone into Iraq)

5) I believe in the beauty and profound wisdom of our founding fathers in protecting our freedoms such as gun ownership, religious affiliation, and the very real right to privacy found in our government documents. Federal judges should make decisions based on the constitutionality of laws - the literal intent of our constitution alone (and as such, I believe Guantanamo detainees, captured during an undeclared war, should have been extended at least cursory constitutional rights once moved from the battlefield to a permanent base and that warrantless wiretapping is a danger to us all)

No wonder I have one hell of a time voting!

Interesting combo ya got going there, Otter!

To my previous, I would add I believe "when Jesus said 'love your enemies' He meant don't kill them."

Out of curiosity, what do you see as a shameful act on the part of the student organization that reported the vandalism?

Otter, very beautifully stated!
Leah-Ann "love your enemies" does not mean let them kill you.
Other wise, we have beat this to death! Come on, it was wrong and what he did was wrong (ripping the flag). If he had not"ripped" it there would be no crime!!!!!!!

thanks azbob -- every little validation helps and is needed sometimes when I feel rather lonely in my beliefs.

LA -- La Raza could have refrained from suing just because they can and proved that their movement is one that is proud to be in America by seeking dialogue with Mr. Lynch and making him look rather silly. As it is now, they've got the entire right wing establishment wanting him as a write-in candidate against McCain. That's their right, but serves no real purpose other than that of prideful hyper-nationalism.

Otter, "La Raza" (I assume you are talking about the student organization that raised the Mexican flag, El Centro La Raza) didn't sue Mr. Lynch. They reported to police that someone stole their flag and destroyed it. The DA prosecuted him for the offense. (That's prosecutorial discretion for ya!) Why do you deem the reporting of a crime wrong?

azbob, what did Jesus mean when he said, "Love your enemies?" Not that I'm a fan of this kind of oversimplification, but - who would Jesus bomb?

oh please

I didn't not say or even imply that Jesus would bomb anyone! I said " "love your enemies" does not mean let them kill you." I have an obligation to protect my family and friends. I did not say I would bomb them. Why would you interperate that to mean that Jesus would bomb anyone?

Well stated! I love reading what someone believes in so much better than what(who) everyone is against. Whether I agree or not ( and in this case, I do agree), I think it takes a lot more courage to say what you stand for vs. stand against.