Is anyone else losing respect for Leo Manzano running around with the Mexican flag??

The U.S. stole the areas with water and left the desert. I would like to see the U.S.-Mexico border opened like the border with France and Germany so that new customers from Mexico can freely cross back and forth to increase commerce for retail businesses. The service sector is the largest portion of U.S. economy.

I don't see Afro-Americans, Italian-Americans, Cuban-Americans etc. wrapped in two flags. I get so upset of Mexican-American flying Mexican and American flags in their businesses and now in the Olympic games! You came to the U.S. because your native motherland didn't give you the opportunities you've achieved here and this is how you show appreciation? Leo, we know your of Hispanic descendant by your last name, that all that is needed. No, I am not a racist, I am Hispanic with a Hispanic last name and will never divide my allegiance.

I don't see Afro-Americans, Italian-Americans, Cuban-Americans etc. wrapped in two flags. I get so upset of Mexican-American flying Mexican and American flags in their businesses and now in the Olympic games! You came to the U.S. because your native motherland didn't give you the opportunities you've achieved here and this is how you show appreciation? Leo, we know your of Hispanic descendant by your last name, that all that is needed. No, I am not a racist, I am Hispanic with a Hispanic last name and will never divide my allegiance.

This issue made it to CNN...

http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/10/opinion/navarrette-olympics-flags/index.html?hpt=hp_c2

I don't think its a good move though. I was born in Germany and am a German Citizen. I am proud of my heritage as Leo obviously is. (and should be) But I would never even consider running with another flag other than the united state's if I was competing for them. I find it very disrespectful.

I see both sides of the fence... but I do find it slightly irritating that he picked up the Mexican flag. If he chose to run for Mexico his contract would be literrally 50% of what it is now. He benefits from being an American and running for the US.

You don't see MEB, Lagat, or Lomong.... doing these things.

CNN does give him some flack for it, and the posters on there are much more hard core than letsrun. CNN posters are crazy.

I am not against immigration, I am very liberal, however... immigrants come in, COMMIT... COMMIT to being an American.

Yes keep your culture, but honor the country that has supported you and allowed you to achieve greater things.

Not sure wrote:

You don't see MEB, Lagat, or Lomong.... doing these things.

Dude, Meb has picked up the Eritrean flag and paraded around with it. Where have you been?

Yeah. It's a free country. People who don't like it should move to Israel where runners get shot in the back by Israeli goons just for being Christian or Muslim.

Last time I checked Manzano is not in the army. He has not obligation to defend the constitution, flag, or anything else. He can do what he wants.

He sent a message that a lot of Americans do not like, "I identify with a place other than the US". It happens all over the world, but for some reason this is a sin in the US.

All this about how Leo celebrated? He had just run the greatest Olympic mile for an American since the 60's. He probably wanted to hug the whole world.

It's pretty simple - Leo is an American citizen and loves America, but was born in Mexico and has Mexican roots. There is nothing wrong with celebrating the country of his birth and the country of his family's history. It's USA in the meet results.

What if Manzano were in the US Air Force? He would have to defend the constitution.

dean moriarty wrote:

All this about how Leo celebrated? He had just run the greatest Olympic mile for an American since the 60's. He probably wanted to hug the whole world.

It's pretty simple - Leo is an American citizen and loves America, but was born in Mexico and has Mexican roots. There is nothing wrong with celebrating the country of his birth and the country of his family's history. It's USA in the meet results.

+1 Like I said on another thread, people need to take it in the spirit Leo intended, which is to honor where he was born and his Mexican heritage along with the US, and not to put down or disrespect anyone or anything.

As others have said, the strength of this nation is the diversity of its people's heritage. You look at the US Olympic team or you look at their names and you can see almost every corner of the world represented in some way. USA is top of the medals table because of these people and the people have their medals in large part because they competed with USA on their jersey or singlet or swim cap or leotard. One without the other is one-handed clapping.

I'm an immigrant, in fact unlike Leo Manzano I'm a LEGAL immigrant. I came to the US at the age of 25 so even if I had been a top athlete the question never would have come up, but as a thought experiment, given the choice today I would represent my home country in the Olympics, no doubt. I assume Manzano had that choice but he opted to represent the US and that's where he made his bed. If he wanted to wave the Mexican flag he should have run for Mexico.

To keep it personally relevant I'll fast-forward 15-20 years. I have a young son. He's born in the US and his mother is American. If he becomes a great athlete and has the chance to go to the Olympics the natural choice for him will be to represent the US. He's a dual citizen but if he should dare to wave the flag of MY country I would be embarrassed, not proud.

However, if he's not good enough to make the US team in whatever sport it is and he has the option of going to the Olympics as part of another team, I sincerely hopes he does that. Would be stupid not to.

Thought exercise. How would you feel if Lagat ran a victory lap with both an American flag and a Kenyan flag? Or if one of the 2 naturalized Germans on the U.S. dressage team took up a German flag along with the American?

Fuug people, this isn't Zionist Israel! The US is a free country for heavens sakes, and not a military dictatorship.

I lost all respect for Manzano after he paraded around with and even did an interview with the Mexican flag on CNN. His family ran away from Mexico and came to America illegally it is awful that he chose to run around with a Mexican flag he ran away from Mexico. He should be proud of the country that gave him this opportunity if Manzano wants to run for Mexico go ahead he should have given his spot to Robby Andrews who would have appreciated winning way more and been proud of his country. P.S. Robby Andrews still has the fastest American time in the 1500m this year.

Asker of questions wrote:

Huge Leo fan and followed him since his days at Marble Falls HS but this is really making me lose respect for him. Yes, born in Mexico and came to THE country that gave him every opportunity now he brings the Mexican flag along with the US flag. Not cool, Leo.

I haven't lost any respect for him, but it was not a smart move. Glad that he's proud of his Mexican heritage, and he should be open about that, but that's something for AFTER the Olympics. The Olympics are ALL about the national team, and it's the national team you are competing for that gets any glory.

If in January 2013 he wants to speak glowingly about Mexico and that he's proud of his Mexican heritage, then fine...right now to tweet such things and run with the Mexican flag along with the American flag after his silver medal winning run...nah...not the right time to do that.

I would think that these athletes would have advisers telling them such things. Any endorsements he may get from his success at the Olympics would likely come from American companies...easy to use clips of him after his race carrying the American flag IF that was all he was carrying...the Mexican flag in there just mucks it up a bit.

Deport Leo Manzano. He is a disrespectful little man. Send him back to Mexico and Meb back to Eritrea. You wear U.S.A. on your uniform at the Olympic games you only carry the Stars and Stripes.

Stop it already, your're talking to the wall. They just won't get it because they aren't truly listening. Never been an immigrant. My roots on fathers side are deep roots in Teyshas, Tejas, Texas. We have taken lots of crap throughout history. Words from the "wall" won't change a damn thing. It's just fear from those thinking they r loosing their culture. All these countries u guys talk about r not here!. Their culture didn't predate the American one in this part of the world. Son Vacas, solamente vacas nada mas.

When I was a kid growing up many teachers tried and failed to beat Spanish out of me. Guess what. Didn't happen, not gonna happen now or ever. Currently working on becoming fluent in a several different native dialects as well. to the hater embrace it. America is about diversity!

Leonel Manzano is a man beaming with pride for Mexicans and Mexico. His parents and community brought up a good man. I hope I did as well as his parents did with my two sons, both of whom are grown adults today. Leonel is a great man and a role model for doing what he did with the Mexican flag.