Ares
2nd December 2011, 05:49 AM
http://media.islandpacket.com/smedia/2011/11/30/21/38/19nuGr.St.9.jpg
A black University of South Carolina Beaufort student asked to remove a Confederate battle flag from his dorm room window will be allowed to hang it there again, school officials said Thursday.
Doug Oblander, USCB's vice chancellor of student development, told Byron Thomas Thursday morning that he would be allowed to display the flag. Thomas, 19, said he was told by the school's housing office to take down the flag about two weeks ago.
USCB spokeswoman Candace Brasseur said the housing office had heard complaints from students who were offended.
But Thomas contends the flag isn't a racist symbol; he says it stands for Southern pride.
When he was told to take the flag down, Thomas filmed a 4-minute video explaining his stance on the flag. He uploaded that video to YouTube and CNN's iReport, a citizen-reporting website, and it has been viewed nearly 70,000 times since it was posted Sunday.
Thomas had said he felt his right to freedom of speech had been violated when he was asked to take the flag down, and he considered legal action.
Brasseur said Thomas was asked to take the flag down because it violates the Carolinian Creed, a code of behavior for students that includes respecting the rights or others and discouraging bigotry.
Oblander said the issue was referred early this week to USCB's legal counsel, which advised the university to allow Thomas to display the flag.
The school will conduct a student forum after the winter break on balancing first amendment rights with the responsibility to respect others, Oblander said. Thomas said Thursday afternoon he isn't sure he'll put the flag out.
Once the video went viral, he spoke to his parents about his stance on the flag. His parents grew up amid the Civil Rights movement and experienced racism firsthand. They weren't happy with his decision to display the banner, he said.
Thomas said he wouldn't put the flag back up if it upsets his family, but he stands firm on his position that his generation should change the meaning behind what is often viewed as a racist symbol.
"I've got to bring more awareness that our generation needs to see things differently so we won't be divided," he said.
http://www.islandpacket.com/2011/12/01/1882395/uscb-student-allowed-to-display.html#ixzz1fNvzGQur
A black University of South Carolina Beaufort student asked to remove a Confederate battle flag from his dorm room window will be allowed to hang it there again, school officials said Thursday.
Doug Oblander, USCB's vice chancellor of student development, told Byron Thomas Thursday morning that he would be allowed to display the flag. Thomas, 19, said he was told by the school's housing office to take down the flag about two weeks ago.
USCB spokeswoman Candace Brasseur said the housing office had heard complaints from students who were offended.
But Thomas contends the flag isn't a racist symbol; he says it stands for Southern pride.
When he was told to take the flag down, Thomas filmed a 4-minute video explaining his stance on the flag. He uploaded that video to YouTube and CNN's iReport, a citizen-reporting website, and it has been viewed nearly 70,000 times since it was posted Sunday.
Thomas had said he felt his right to freedom of speech had been violated when he was asked to take the flag down, and he considered legal action.
Brasseur said Thomas was asked to take the flag down because it violates the Carolinian Creed, a code of behavior for students that includes respecting the rights or others and discouraging bigotry.
Oblander said the issue was referred early this week to USCB's legal counsel, which advised the university to allow Thomas to display the flag.
The school will conduct a student forum after the winter break on balancing first amendment rights with the responsibility to respect others, Oblander said. Thomas said Thursday afternoon he isn't sure he'll put the flag out.
Once the video went viral, he spoke to his parents about his stance on the flag. His parents grew up amid the Civil Rights movement and experienced racism firsthand. They weren't happy with his decision to display the banner, he said.
Thomas said he wouldn't put the flag back up if it upsets his family, but he stands firm on his position that his generation should change the meaning behind what is often viewed as a racist symbol.
"I've got to bring more awareness that our generation needs to see things differently so we won't be divided," he said.
http://www.islandpacket.com/2011/12/01/1882395/uscb-student-allowed-to-display.html#ixzz1fNvzGQur