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September 12, 2006

Burning for Attention

Three students organize a flag burning to highlight injustice

Story by: Alexa Garcia-Ditta

The Shorthorn assistant news editor

The Shorthorn: Dominic Bracco

Mechanical engineering freshman Ansel Gaddy, right, and political science freshman Alexander Kloster protested the Iranian and North Korean governments Monday in front of Arlington Hall. During the protest, the students burned paper Iranian and North Korean flags and pictures of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

On a day of national remembrance, three students burned the Iranian and North Korean flags in front of Arlington Hall in protest of the political regimes of both nations.

Political science freshman Lance Kennedy and one of the protest leaders spoke of the terrorism and human rights injustices the two countries have inflicted upon their people and burned the countries’ flags.

“We chose to do it on September 11 because it’s a symbolic day,” he said.

Flags and pictures of each country’s presidents were burned in a tin tub as U.S. flags waved above the flames.

Kennedy said he and his fellow students, political science freshman Alex Kloster and mechanical engineering freshman Ansel Gaddy, held the rally to draw attention to what they feel is the largest threat to national security: nuclear missiles.

“We want to highlight the issues at hand,” Kennedy said. “Burning the flags was the most efficient way to get the word out. People jump on flag burnings.”

Pamphlets were distributed to ensure observers that Kennedy, Gaddy and Kloster were not attacking the people of these two nations, but rather the regimes.

“I don’t want to be labeled as a racist or bigot,” Kennedy said.

Passersby offered comments both for and against Kennedy’s statements. Some students also held signs reading “Do not give them attention” and “Turn your backs” in opposition to the protest.

Philosophy freshman Chris Atwood, in response to the burning, shredded and spat on the Texas flag after the rally. The flag read “Try burning this one, assholes.”

Atwood said that while he supports Kennedy’s right, he acted in counterprotest to the issue at hand.

“They expected me to sit down and be quiet,” he said.

Biology senior Felicia Kasra, who was born in Iran, said the burning of the flags was an inefficient way for the protesters to get their message across.

“It shows that they were ignorant in their ways of making their points,” she said. “I personally felt victimized, because I was born in Iran, and the flag represents the people.”

Kasra said that at first she didn’t want to go to the rally because she didn’t support it but changed her mind.

“I felt that if I wasn’t there, my feelings about how strongly I disagree with it wouldn’t have been expressed,” she said.

History senior Monica Owiti said she thinks the idea of burning flags is ridiculous.

“If they had done more research, they’d understand this is stupid,” she said. “We’re supposed to be spreading democracy, but this does not do it.”

Frank Lamas, vice president for Student Affairs, said he received several complaints about the protest from concerned students.

“Their concern is that we should bring the community together,” he said. “They are of descent of these countries, and their reaction is to the feeling that a symbol of their heritage is being destroyed. I fully understand their concerns, but it’s freedom of speech.”

Kasra said she understands that the university didn’t have control over the issue because of free speech, but still feels offended.

“As a U.S. citizen, it is not part of our country to burn other peoples’ flags,” she said.

Despite the efforts of concerned students, Student Governance approved the rally because of students’ rights to free speech and protest. Public Affairs Director Bob Wright echoed Lamas’ statement.

“The university doesn’t condone the destruction of any nation’s flags, but we fully support our students’ right of assembly and free speech,” he said. “The actions of these students in no way represent the opinions of UTA.”