Maria Burns Ortiz Responds To Criticism Of Leonel Manzano's Celebration

Fox News Latino:

Leo Manzano ended the race with a strong kick, the letters USA emblazoned across his chest as he crossed the finish line. After securing the silver medal in the 1500 meters, Manzano celebrated – like all Olympic athletes – by draping himself in his country’s flag. An American flag. At some point, he was handed a Mexican flag as well. He clutched it in his hand.

Read the whole story at Fox News Latino

Comments

[marissa emily]

05:00 PM on 08/15/2012

WOW ..... He looks like a young Obama, in that pic on top the page.

[muzaf]

01:57 PM on 08/15/2012

What is rather disappointing about of this and some of the comments written here is the most important thing that this man has achieved is totally being drowned while we all sit at our computers harping on about this, that and the other. Remember that this is a man who bleed, sweated and cried through many years of hard physical and mental work to achieve a medal at the Olympics for you, great nation of America. sheesh how about a bit of love for the guy.
Guys - no one forgot that Manzanno was running for the USA. It was every clear and in his celebration the first flag he pick up was the American Flag.
If the man chooses draping across his shoulders the flag of the country that raised him and clutch in one hand the flag of the country that birthed him, so be it. If you are born and raised in American - when you won an Olympic medal, grab two American flags.
Why did other athletes from dual back grounds chose not to do this. Ask them directly why, as I think it is a personal matter to each individual as to how they feel about this.

[tiredofit11]

05:23 PM on 08/15/2012

You're right. This is much ado about nothing. It's his achievements and accomplishments that matter.

[multiplicityme2]

12:48 PM on 08/15/2012

Non story.

[sweetpatriot]

12:23 AM on 08/15/2012

It was amazing to watch him finish.He did a great job

[mira chancleta]

09:36 AM on 08/14/2012

classless...

[sweetpatriot]

12:23 AM on 08/15/2012

Very classy to run for your country

[mira chancleta]

08:39 AM on 08/15/2012

...except for when you betray the country that trained you, supported you, paid for your plane ticket to London, your hotel in London, your meals in London and allowed you to represent it...

[sweetpatriot]

12:46 AM on 08/14/2012

He had US flag then somebody gave him mexican flag.He is American champion.

[Dad of Marine]

11:06 PM on 08/13/2012

Much to do about NOTHING! He embraced the U.S. flag and then someone handed him the Mexican flag. Big deal; he wishes to celebrate both flags and so what, no news here, unless you are someone who most likely, never embraced Leo anyway. He can do as he pleases since he is the one who most likely worked his butt off, running countless miles everyday for who knows, how long. Congratulations Leo Manzano, I am sure your family is totally proud of you as I am as well.

[AChangeIsComing]

09:45 PM on 08/13/2012

when you watched the 2012 Olympics, the commentators often told the back stories / stories of origin of various athletes. Most of these types of stories referenced athletes from third world countries who migrated (as adults or children) to technologically advanced countries, like GB, USA, Ital, France, Germany. From the athletes who starred in these type commentaries who then went on to win medals for their adopted country, NOT ONE stood/walked around/ or performed a victory lap with the flag from their country of origin.

Why? It was not because they turned their backs on their country of origin, but b/c it would have been deemed unseemly and offensive to stand as representative of that country, receive the medal and then immediately qualify your efforts by saying: It actually wasn't just for the USA, the country that sent me hear as part of its athletic contingent, but for another country as well.

[tiredofit11]

12:14 AM on 08/14/2012

Call minorities Americans all year round, not just at the Olympics.

[tiredofit11]

06:07 PM on 08/13/2012

The same people complaining about this issue are the same ones who defend the CONFEDERATE flag that flies all over the south, including on state property in South Carolina.

[pjt2352]

05:05 PM on 08/13/2012

Maria Burns Ortiz wrote: "I’m fairly certain that on Manzano’s U.S. passport there is no notation that says, “American, but….”"
His passport does not notate this because by taking the oath of citizenship ('I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen') it is assumed his loyalty is to the US. It is his actions that leave that loyalty in doubt.

[tiredofit11]

06:02 PM on 08/13/2012

Nothing he has done ha sleft his loyaty in doubt except to bigots who don't like him anyway.

[mira chancleta]

09:33 AM on 08/14/2012

ask the former Canadians who are now American citizens who DID NOT flash the flag of Canada about that...

