In May of this year, UC Irvine will be holding "A Campaign for Conscience" Peace Flag Project. In what will be a typically pointless muti-cultural crusade, student groups will be encouraged to sponsor their own symbolic flag to raise awareness for the top 40+ conflicts throughout the world. The following is the mission statement of the event:

Our intention is to show the extent to which conflict pervades our world and the extent to which peace is desperately needed. Because we do not confront these conflicts on a daily basis in our normal lives as Orange County students or in our popular media, it is easy and natural to ignore that they are a constant reality for millions of people around the world. To be uninformed is to be complicit, in that many of the things we buy, use or support contribute indirectly to these problems. Perpetuating the state and habit of ignorance does not contribute to a more positive world for oneself or others.

And giving student groups a chance to spew hatred does? Oh, how I despise multiculturalism.

You'll understand what I'm getting at as you read down the list of the following groups that will be participating:

Amnesty International at UCI -- Conflict in Uganda

Anteaters for Israel -- Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

AUM -- Chinese Occupation of Tibet

Baha'i Club -- Persecution of Religious Minorities in Iran

Campus Village Student Association -- Conflict in Columbia

Coptic Orthodox Christian Club -- Persecution of Religious Minorities in Egypt

Darfur Action Committee -- Darfur Conflict in Sudan

Estancia High School/UCI Global Connect Program -- