Posted on Oct 1, 2015
"SDSU students facing possible expulsion for refusing to remove American, military flags from balcony"
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From: 10 News
Two San Diego State University students are facing possible expulsion after hanging the American flag and other military flags on their balcony.
The students claim it is their freedom of expression, while the school argues the flags pose a safety issue.
Sophomore Cameron Box, an active duty Coast Guard member, and junior Connor Fenwick, an aspiring U.S. Army officer, said there is no better way to express their patriotism than hanging these flags.
"We're just being proud of what we're affiliated with," said Box.
The U.S. Coast Guard flag, a U.S. Army flag and an American flag hang on the balcony of their SDSU on-campus housing. The school is not OK with it.
"They're trying to say it's a fire hazard, but it just doesn't make much sense," Box said.
The SDSU living agreement reads: "No items, except patio furniture designed for outdoor use, may be placed on balconies and patios. Hangings, partitions, or curtains of any type may not be used on balconies or patios."
"If you look up the definition of furniture, it does say it's an ornament and ornaments are particularly designed to beautify something," Fenwick describes.
In a dictionary, furniture is commonly defined as "movable articles, as tables, chairs, desks or cabinets, required for use or ornament in a house, office, or the like."
"I don't know anyone who wouldn't say a flag is not designed for outdoor use," Fenwick said.
A letter from SDSU to the students states they have violated policy and may now face expulsion.
Box and Fenwick counter that it comes down to interpretation, and they plan to stand their ground.
"Why can't we have our First Amendment rights?" Fenwick asked.
While the students say they will stand their ground, they may not have much to stand on.
"I think the university is within its rights to prohibit hanging anything from a balcony," said David Loy, legal director for the ACLU in San Diego.
He points out that just because the students live in government housing, it doesn't make it a public forum.
"I certainly defend the students' right to express themselves and their patriotism, but they probably need to find another way to do it," Loy said.
The school said it wants the flags taken down immediately. It says the flag pose a safety concern because it can potentially block visibility.
SDSU officials say the students can appeal the decision. However, if they fight it and lose, they could be expelled.
Box and Fenwick said if it comes to that, they will take the flags down because they don't want to lose their scholarships.
http://www.10news.com/news/sdsu-students-facing-possible-expulsion-for-refusing-to-remove-american-military-flags-from-balcony-092815
Two San Diego State University students are facing possible expulsion after hanging the American flag and other military flags on their balcony.
The students claim it is their freedom of expression, while the school argues the flags pose a safety issue.
Sophomore Cameron Box, an active duty Coast Guard member, and junior Connor Fenwick, an aspiring U.S. Army officer, said there is no better way to express their patriotism than hanging these flags.
"We're just being proud of what we're affiliated with," said Box.
The U.S. Coast Guard flag, a U.S. Army flag and an American flag hang on the balcony of their SDSU on-campus housing. The school is not OK with it.
"They're trying to say it's a fire hazard, but it just doesn't make much sense," Box said.
The SDSU living agreement reads: "No items, except patio furniture designed for outdoor use, may be placed on balconies and patios. Hangings, partitions, or curtains of any type may not be used on balconies or patios."
"If you look up the definition of furniture, it does say it's an ornament and ornaments are particularly designed to beautify something," Fenwick describes.
In a dictionary, furniture is commonly defined as "movable articles, as tables, chairs, desks or cabinets, required for use or ornament in a house, office, or the like."
"I don't know anyone who wouldn't say a flag is not designed for outdoor use," Fenwick said.
A letter from SDSU to the students states they have violated policy and may now face expulsion.
Box and Fenwick counter that it comes down to interpretation, and they plan to stand their ground.
"Why can't we have our First Amendment rights?" Fenwick asked.
While the students say they will stand their ground, they may not have much to stand on.
"I think the university is within its rights to prohibit hanging anything from a balcony," said David Loy, legal director for the ACLU in San Diego.
He points out that just because the students live in government housing, it doesn't make it a public forum.
"I certainly defend the students' right to express themselves and their patriotism, but they probably need to find another way to do it," Loy said.
The school said it wants the flags taken down immediately. It says the flag pose a safety concern because it can potentially block visibility.