[bbertaud]

09:55 AM on 08/13/2012

I don´t understand what is the big deal...in the US everybody is whatever-American...I had classmates saying that they were German, Swedish, Italian etc just for having a last name from those countries...I had a classmate name G. Nordback who said he was Swedish, even if he did not speak or understand Swedish, and his only contact with Sweden was an occasion when he spent a week in Stockholm... he did not even have a clue of who ABBA was, or Selma Lagerloff, Greta Garbo, Ingmar Bergman ...etc

[mira chancleta]

10:53 AM on 08/13/2012

but were they representing the USA on the world stage?

[pjt2352]

04:51 PM on 08/13/2012

I do find it interesting how you are rewriting the past to satisfy the present. My grandfather came from Germany at the beginning of the 20th century. He NEVER said he was German-American nor did any other American with his background. During the 20th century, with two wars with Germany, American's with German roots NEVER were German-Americans unless they were called that by people who did not trust them. That is what the big deal is. People wonder if they can trust someone to stand up for this Country when they have divided loyalties.

[tiredofit11]

06:06 PM on 08/13/2012

That's a lie. Read a history book. German-Americans had bilingual schools and German speaking towns in America until WWI when the tide turned against them. Only then did they assimilate.

Manzano won a silver medal for the USA. This flag issue is much ado about nothing from internet bigots who have never accomplished anything.

[bbertaud]

06:20 PM on 08/13/2012

You royally  fail to understand my point. I'll explain to you. My point is that this guy is being criticized for waving the  flag of his country or origin, and where he lived until he was a teenager along with the flag of his new country, while many Americans brag about their roots, to which they have no connection whatsoever or have no knowledge whatsoever of the culture of their ancestors...that's my point...I hope you understand now.

Have a wonderful day !!!  LOL

[Chi Man Sam]

07:20 AM on 08/13/2012

Many of us whom serve our country,
know that in serving our country we are protecting
our rights, free speech, Religious freedom
and many more, but that does not mean we are
suppose to forget who we are and where we come
from, we can serve our country with pride and still
be proud of our forefathers. these athletes are no
different. He won a medal he celebrated both his countries.
Heritage means a lot to us. We have an " Old Country" to go
to with immediate family, we are connected.
For most Amereican that was lost many years ago, England, Ireland
Scotland and others are places, they have not ties or are connection to,
so they don't understand us. It could be that in 100 or 200 years my
decendents will feel the same way.

[mira chancleta]

10:54 AM on 08/13/2012

Wear that John Wayne Gacey T-Shirt much too?

[sweetpatriot]

12:42 AM on 08/13/2012

Go Manzano.Go USA

[nasknit]

11:35 PM on 08/12/2012

I wonder if the author would be as understanding if the American winner was also draped in the flag of Cuba, Communist China, North Korea? BTW, I can't wait for the rest of the American Olympic athletes to start carrying the flags of the countries their ancestors came from- I doubt if most will have enough arms for the job.

[andreasschiff]

03:21 AM on 08/13/2012

Cuba, Communist China, North Korea are hostile countries, Mexico is a friend.
Unfortunately the education in the USA is really poor lately as this poster shows, and we wil have serious problems with hostile countries if that trend continues.

[SamiSam]

10:28 AM on 08/13/2012

Ok, what if Sanya Richards-Ross would have waved the Jamaican flag too? She was born there. I think she would've been raked over the coals for that. Although JAM is a friendly country to us, they are not on the track field. And, if Mexico had some serious runners in that competition, there may be even more of a stink than it is now. Context matters and heritage is great. But at the Olympics you race for one team, and that's the flag you should wave.

[mira chancleta]

10:55 AM on 08/13/2012

with friends like this, who needs to destroy their own country?

[spytheweb]

11:31 PM on 08/12/2012

“Going into this Olympics, the U.S. is my home, but my roots are still in Mexico,” he said. “I live in the U.S. I’m still very much connected to my Mexican heritage, but my home is the U.S. I wouldn’t change it for the world.”

Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag. We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language...and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people.-Theodore Roosevelt

[andreasschiff]

03:26 AM on 08/13/2012

Dear Theodore,
in your days back then indeed a Chinese could not be a citizens, a Black could no stay in the same hotel as you in Yosemite, a woman could not vote - and that is why I do not like your quote.

[bbertaud]

09:58 AM on 08/13/2012

The only real Americans are the natives, they were in the land centuries before the English, Spanish and French came to explore and settle...your ancestors came probably from England or Continental Europe...and yet again, those natives aso came from somewhere else

So get over it