Posted on 03/10/2007 2:01:32 AM PST by Exton1
Saturday, March 10, 2007
BRAVE NEW SCHOOLS
Students facing charges of 'desecration of Allah'
Hamas, Hezbollah flags used in college Republicans protest
 Hezbollah flag |
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College Republicans at San Francisco State University desecrated the name of Allah by stepping on makeshift Hezbollah and Hamas flags, charged school officials who brought the students before a hearing yesterday.
The trouble began at an Oct. 17 anti-terrorism rally in which the students stepped on butcher paper painted to resemble the flags of the Middle East terrorist organizations Hamas and Hezbollah. The College Republicans say they simply copied the script from an image on the Internet and didn't know it bore the name of Allah in Arabic script.
University spokeswoman Ellen Griffin, however, told San Francisco Chronicle columnist Debra J. Saunders the university "stands behind this process" of investigating the students for possible punishment.
"I don't believe the complaint is about the desecration of the flag," Griffin said. "I believe that the complaint is the desecration of Allah."
The university has 10 days from the time of the hearing to decide whether to sanction the students.
Greg Lukianoff, president of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, or FIRE, which represents the students, insisted the school has no basis for punishing them.
"The College Republicans engaged in unequivocally protected political expression, and it strains all credibility to think the SFSU administration does not know this," he said. "There is nothing to try or investigate here other than protected expression."
Ten days after the incident, a student filed a formal complaint with the university against the campus group, alleging "attempts to incite violence and create a hostile environment" and "actions of incivility."
FIRE argues the university's Office of Student Programs and Leadership Development could have settled the matter informally or dismissed the charges instead of pressing forward today with a hearing.
The legal advocacy group sent a letter to SFSU President Robert A. Corrigan Jan. 23 arguing no American public institution can lawfully prosecute students for engaging in political protest or for desecrating religious symbols.
FIRE asserted "incitement" and creating a "hostile environment" are legal terms not applicable to the College Republicans' actions of stepping on flags.
"SFSU has a duty to uphold the First Amendment rights of all of its students, even if their expressive activity offends the religious sensibilities of some," the letter stated.
University officials wrote back Jan. 29, saying the school would continue to investigate the complaint "to give all parties the confidence that they will be heard and fairly treated by a panel that includes representatives of all the university's key constituencies."
A follow-up letter by FIRE urged Corrigan to call off the hearing, warning "if you continue to ignore your constitutional obligations, you risk personal liability for depriving your students of their rights."
"This is not even a close call, legally speaking," FIRE Vice President Robert L. Shibley contended. "The First Amendment protects using or destroying flags in political protest, and even SFSU administrators must realize that they cannot prosecute students for failing to respect a religious symbol."
How far have we fallen as a Nation that we put up with this garbage from groups that support terrorism on our campuses? How far have we fallen from Patriotism that we allow the PLO and other Arab terrorist groups to have an office on a State funded University, of even in this country? Thank God, there are some real fighter showing up in the youth, if only those in power will follow there example.
If it had been american flags being burned or stepped on, they would of been given straight A's.
SFSU's actions are an unConstitutional establishment of religion on their face. I really, really respect FIRE for threatening these authoritarians with "personal liability" if they attempt to deprive the students of their rights.
As public employees acting under color of a public office and with the benefit of state enforcement power, the SFSU admins are doubly liable.
If the feds had any cojones, they would raid the administrative offices and throw those responsible into jail the very moment they attempt to punish the students.
Would there be any investigation of a group that stepped on the American flag? Didn't think so.
The left literally has lost their mind is their gushing appeasement of the genocidal muslims.
The left should get a Neville Chamberlain award of the month for someone who has appeased islamofascism the most.
If that's the case, why don't the terrorists in Iraq paint the name of Allah on everything that our troops could blow up?
Personally, I think they should get extra points for stomping on the Bloody Moon Demon.
.......and our troops in the war zone should grease their rifle barrels with lard.......and bring some well-fed tracker dogs with them on raids to defecate in the terrorist barracks.
Thanks so much for bringing this to Freepers attention....
Everyone can find appropriate email addresses on the school site.
I let them know how I feel ;-)
They should have shiite on those flags...
Anyone selling toilet paper with Hamas flag on it?
Stepping on their flag just doesnt do it for me.
Acually WE should paint the name of Allah on everything of ours so that the terrorists won't blow anything of ours up.
There is only one thing to do...make MORE Hamas and Hizbollah flags, as well as the Saudi flag (which bears "There is one god and mohammed is his prophet"), as well as just inscriptions bearing "Allah", and images from the Danish cartoons as well, and have as many students as can be found to stomp on them, pour mud on them and throw bacon on them. This is called "freedom of speech" and "right of assembly". The more students do this the more likely this issue will go away ASAP. This was the method employed by the leftists in the 60's and it WORKS.
"I don't believe the complaint is about the desecration of the flag," Griffin said. "I believe that the complaint is the desecration of Allah."
So....in the future, the US can't possibly go to war against Hamas or Hezbollah because it would result in flag desecration, which would in turn be desecrating Allah?
Also, what happened to the separation of church and state (the favorite liberal mantra)? When did SFSU get into the business of enforcing Islamic religious codes? If these guys had held an exhibition of Piss Christ, I'm certain they'd be the toast of the SFSU campus.
She should be asked how many ongoing investigations there are into incidents involving the desecration of Jesus. I'd be willing to bet it's a REALLY short list.
"we really need to support them"
How would you suggest is the most effective way to do that?
INCREDIBLE. Must not offend Hamas and Hezbollah!
Amazing. If the students had desecrated Christian symbols, you would never hear of the administration charging the students for "the desecration of symbols of our Lord Jesus Christ." And, in a free society, officials have no business punishing people for "blasphemy." However, leftist secularists jump on the bandwagon in favor of punishing people who have anti-Islamic views. These same people would eagerly celebrate anyone expousing anti-Christian or anti-Jewish views.
IIRC, SFSU has a college sanctioned Palestinian student group. They've been more than vocal in their hate speech against Jews.
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