Posted on 03/09/2015 5:19:28 AM PDT by Kaslin
Author’s note: Much of the material from this column was stolen from my friends Kaitlyn and Caleb over at Campus Reform (see www.CampusReform.org). I don’t apologize for the theft. It’s punishment for continuing to associate with people who post foodies on Facebook.
I’ve often said that we should ban the rainbow flag from campus because it’s offensive to conservative Christians, orthodox Jews, and immoderate Muslims (read: Muslims). But I’m only kidding when I say it. I’m simply trying to poke fun at campus administrators who often claim they want to ban offensive speech without considering that much their own speech is offensive to others.
But students in The Associated Students of University of California, Irvine (ASUCI) don’t think that’s funny. They actually think flag banning is a good way to avoid causing discomfort. They recently voted to remove not just the American flag, but also all flags, from an “inclusive” space at UC-Irvine.
The bill was sponsored by Matthew “Not to Be Confused With Che” Guevara. It characterizes all flags as “symbols of patriotism or weapons for nationalism.” It is unclear whether Guevara will sponsor another bill meant to ban students with offensive names that remind people of communist revolutionaries who presided over Cuban concentration camps that housed suspected homosexuals.
The bill sponsored by “Not Che” provides the following justification: “Flags construct paradigms of conformity and sets [sic] homogenized standards for others to obtain which in this country typically are idolized as freedom, equality, and democracy.”
Well, there you have it. In order to keep people from feeling coerced into conformity, we need to ban flags that promote values like freedom.
But the legislation, which argues that flags should be banned - on the basis of what they typically represent to the average person - goes on to state that flags may be banned because they may be interpreted differently. For example, flags can represent “American exceptionalism and superiority.”
To sum up what we have thus far; flags may be banned because they have objective meaning or because they lack objective meaning. The nonsense in the bill continues: “The American flag has been flown in instances of colonialism and imperialism.”
Next, it adds this little hat tip to cultural relativism: “symbolism has negative and positive aspects that are interpreted differently by individuals.”
Here, the ASUCI is coming dangerously close to endorsing the idea that speech is only protected if everyone agrees with it. Imagine the implications for campus debate. People will not debate about the matters on which they agree. There’s nothing to debate. And people will not be allowed to speak about the matters on which they disagree. So every moment in school becomes a moment of silence. When the campus falls silent, hopefully no one will interpret this as a tacit endorsement of prayer in schools. That might offend future members of the ACLU!
Of course, the motivation for this is obvious. It’s all about banning “hate” from campus. The bill says so specifically: “Freedom of speech, in a space that aims to be as inclusive as possible, can be interpreted as hate speech.”
I actually agree with this part. Flags can be interpreted as hate speech. Every time I see a rainbow flag, I think about gaystapo efforts to force people to take mandatory LGBT sensitivity training. I really hate that kind of stuff. It’s a form of homogenized fascism!
So how do we implement the goal of inclusion? Simple. We exclude stuff: “Let it further be resolved that no flag, of any nation, may be hanged on the walls of the Associate Student main lobby space.”
Did you see what they did there? In the final language of the bill, they limit the ban to flags of “nations.” Unless San Francisco secedes from the union, this means the rainbow flag will live to see another day! It also means someone can hang a Chick fil-a flag right next to it in the name of diversity of viewpoint. That is unless they are too chicken to do so. Or, perhaps, until someone has a beef with it!
Finally, a word on discretion: “Let it be further be [sic] resolved that if a decorative item is in the Associate student lobby space and issues arise, the solution will be to remove the item if there is considerable request to do so.”
Ah, I see what they did there. They interjected the word “considerable.” This means that there is no objective standard of enforcement. If one person objects to the American flag, it can be removed as being “considerable.” If two people object to the Iranian flag, that might be deemed as “not considerable.” After all, no one is quantifying “considerable.” I’m predicting they will count objections to hanging flags in California the same way they counted hanging chads in Florida.
The flag banning legislation wasn’t just the passing fancy of Matthew “Not Che” Guevara. It actually passed with six yea votes, four nay votes, and two abstentions. Like a flag, this can be interpreted in different ways. Here is my interpretation:
Based upon their student representatives, about one half the kids at UC-Irvine are totally insane, about one third are reasonable, and about one sixth just don’t give a damn. Run that up your flagpole and salute it.
Whatever happened to the precepts of: minding your own damned business; live and let live; freedom of speech and thought? These students don’t realize it, but they are morphing into little progressive fascists. I don’t want to live in a country ruled by these people.
This was the part of the original story which made my head go "tilt". Shades of 1984's Ministry of Truth:
The Queer flag is a symbol that can be rallied around to engender self esteem and separateness
Apart from this fine article, consider the logical absurdity of “banning” something in the name of “inclusion”.
But exactly which of the 51 different genders?
Screw the idiots at FB, there are only two genders. F and M
Um, I am only interested in screwing one gender, although I am a lesbian trapped in a man's body.
I fail to see the common sense of rallying around a flag that represents what? 1-2% of the world’s population? Especially so since it represents such an unnatural condition in the scheme of things.
To me, that condition is relatively rare as it should be, and it should not be treated as a ‘diversity’ to be enamored much less tolerated.
I would recommend hanging the Gadsden flag (Don’t Tread on Me, rattle snake flag).
That should raise a bit of ire on campus.
Yup!!!
Genesis 18:20-21
20. Then the LORD said, "The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous
21. that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know."
Genesis 19:4-7
4. Before they had gone to bed, all the men from every part of the city of Sodom--both young and old--surrounded the house.
5. They called to Lot, "Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them."
6. Lot went outside to meet them and shut the door behind him
7. and said, "No, my friends. Don't do this wicked thing.
Isaiah 3:9 The look on their faces testifies against them; they parade their sin like Sodom; they do not hide it. Woe to them! They have brought disaster upon themselves.
2 Peter 2:13b Their idea of pleasure is to carouse in broad daylight. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their pleasures while they feast with you.
Ezekiel 16:49-50
49. "`Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy.
50. They were haughty and did detestable things before me. Therefore I did away with them as you have seen.
1. But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them--bringing swift destruction on themselves.
2. Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute.
3. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.
4. For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment;
5. if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others;
6. if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly;
7. and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men
8. (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)--
9. if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and to hold the unrighteous for the day of judgment, while continuing their punishment.
10. This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the sinful nature and despise authority. Bold and arrogant, these men are not afraid to slander celestial beings;
11. yet even angels, although they are stronger and more powerful, do not bring slanderous accusations against such beings in the presence of the Lord.
12. But these men blaspheme in matters they do not understand. They are like brute beasts, creatures of instinct, born only to be caught and destroyed, and like beasts they too will perish.
13. They will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done. Their idea of pleasure is to carouse in broad daylight. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their pleasures while they feast with you.
But there IS hope!!!
1 Corinthians 6:9-11
9. Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived:
Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders
10. nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
11. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
If you could NOT change, you would be in most pitiful shape...
Based on a sample of one Matthew Guevara, it looks like the University of California, Irvine, is where the students with the low SAT scores go.
We’d be a lot better off if college students spent their time studying (facts) instead of agitating, forming groups, and spouting their stupid opinions of everything.
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