Victory for Free Expression at San Francisco State University
Posted on March 21, 2007
No Punishment for Stepping on Hamas, Hezbollah Flags:
“In a crucial victory for free expression, San Francisco State University (SFSU) announced yesterday that its College Republicans will face no punishment for hosting an anti-terrorism rally at which participants stepped on makeshift Hezbollah and Hamas flags. SFSU’s decision comes after months of pressure from the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), national and local media, and the public-all of which called on the school to uphold the students’ constitutionally guaranteed right to free expression.
“We are relieved that SFSU has come to its senses and recognized that it cannot punish students for constitutionally protected expression,” FIRE President Greg Lukianoff said. “But the fact remains that the university should never have investigated or tried them in the first place. This was a protected act of political protest and it is impossible to believe the university did not know that from the start.”
SFSU’s shameful attack on free expression began after an October 17, 2006 anti-terrorism rally at which several members of the College Republicans stepped on pieces of paper they had painted to resemble Hamas and Hezbollah flags.
(For more postings from me, see TONGUE-TIED, EDUCATION WATCH, GREENIE WATCH, POLITICAL CORRECTNESS WATCH, FOOD & HEALTH SKEPTIC, GUN WATCH, SOCIALIZED MEDICINE, AUSTRALIAN POLITICS, DISSECTING LEFTISM, IMMIGRATION WATCH and EYE ON BRITAIN. My Home Page. Email me (John Ray) here.)
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6 Responses to “Victory for Free Expression at San Francisco State University”
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Free expression, indeed. I take it you folks will be just as
supportive next time the object of desecrreation is an American
flag?
[Begin sarcasm]
No, Gary. That would embolden the terrorists, so it would clearly be treason.
[End sarcasm]
Heck, go to the bottom of the front page and you’ll see JonJay complain about the desecration of the Confederate flag!
to Jeff:
Well…duh! I SO see that now. The logic is obvious!
It just took 5 months to decide this was protected speech, while the desecration of the American or Confederate flag is assumed to be protected from the start.
Not a double standard, but 5 months is a long time to decide NOT to have a double standard on an issue…
My point on this issue is that if they were defacing an American flag the university would call that free speech. Since the alleged desacration was done to Muslim symbols it became politically incorrect and action had to be taken.
Remember when people at this same university condoned the chant “Kill the Jews” because it was free speech.