California college bans American flag from part of campus

[Wallenburg]

Ignorance is strength and all that jazz.

We have always been at war with Eastasia, etc.

What? You are mistaken! Eastasia is our greatest ally! Why would we be at war with them? We have always been at war with Eurasia!

[Herrebrugh]

We have always been at war with Eastasia, etc.

What? You are mistaken! Eastasia is our greatest ally! Why would we be at war with them? We have always been at war with Eurasia!

Sounds like someone will be taken to Room 101...

[THE B0RG (Ancient)]

What? You are mistaken! Eastasia is our greatest ally! Why would we be at war with them? We have always been at war with Eurasia!

Sounds like someone will be taken to Room 101...

DO IT TO JULIA, NOT TO ME! I DON'T CARE WHAT HAPPENS TO HER! DO IT TO JULIA!!! (rat sandwich)

[Nazi Flower Power]

I don't even think it looks particularly nice, so, eh.

Thirteen stripes, fifty stars...
It's just cluttered.

That's what happens when you let the expansionists win. We should have never added so many states. If we hadn't added California we wouldn't have these idiotic stories about people "banning" the flag at schools in the first place.

[THE B0RG (Ancient)]

Assimilation is the purest form of expansion.

[Fortis Britain]

The flag represents the freedom to hate the flag. The great irony of democracy.

[Katganistan]

The thread title is bullshit. They banned ALL flags, not just the US one, from the student government work room. The only thing they need to be concentrating on is the student government, not nationalistic bullshit.

Good..then why is there a supposed problem for some?

Idiotic "AMERICA FUCK YEAH" attitude, I suppose.

Good..then why is there a supposed problem for some?

It's kind of restricting on the personal freedoms thing, I would say.
If they banned the Nazi flag, I'd be okay.The Confederate flag? Understandable.
But all the flags? A flag is like a cloth.People identify with it.

Why should they identify with America when they are supposed to be working on what's best for the students of their university?

What does America have to do with it?

It does have a weight, since the student body has the right to vote on certain measures on said college in which this occurred.

In the sense they are under the illusion they have said power, their weight is only measured by the others who would abide by said vote. By saying that, if I were to attend this campus, I guess I would be a dick about it, and fly said flags from their banned area, just to prove a point and exercise MY freedom of speech.

This type of vote reminds me of my time at a small community college(back in the 90's) in where the student body banned motorcycles from the student parking area, because they didn't want "their" campus to look like a bunch of dirty bikers attended there. Kinda hard to stop 40+ students from parking their motorcycles in the parking lot, their ruling was ignored and was not enforced by the administration either.

How would you access the student government work room if you're not a member of student government?

Seriously, what is wrong with everyone who has their panties in a twist about how these students want their work area to look? They're not saying other students can't fly the flag, or banning it from classrooms, or the campus lunchroom, or whatever.

What is the problem? Not being able to impose on others how their workspace is decorated?

[Krieg-Deathworld]

More Über-Liberals trying to be edgy and prove how progressive they are. Sure it's obnoxious but who cares? It's Cali.

[Katganistan]

It's no more a revocation of rights than saying that no one is allowed to spray-paint on the wall.

the student council isn't truly representative of the student body enough to make such a right-breaching declaration

the fact that the school did not intervene shows that they have no respect for the rights of the students

*LAUGHS*

Student government -- the folks ELECTED by the students to be their voice when dealing with the school -- are not representative and should be punished by the school.

Rich indeed.

Here[pdf] is the elections code of the ASUCI. Please show us where the problem lies.

the problem is that now American flags are banned from an American school, and that Freedom has been unjustifiably reduced.

No, the problem is reading comprehension and overly nationalistic kneejerk reactions.

[Sanctissima]

the student council isn't truly representative of the student body enough to make such a right-breaching declaration

the fact that the school did not intervene shows that they have no respect for the rights of the students

*LAUGHS*

Student government -- the folks ELECTED by the students to be their voice when dealing with the school -- are not representative and should be punished by the school.

Rich indeed.

Keep in mind though, most students really couldn't give a damn in terms of who's on their student council.

It's the sort of thing most people could care less about.

[Salandriagado]

It's no more a revocation of rights than saying that no one is allowed to spray-paint on the wall.

the student council isn't truly representative of the student body enough to make such a right-breaching declaration

the fact that the school did not intervene shows that they have no respect for the rights of the students

Whose rights are infringed upon by a group of people choosing to not have a flag in their office?

[Katganistan]

There's very few student unions that are actually representative of the student body.

