Media falsely accuses UC Irvine of "banning the American flag"

[alp227]

The latest right wing poutrage of the week is a false accusation that the University of California, Irvine banned the American flag. At least the LA Times had an honest (even as biased as it looks) headline: American flag, others banned in UC Irvine student area. Compare that to CBS Local LA, whose headline was, UC Irvine Student Leadership Panel Votes To Remove American Flag From Campus Lobby - a headline that should've actually read, more honestly, "UC Irvine Student Leadership Panel Votes To Remove All Countries' Flags From Campus Lobby".

The headlines don't tell the real story. Casual readers will pass over THIS part of the UCI student resolution: "...no flag, of any nation, may be hanged on the walls of the Associate Student main lobby space." Again, look at the "ANY".

Here are right wing media's headlines about this story...

American Thinker: "University of California, Irvine bans hanging of American flag in 'inclusive spaces'"

Breitbart: "UC Irvine Student Gov. Bans American Flag from 'Inclusive' Space"

Gateway Pundit: "UC Irvine Bans “Imperialist” US Flag from Inclusive Spaces"

Daily Caller: "US College Bans American Flag To Be More 'Inclusive'"

Teaparty.org: "U. California Students Remove Offensive American Flag from Inclusive Space"

...all of which emphasize "AMERICAN FLAG". And of course attracting the flag-wankers in the comments section whining about how today's youth are insufficiently patriotic and how diversity is ruining America, etc.

Sadly, even the "liberal media" like LA Times and CBS Local aren't immune to the same biased reporting by Breitbart and Daily Caller. What a freaking shame.

[alp227]

1. UCI leadership calls decision "misguided", nonetheless.

http://news.uci.edu/briefs/campus-statement-on-flying-the-american-flag/

Earlier this week, six undergraduate members of the UCI’s student-government Legislative Council passed a bill that bans hanging a flag from any nation in the common lobby area of the student government offices.

This misguided decision was not endorsed or supported in any way by the campus leadership, the University of California, or the broader student body. The views of a handful of students passing a resolution do not represent the opinions of the nearly 30,000 students on this campus, and have no influence on the policies and practices of the university.

The American flag is still proudly flying throughout our campus and will continue to do so.

Student-body president Reza Zomorrodian has publicly opposed the legislation. The Executive Cabinet of the student government will meet today to discuss a veto. A motion to veto and a second are on the table. One more vote is needed for a veto. We encourage the student government to veto this legislation and abandon any further efforts to pursue it.

We hold the value of intellectual inquiry and the free and rigorous exchange of ideas as bedrock values of institutions of higher education. And yet, we are constantly reminded that those values we cherish are in part, guaranteed by the sacrifices made and the struggles waged to secure the freedom and democracy that the flag symbolizes. UCI never takes that for granted.