College Republicans on trial at San Francisco State University

The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) reports that San Francisco State University (SFSU) is putting the College Republicans student group through judicial action for hosting an anti-terrorism rally at which participants stepped on makeshift Hezbollah and Hamas flags.

The problem is that the flags, made to look exactly authentic, had the name of Allah written in Arabic script. It was not done on purpose. The Arabic script is clearly found on these flags. The University has alleged that this sort of action was an attack on Allah himself. A student also filed a complaint against the group alleging "attempts to incite violence and create a hostile environment" and "actions of incivility."

FIRE has asked the University to call off the hearing. It has argued that "SFSU has a duty to uphold the First Amendment rights of all of its students, even if their expressive activity offends the religious sensibilities of some." The University has responded it will continue to investigate the complaint "to give all parties the confidence that they will be heard and fairly treated by a panel that includes representatives of all the University’s key constituencies."

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Was it an attack on Allah and the religion, or a protest against two groups, Hezbollah and Hamas, known for their terrorist activities and connections? Is there a difference between burning the American flag versus a Hezbollah or Hamas flag?

Obviously, it would be a clear distinction of an attack on the religion if the group members made flags with just the word "Allah" in Arabic script and stepped on them and burned them.

When Hezbollah and Hamas members are buring Israeli flags, are they targeting the country itself or the Jewish faith, or both?

A person burning any one of these flags should be intepreted as a protest against the terrorist organisation itself, not the religion.

It would seem the College Republicans at SFSU will be sanctioned given that their student government has already condemned their actions, and the hearing board may already be biased against them.

Even the ACLU is siding with FIRE on this. Despite the need to promote tolerance and nondiscrimination, the civil rights group still believes the First Amendment must be upheld. Any sanction by the University at the group will be a violation of freedom of expression.

Here are the flags

Hamas

Hezbollah