SDSU officials say the students can appeal the decision. However, if they fight it and lose, they could be expelled.
Box and Fenwick said if it comes to that, they will take the flags down because they don't want to lose their scholarships.
http://www.10news.com/news/sdsu-students-facing-possible-expulsion-for-refusing-to-remove-american-military-flags-from-balcony-092815
Posted in these groups: 
Pride
Political Correctness
Pride Political Correctness
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 19
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there is a difference between "that flag might offend someone, remove it now" and, "yo, dude, no flags on balconies, remove it now"
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SrA Scott Harris
Yep. The difference is the lib-tards that are complaining about the flags are using PC language to try to avoid the backlash of having to say they are offended.
In other words, they are being insidious, which is why they are winning and this county is floundering.
In other words, they are being insidious, which is why they are winning and this county is floundering.
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I salute and applaud them for standing up for what they believe in and for showing their love, respect and support for this Great Country of ours. The hell with all those bastards who say they are offended. F-cking move out if you don't like it!
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SSG Dwight Amey MSA, MSL, BS, AS
Let the Taliban or any of the radical groups around the world that HATE USA come and take over or country. Then we will see how terrible it was to see the Colors flying high and free.
Our country is free and demanding such actions do not reflect a free country. Take away someones' right to freedom and speech and violate the Constitution in the most blatant way. Just like spitting in someones face.
Our country is free and demanding such actions do not reflect a free country. Take away someones' right to freedom and speech and violate the Constitution in the most blatant way. Just like spitting in someones face.
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To paraphrase Ayn Rand; government and the individual are a study in contrast. In a free society, the individual may do whatever he pleases provided he violates nobody else's rights, to which the law should conform. The government, on the other hand, may do only that which is permitted it by the law and has no power beyond this. The idea that a publicly funded university feels that it can tell a student to not fly an American flag should tell us everything we need to know about the university system today.
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SSG Dwight Amey MSA, MSL, BS, AS
1LT Aaron Barr, on the subject of the university system today is in my experience, demoralizing, desensitizing, foundational belief destroying. Put it like this. Universities want to destroy all our religious, family values, just so we will accept some of those jacked up belief systems they want to dump on us in science, social science, law, and life experience. Think about it there was a reason my dad told me before starting junior college in 1987 that school will demoralize all my beliefs to wipe the slate clean to accept anything they want me to believe. I did not know what he was talking about but now it is making more sense as i see decisions on what makes up a family and such.
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Cpl (Join to see)
1LT Aaron Barr SSG Dwight Amey MSA, MSL, BS, AS You two are feeding my opinion on the public school systems.
"Education should aim at destroying free will so that after pupils are thus schooled they will be incapable throughout the rest of their lives of thinking or acting otherwise than as their school masters would have wished ... The social psychologist of the future will have a number of classes of school children on whom they will try different methods of producing an unshakable conviction that snow is black. Various results will soon be arrived at: first, that influences of the home are 'obstructive' and verses set to music and repeatedly intoned are very effective ... It is for the future scientist to make these maxims precise and discover exactly how much it costs per head to make children believe that snow is black. When the technique has been perfected, every government that has been in charge of education for more than one generation will be able to control its subjects securely without the need of armies or policemen."
Bertrand Russell quoting Johann Gottlieb Fichte, the head of philosophy & psychology who influenced Hegel and others – Prussian University in Berlin, 1810
"Education should aim at destroying free will so that after pupils are thus schooled they will be incapable throughout the rest of their lives of thinking or acting otherwise than as their school masters would have wished ... The social psychologist of the future will have a number of classes of school children on whom they will try different methods of producing an unshakable conviction that snow is black. Various results will soon be arrived at: first, that influences of the home are 'obstructive' and verses set to music and repeatedly intoned are very effective ... It is for the future scientist to make these maxims precise and discover exactly how much it costs per head to make children believe that snow is black. When the technique has been perfected, every government that has been in charge of education for more than one generation will be able to control its subjects securely without the need of armies or policemen."
Bertrand Russell quoting Johann Gottlieb Fichte, the head of philosophy & psychology who influenced Hegel and others – Prussian University in Berlin, 1810
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