The Associated Students of University of California-Irvine (ASUCI) voted this week to remove all flags – including the American flag – from a so-called "inclusive space" on campus because of their
supposedly offensive nature.
ASUCI, the undergraduate governing body of students at UC-Irvine, approved the bill, which declares all flags to be "symbols of patriotism or weapons for nationalism," according to the watchdog group
Campus Reform.
The student bill, officially known as R50-70, also says that 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."
Campus Reform (a project of the Virginia-based Leadership Institute) notes that, according to the language of the bill, the American flag "has been flown in instances of colonialism and imperialism."
Symbolism, the bill continues, "has negative and positive aspects that are interpreted differently by individuals."
It says that "freedom of speech, in a space that aims to be as inclusive as possible[,] can be interpreted as hate speech."
The bill adds: "Let it further be resolved that no flag, of any nation, may be hanged on the walls of the Associate Student main lobby space."
UC-Irvine has come under fire in the past over the actions of the Muslim Student Union there, a group "which has a long history of radicalism, including inciting hatred against Jews, Israel and America and inviting anti-Semitic speakers to campus," the
Investigative Project on Terrorism reported in 2010.
IPT cited examples of outside speakers who said Jews have U.S. politicians "in their pocket because they have the money" and declared the terrorist group Hamas to be an organization of "freedom fighters."
Rep. Brad Sherman, a Democrat congressman from the area, repeatedly sent letters to UCI's chancellor expressing his concern about events at the school on topics like "Never Again? The Palestinian Holocaust."
Sherman wrote that the event "appears intended to encourage violence against the State of Israel and propagate the spread of anti-Semitism."
In February 2010, 11 students were arrested for attempting to prevent Israeli Ambassador to the United States Michael Oren from speaking at UC-Irvine.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.