Aside from a de jure perspective, most students really couldn't give a damn in terms of what their student union's doing. In fact, I doubt most students even know the names of the members of their student union.

So, yeah, the ASUCI is most likely not representative of the university's student body.

So just throw any concept of representative democracy out the window?

Isn't that pretty much FOX's rationale?

Doesn't this kind of bullshit happen in states that were former Mexican territories? Because I don't hear these stories about removing the US flag in a place like New York or Kentucky. Usually California, Arizona and Texas has this.

Why do you have the idea that in New York every college classroom has an American flag? Not in the colleges I've attended.

Doesn't this kind of bullshit happen in states that were former Mexican territories? Because I don't hear these stories about removing the US flag in a place like New York or Kentucky. Usually California, Arizona and Texas has this.

Yeah, I had noticed a pattern that these stories are usually from California.

A lot of people in this thread have blamed it on liberalism, but New England is very liberal, and I've never heard of anything like this locally. The only local flag-related controversy I can recall was a guy who was flying an upside down American flag as a distress signal because he was having financial problems and was disappointed what was going on in the country. His neighbors thought he was disrespecting the flag by flying it upside down.

Then I hope they never go sailing and run into problems. How disrespectful to signal distress in a codified and recognizable way!

Some people are very emotional.

Aside from the occasional strikes and demonstrations, what do they actually do?

Student unions are a relic from the 60's, a time when most students actually cared about politics. Nowadays, this is hardly the case. Today they're banning the display of flags in the school lobby because they're worried about offending some people. 50 years ago they were promoting activism, gay-rights, democracy and actually accomplishing things.

So, no, modern student unions do not actually represent their student bodies. A general lack of interest has taken that away.

Or, you could read the original article and realize your post is horribly misinformed.

[Nazi Flower Power]

Doesn't this kind of bullshit happen in states that were former Mexican territories? Because I don't hear these stories about removing the US flag in a place like New York or Kentucky. Usually California, Arizona and Texas has this.

Why do you have the idea that in New York every college classroom has an American flag? Not in the colleges I've attended.

It's not that every room has a flag. It's just that there's less bickering and manufactured outrage over where to display flags and where not.

[Grinning Dragon]

In the sense they are under the illusion they have said power, their weight is only measured by the others who would abide by said vote. By saying that, if I were to attend this campus, I guess I would be a dick about it, and fly said flags from their banned area, just to prove a point and exercise MY freedom of speech.

This type of vote reminds me of my time at a small community college(back in the 90's) in where the student body banned motorcycles from the student parking area, because they didn't want "their" campus to look like a bunch of dirty bikers attended there. Kinda hard to stop 40+ students from parking their motorcycles in the parking lot, their ruling was ignored and was not enforced by the administration either.

How would you access the student government work room if you're not a member of student government?

Seriously, what is wrong with everyone who has their panties in a twist about how these students want their work area to look? They're not saying other students can't fly the flag, or banning it from classrooms, or the campus lunchroom, or whatever.

What is the problem? Not being able to impose on others how their workspace is decorated?

Wasn't so much as a removal of the flags, it was their bullshit, I am edgy-pendantic moronic reasoning,...."adding that the “American flag has been flown in instances of colonialism and imperialism.” /dumb.
The bill further argues that the U.S. flag can convey “American exceptionalism and superiority.” /extremely dumb.

How would I gain access to their common room? By walking in there like a boss, wouldn't be the first time I walked into an area I wasn't suppose to be in. The other reason just as I stated, "Because I can" attitude.

[Katganistan]

They've banned ALL flags from ONE room. Not only the American flag, ALL flags. It's not like they'll be flying an Iraqi flag in there.

They aren't in Iraq. Iraq doesn't pay money to their school. The USA does. Its about more than the flag, its about respect.

Their freedom of speech includes deciding what symbols they do not want present in the room.
This is as American a decision as it gets, and the constitution supports such a decision.

Respect their freedom of speech.

[Oneracon]

How would you access the student government work room if you're not a member of student government?

Seriously, what is wrong with everyone who has their panties in a twist about how these students want their work area to look? They're not saying other students can't fly the flag, or banning it from classrooms, or the campus lunchroom, or whatever.

What is the problem? Not being able to impose on others how their workspace is decorated?

Wasn't so much as a removal of the flags, it was their bullshit, I am edgy-pendantic moronic reasoning,...."adding that the “American flag has been flown in instances of colonialism and imperialism.” /dumb.

Except that it's true.

