A College Student Tried to Ban the American Flag. Here’s How He Answered a Few ‘Gotcha Questions.’

A College Student Tried to Ban the American Flag. Here’s How He Answered a Few ‘Gotcha Questions.’:
Remember back in March, when six UC Irvine students made the decision to remove the American flag from the lobby of the student government?

The Associated Students of the University of California, Irvine (ASUCI) legislative council vote was 6-4, with two students choosing not to vote.

The resolution, written by student Matthew Guevara, read in part:

“Flags construct paradigms of conformity and sets homogenized standards for others to obtain which in this country typically are idolized as freedom, equality, and democracy…freedom of speech, in a space that aims to be as inclusive as possible can be interpreted as hate speech.”

Less than a week later, the resolution was vetoed by the ASUCI Executive Cabinet.

Thankfully, this sideshow isn’t over, as political satirist Ami Horowitz recently interviewed Matthew Guevara, and the results are as spectacular as anyone could have hoped.

Ami Horowitz began simply:

Horowitz: “Tell me the environment created when the American flag was kinda hanging there in that room.”

Guevara: “It was creating a very hostile environment…”

Horowitz then set up a perfect logical trap:

Horowitz: “What people don’t understand is that sometimes to be inclusive, you have to exclude things you don’t like.”

Guevara: “Exactly…sometimes you have to exclude things.”

And got Guevara to admit some dark stuff:

Horowitz: “You’d be equally uncomfortable with the Nazi flag, or the ISIS flag in that room, correct?”

Guevara: “Yeah. Yeah, no question about it.”

Horowitz: “Can you identify evil in this world?”

Guevara: “The U.S.”

Lastly, Horowitz set another trap–this time, getting Guevara to directly contradict himself:

Horowitz: “Where are your parents from?”

Guevara: “Mexico.”

Horowitz: “And why did they come to the United States?”

Guevara: “To try and find work, a better life. The ‘American Dream.'”

Horowitz: “Instead, they found this oppressive American country.”

Guevara: “There is no such thing as class mobility. That’s an illusion.”

Horowitz: “Your mother, she must be so proud that her son is going to a major university…”

Guevara’s not the only one, either. A petition was created in support of Guevara’s resolution after it was vetoed. That petition was signed by over 1,900 people, including at least 23 professors from various institutions, not to mention numerous assistant and associate professors.