Mexican Flag off limits...?

We have all seen editorial cartoons and the strong messages that many depict. This cartoon was drawn by cartoonist Daryl Cagle. Obviously, he did it to depict the horrible murders and killings going on in Mexico as part of the drug war. Sure enough he is getting some heat from across the border since the Mexican flag is sacred and off limits of any alteration or mockery. Many people are saying that there are other ways to graphically protest the situation in the country.

As a Mexican-American, I am not particularly offended by this depiction. It irks me a little to see the flag that way, but only because its true. I was just down there this weekend (I survived, Thank God) and people are scared. People go out into the street and you can see obvious tension. People are always locked in their houses for fear of robbery or kidnap and everyone knows someone that has been kidnapped, stopped, or killed by Los Zetas or the drug cartels. I think Daryl Craig was doing his job and obviously he did do it as part of an American newspaper. We have freedom of speech over here and that includes any comments or drawings of flags. I don't think the Mexican people should be mad. I know the flag is sacred to them, but editorial cartoons are powerful ways to make statements. This is a statement of fear and should rally people to demand more action from their government. Already people in Mexico are speaking of having a moment of silence during the famous El Grito (to ring in the bicentennial in a few days) as protest.

Even Daryl Craig said, "Another popular argument is that the “sacred” Mexican flag is just like the Prophet Muhammad, and no cartoonist should dare to draw the Mexican flag just as they wouldn’t dare to draw Muhammad. I generally respect religious beliefs and I shy away from religion bashing in my cartoons, but I don’t grant the same respect to governments. It is the role of editorial cartoonists to criticize governments and nations, and to use the symbols of nations in our cartoons". I couldn't have said it any better myself.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/09/03/mexico.flag.flap/index.html?npt=NP1

http://themoderatevoice.com/85153/my-mexican-flag-cartoon-and-angry-readers-guest-voice/