Dear UC Irvine Student Government,
You may think it is a rejection of imperialism and colonialism. You may call it “culturally inclusive" or a way to make sure you don't conform to society. However, at its most fundamental level, banning flags is disrespectful action and an infringement on cultural expression.
Flags are representative of the nations of this earth. They are identifiers, points of pride, symbols of the people of that country and their beliefs. Banning flags shows that you do not respect other nations beliefs and cultures, nor your own.
By refusing to acknowledge or respect other's cultures, you are saying that their culture is offensive, that it should be “taken down" so to speak. That, more than a flag itself, promotes exclusion. By taking down flags you are not encouraging free speech and expression, but rather prohibiting it for the sake of sparing someone offense.
Another point you make is that flags are open to interpretation, and some people may have bad experiences with flags while others may have good ones. Again, if you are to ban something for fear of offense, you are banning opinions, ideas, beliefs, and all cultures, and forcing people to become culture-less, opinion-less, and weak.
Furthermore, banning flags is slapping the face of the men and women who have died for their beliefs. In the US, millions have died fighting under our flag for what it stands for: freedom, democracy, and liberty for all. Your freedom to get an education, your rights to vote, and your liberty to build a life of your choosing is a result of the brave men and women who gave their lives under that flag. Rejecting that flag is rejecting their sacrifice, and is incredibly ungrateful and again, disrespectful.
You may be trying to promote peace, or make up for “imperialism" and/or “colonialism." However, peace will not come by becoming a doormat that allows other nations, opinions, and beliefs to walk all over you. The mistakes of imperialism and colonialism will not be repaired by shaming yours and other's cultures. It will come from mutual respect. If we are respectful of other nations, and they of us, and each nation respects its people and they their nation, then the world will know peace. We should never be ashamed of our past. We should accept it, learn from it, and strive for improvement.
So, UC Irvine Student Government, instead of banning flags from your campus, maybe celebrate what they represent and cherish the cultural differences that make this world so interesting. Do not promote shame and fear for offense, but instead work to make your part of the world a respectful one where ideas and beliefs may be discussed freely, and where differences are valued, not hidden.
