Second, who do you know that wears a flag shirt anyway? On a holiday or no? What lousy fashion sense! How gaudy and tacky! You really wear a Maple Leaf shirt? Why?

Gosh, maybe I'm out of the loop, but I don't see wearing the national colours as such a big deal. On the Maple Leaf front, one of my favourite t-shirts says "Hockey is Canada" on the front and "Canada is Hockey, Period" on the back with the Hockey Canada Maple Leaf logo. I've got a half-dozen Team Canada hockey sweaters that I love to wear when the mood strikes. This last winter when I was up in Canada just prior to the Olympics, I could not resist the turtle neck Canadian Olympic sweater, which looks like the tunic from Captain Canuck.

It gets worse, Mike. I've got a couple of American Flag T-Shirts, too. My absolute favourite -- which was worn to threads and has now sadly become a yard work shirt -- was an awesomely cool Smithsonian Museum shirt that I got back in 1999. The kids have looked for a replacement the last couple of years during their Grade Eight trips to Washington, but no joy.

It's not just flags. When I was at the Nixon Library just a few weeks back, I bought myself a Declaration of Independence tie. Understated and very snazzy!

Mike, here's a photo of BC Premier Gordon Campbell wearing one of those turtle neck sweaters that I happily bought before Christmas at the Hudson Bay. Maybe I have no fashion taste, but I like it, and it's sure nice and warm.

(Although, I must admit, I like Cindy Crawford in Canadian mittens much better...)

"You can't do or say any thing you want. Not in school, not on the John Byrne Forum, not at your local bar, not in your house of worship, no where in this country."

Actually, you can.  You just need to be prepared to deal with the consequences of your actions.  People, in general, know what's acceptable to say when and where because of established rules and guidelines.  The principal changed the t-shirt rules without notification.

"You can't do or say any thing you want. Not in school, not on the John Byrne Forum, not at your local bar, not in your house of worship, no where in this country."

***

Actually, you can.  You just need to be prepared to deal with the consequences of your actions.

Oliver Wendell Holmes said it best: "The right to swing my fist stops where the other man's nose begins."

We can dicker about passive agressiveness and intention and motivation for wearing an American flag t-shirt to school on Cinqo de Mayo, but I believe it's an overreaction to take offense at an otherwise inoffensive article of clothing.

It's kind of sad if you need a specific list of items to wear or not to wear.

I'm probably wrong here, but if so, show me how. Show me that exact word out of that guy's mouth, Victor.