ST. LOUIS — A Washington University student caused an uproar over the weekend after removing U.S. flags meant to memorialize each person who died in the 9/11 attacks.
On Friday, the student organization College Republicans put up 2,977 small flags on Mudd Field, a grassy common area in the center of the private university. Around 7 a.m. Saturday, Student Union Vice President of Finance Fadel Alkilani was confronted, caught on video taking the flags down.
The flags in question were put up again, but the incident quickly drew calls for Alkilani’s expulsion and national attention online. By Saturday night, Alkilani released a prepared statement, trying to explain that his “full protest did not have the chance to be actualized.”
Alkilani wrote that he’d planned to place bags of the flags on Mudd Field with statistics explaining the “human cost of 9/11 in the past 20 years.”
“I encourage those who are angry about my protest to consider the reasons for this protest, and the reasons for their anger, very carefully,” Alkilani wrote in the statement. “I would like to refer you to a speech by Frederick Douglas, ‘What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?’ and encourage you to research the statistics of Islamophobic hate crimes and civilian deaths caused during the post-9/11 American wars.”
He added: “Those who died during 9/11 deserve better than to be used as a political tool by those who seek to excuse American imperialism and Islamophobia. They died for no reason, suddenly and traumatically, and they should be grieved, not by political symbols, but by their names and faces. I also want to extend my condolences to all those who have died and been injured, both American and not, since 9/11. Their deaths were preventable, and thus, extremely tragic.”
In a note to the community on Sunday, Chancellor Andrew Martin described the student’s actions as “reprehensible.”
“The removal of the flags impeded the ability of individuals to commemorate the lives lost on 9/11 and to process the trauma of that day. This act was seen as a personal affront by many, at WashU and beyond, and as an affront to the ideals of our institution. The 9/11 commemoration on Mudd Field was not just a memorial, it was also an act of speech.
“The free exchange of ideas is central to a vibrant university. It is a hallmark of our academic community, and it is imperative that everyone here is able to express their views in a respectful environment. Students have the right to express their viewpoints, but they also have the obligation to respect others’ expressions.”
Martin wrote that the incident was under investigation.
“As we move forward, we will also ensure that the student involved has access to campus resources that are regularly available to students as he navigates the consequences of his actions, both on campus and beyond,” Martin said.
Mackenzie Manofsky, a member of College Republicans, said Monday that she agreed there has been backlash against Muslims since 9/11, but this was the wrong way to address it.
“I think he should have added something to the memorial not taken away,” said Manofsky, 20, an international studies student from Florida.
She regretted that the incident has become politicized.
“I really don’t think the American flag should be a political issue — and neither should the lives lost on 9/11,” she said.
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kick his *** out of america.
Send his sorry Muslime butt all the way to Afghanistan where he and his Taliban buddies can enjoy living like Stone Age barbarians all they want.
I have better idea. Wrap this Muslim America hater in some log chain and throw him in the big river.
Wrap him up in pigs intestines, and AIR DROP HIM into Kabul!
Stuff this POS into a feed grinder one inch at a time then give the remains to the hogs.
Fadel Alkilani: Where they YOUR flags to remove? You stole them. Your self-righteous, self-centered beliefs have no value other than to you.
That’s why he needs to be charged with theft.
From the photo, he appears to be happy with himself.
“Those who died during 9/11 deserve better than to be used as a political tool by those who seek to excuse American imperialism and Islamophobia. They died for no reason, suddenly and traumatically, and they should be grieved, not by political symbols, but by their names and faces. I also want to extend my condolences to all those who have died and been injured, both American and not, since 9/11. Their deaths were preventable, and thus, extremely tragic.”
I suppose Mr Bush would like you, Fadel—you seem to be of the opinion that it is America’s fault that we lost the lives that we did in the 9/11 tragedy. How about they expel you from college and send your a** back home? Shove your condolences.
I’m all for “the free exchange of ideas”.
I’d like to know how he feels about my idea of having my size 13 foot surgically removed from his backside. Or how he feels about my idea of getting the hell out of this country if he doesn’t like how we do things here.
charge the muslim SOB with THEFT!!!!!!!!
He damn well SHOULD Be charged with theft, 2000+ counts!
It’s hard to feel sorry for the Muslims when after 9/11 they were seen dancing in the streets around the world. Then Omar said somebody did something.
Exactly. WHY SHOULD we feel sorry, for such a backwards people, that they CELEBRATE DEATH, this much? Why should we CARE about people, who continually chant “DEATH TO AMERICA!”??
All they strive for is sex, which will not be offered in hell.
His statement is really a ‘CYA’ because he got caught taking the flags down and instead of people praising him, as he likely anticipated, he got vilified (justifiably). If he wanted to make a statement about Islamaphobia then he could do his own things, with his own flags or whatever, in a different space.
I think we should exchange this humanoid for some hostages in Afghanistan. He would seem to fit into that archaic world of heathenism where he could spend his life dodging bullets and making love to goats. Kick his butt out of America !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
His protest? Muslims killed almost 3,000 innocent people in one day of barbarism, in one city.
Always the victim. if only there were not over 1,100 years of barbarian history to demonstrate that moohamutt started out as a thug and found a way to remain a thug for however long God lets him.
I am saddened that no one put a boot to this clown.
I suggest he be dropped into the nearest Marine barracks
With how woke our military is getting, they’d likely throw him a celebration…
It is time to use the leftists tactics against them. Publish anything that can be found about him. Address, favorite Starbucks, class schedule, where he eats, car and license (if he has one). People would then know when and where to “ask” him about his support for this nation and it’s Constitution. Asked for my Louisville Slugger.
Tattoo him with an “islam *****” on his forehead, lube up his butt and parachute him into Afghanistan.
That’s a strange way to try to put a lid on Islamophobia! The old phrase “Let sleeping dogs lie” comes to mind, but I’m sure that was not a part of his education.
More like “blame others for what YOU ARE doing” was…
Here’s a classic example of how the left has convinced children that ANY action is OK so long as they take it in support of what they believe. From theft to property damage to physical attacks to murder, all are allowed if they believe it is their beliefs are righteous.
This child’s attitude is the inevitable result of our left wing education/indoctrination system. In 1969 I started college in liberal arts. American Imperialism was the battle cry the majority of the professors in that department used to oppose the Vietnam war. The teachers trained beginning in that era are how the ‘imperialist’ narrative against America has expanded throughout the education system, including into public schools. It has done so because no one has ever demanded that those who cry ‘imperialism’ provide proof of what advantage America has received.
Add to that permissive parents, who NEVER punished any bad act he did..