The bill further argues that the U.S. flag can convey “American exceptionalism and superiority.” /extremely dumb.

I agree that American exceptionalism and superiority are dumb, you should tell that to some of the posters in this thread.

[Nazi Flower Power]

Yeah, I had noticed a pattern that these stories are usually from California.

A lot of people in this thread have blamed it on liberalism, but New England is very liberal, and I've never heard of anything like this locally. The only local flag-related controversy I can recall was a guy who was flying an upside down American flag as a distress signal because he was having financial problems and was disappointed what was going on in the country. His neighbors thought he was disrespecting the flag by flying it upside down.

Then I hope they never go sailing and run into problems. How disrespectful to signal distress in a codified and recognizable way!

I think the guy was well within his rights, but it is a little weird to be flying a distress signal on dry land.

[Imperializt Russia]

*LAUGHS*

Student government -- the folks ELECTED by the students to be their voice when dealing with the school -- are not representative and should be punished by the school.

Rich indeed.

Keep in mind though, most students really couldn't give a damn in terms of who's on their student council.

It's the sort of thing most people could care less about.

That's the student body's own fault for being apathetic.

[Katganistan]

Britain started the Industrial Revolution.

Clearly not. The mortally offended nationalists have declared it was and always has been America's ballgame.

I mean it's not like Little Dorrit or Oliver Twist were written by an English author, is it? And clearly My Fair Lady is set in New York City.

Nope. Everything good comes from America. Everywhere else simply contains a bunch of jealous imitators.

How can you possibly think you know anything about Italian food unless you've been to The Olive Garden? or Mexican, unless you've been to Taco Bell?

[Lost heros]

More Über-Liberals trying to be edgy and prove how progressive they are. Sure it's obnoxious but who cares? It's Cali.

People with nationalistic flag fetishes, people who don't bother to read the whole article, and people with the agenda to prove the liberal youth is "anti-America" all seem to care very much.

(Side note: it is possible for someone to fall in to multiple categories)

[Katganistan]

Jesus Christ, how sensitive do you have to be that a piece of cloth offends you?

Or the lack thereof.

UCI is the absolute stupidest college in America. They don't like to speak english when ordering a taxi. They don't know where they are on the campus and they don't even know there home/dorm's address....oh and it was the school who served chicken and waffles on MLK day...

This school is a complete piece of shit and I tell anyone who is going to a UC school to avoid this horrible/anti American slice of little China!

I actually refuse to send taxis to this "university" unless the customer knows their address and can speak English!

Yes. VERY LIKELY, turning down fares. I believe it.

[Dyakovo]

The United States flag is not some other flag. Brave men and women die every day in honor of that flag and what it represents (or used to represent, as these days America has gone to the dogs). I believe this is a major issue, along the same lines of a recent case where students in one California school were asked to not wear their American flag t shirts to school because it was Cinco de Mayo and the Mexican students took it offensive that they had them on. News flash people, THIS IS AMERICA!!! Our flag MEANS something! It doesn't matter what America has done in the past, nor what crimes that have been committed by this nation in the name of our flag. What matters is the fact that this flag is the symbol of our nation, and therefore should not only be displayed in that class room, but in every public building in the entire country.

A US Navy Seaman just commented on this being trivial for him. I think if you're going to argue with this, I'll believe a veteran's words more than some random internet guy.

And a former US Marine is in complete agreement with him.

[Dyakovo]

the student council isn't truly representative of the student body enough to make such a right-breaching declaration

the fact that the school did not intervene shows that they have no respect for the rights of the students

Whose rights are infringed upon by a group of people choosing to not have a flag in their office?

The room's.
*nods*

[Ifreann]

A US Navy Seaman just commented on this being trivial for him. I think if you're going to argue with this, I'll believe a veteran's words more than some random internet guy.

And a former US Marine is in complete agreement with him.

Clearly you both hate America.

[Dyakovo]

How would you access the student government work room if you're not a member of student government?

Seriously, what is wrong with everyone who has their panties in a twist about how these students want their work area to look? They're not saying other students can't fly the flag, or banning it from classrooms, or the campus lunchroom, or whatever.

What is the problem? Not being able to impose on others how their workspace is decorated?

Wasn't so much as a removal of the flags, it was their bullshit, I am edgy-pendantic moronic reasoning,...."adding that the “American flag has been flown in instances of colonialism and imperialism.” /dumb.
The bill further argues that the U.S. flag can convey “American exceptionalism and superiority.” /extremely dumb.

Both those statements are 100% accurate.