I am writing [about the] criticism of many local Hispanics who choose to display the flags and symbols of their race/heritage.

It seems like there are no remarks to the people who choose to display the rebel flags on their vehicles. The rebel flag is the virtual symbol of every white supremacist group in the country. I never hear complaints when an individual displays the Croatian flag at ethnic festivals.

Instead of worrying about a few individuals who are proud of their culture, we should worry about SE Iowa having the honorable distinction of being No. 2 in the state for meth production.

We should be worrying about educating our children so they don’t grow up to be the racial bigots who complain. We should be worrying about bringing business and jobs to this area so locals don’t have to leave the area after college. The good old boy racist politics have already chased prospective business out of my county, and things will never change until the complainers stop whining about a flag.

Get an education and quit being a racist jerk. Being a proud Puerto-Rican American, I choose to fly the flag of my heritage next to the American flag. My father was drafted to fight in the Korean War. Minority veterans and white veterans fought side by side ....

Hispanics are here to stay! We are defending this country in the Gulf. We attend [to] the patients in hospitals.

America is free, even to jerks who complain.

Jeff Medina

Appanoose County