WASHINGTON - Aug. 27, 2019 - Students at George Washington University [GWU], whom some are calling "fascists," are dishonoring our Founding Fathers and those who died to make our country free by tearing down posters which support them; an illegal act which violates freedom of speech and University rules, charges public interest law professor John Banzhaf of the GWU Law School.

It all began when a mere 2,700 students, out of a total student population of 12,000, voted by a bare 4 percentage point margin to abandon the name GWU's teams have used for decades - "Colonials" - because of its "too deep" connection to "colonization" and "systemic oppression," and replace it with a hippopotamus as a mascot.

It appears that these objectors are confusing the colonization which the British imposed on the original thirteen colonies with the colonials who fought successfully against it.

As Professor Jonathan Turley of GWU explained, "this country was founded by colonials who forged a new vision for democratic process and individual freedoms."

This kind of misunderstanding, and exaggerated political correctness, is not surprising since GWU students have also signed a petition asking GWU to ban the stick figure used on lighted crosswalk signs on campus because the figure appears to be that of a white male.

In any event, students who disagreed with the objectors, and who understood what the word "Colonials" means, began posting signs to educate their classmates.

For example, the signs reminded people that "Colonials Fought Tyranny - Built Our Nation!" and "Colonials: The First American Soldiers and Veterans."

But the objectors did not want students to hear these messages, and apparently began tearing down the signs; a violation of GWU rules, as well as of free speech and academic freedom on campus.

So those supporting the name "Colonials" were forced to begin putting up new signs saying that "only cowards and fascists on the left and the right pull down opposing flyers. Show your real support for American ideals - and confidence in your position - by leaving this [poster] up." It remains to be seen if the "fascists" will comply.

It's bad enough when students confused about history want to replace a man wearing a colonial patriot-style hat with a hippo, and change the teams' names from "Colonials" to "Hippocrites, but it clearly crosses the line when they refuse to tolerate any dissent, and try to silence opponents by illegally ripping down their posters, says Banzhaf.

That, and the demand that the crosswalk figure be replaced by a woman of color, are clear examples of political correctness carried to illogical and even illegal extremes, says Banzhaf.

http://banzha"f.net/ (http://banzhaf.net/) jbanzhaf3ATgmail.com @profbanzhaf

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