The next bit quoted in the linked article is best summed up as BS but you can use “obscuring jargon” if you like the latter term better:
The full text of the resolution can be found here.
The article shows the voting of the 12-person ASUCI legislative council: 6 to get rid of the flag, 4 to keep it flying on campus, and 2 abstentions. And here is the ASUCI president’s statement against the resolution.
Since the author of the resolution is so much against flags, I’m going to guess he’s not thrilled with this one flying over his university either. Oh, just in case you forgot what that university is, it’s one of the campuses of the University of California. It must be hell for Mr. Guevara to spend so much time on the campus with so many reminders of oppression such as the national flag, the state flag, and even the freaking name of the university itself.
Well I was going to say ho-hum: removing a bunch of flags from a lobby sounds pretty routine to me. But apparently it was justified as follows: “The American flag has been flown in instances of colonialism and imperialism…[flags] construct paradigms of conformity and sets homogenized standards.”
Also, “…freedom of speech, in a space that aims to be as inclusive as possible, can be interpreted as hate speech.”
If the space “aims to be as inclusive as possible,” shouldn’t it include flags, including those of philosophies that are universally despised? To leave out, say, the flag of ISIS, “can be interpreted as hate speech.” :rolleyes:
I sometimes wonder how the extreme PC gang just doesn’t get how pathetically laughable they are.
As a native of the state of California, I’ve always found the state flag to be rather bearist. Why the bear as opposed to the California sea lion? What about people who are afraid of bears, huh? How is this fair to them?
Yeah, it’s a dumb idea. In a bubble. I can not generate any real emotional response to this story, other than to emphatically endorse the idea that what we really need in this country is more flags. I don’t see enough American flags in my daily life.
They’re following the example set by housing developments, which are named after animals and natural features that were wiped out to make room for the development.
The resolution is idiotic, and the idea that the simple presence of the flag might constitute hate speech is completely moronic. The idea that “freedom of speech…can be interpreted as hate speech” is also all kinds of ridiculous. These students need to get a sense of perspective.
That said, i don’t give a flying fuck about the flag. If you want to set it on fire, or wipe your ass with it, go right ahead. They’re also right that the US flag has supported instances of colonialism and imperialism, as well as plain old naked aggression. That’s as obvious as dogs’ balls to anyone who knows anything at all about history.
And while the assertion that flags “construct paradigms of conformity” sounds like a line from a critical theory reader, it’s actually a pretty decent description of the Pavlovian response that the flag, and other nationalistic icons like the anthem, tends to generate among kneejerk patriots. Hell, this very story is providing an example in the opinion piece linked by the OP, and in the hysterical reactions of the critics.
The resolution is dumb, and i hope gets vetoed, but is it wrong to take some small pleasure in the over-the-top outrage of the mindless Fox News acolytes?
I think the entire excersize is rather silly and it’ll be rescinded soon enough.
I’m laughing at a lot of the anger, though. I’m hearing everything from “That Muslim president is the reason for this” to “they should have to repay their student loans tomorrow” to “they should all be deported.” Deported to where? I don’t know.
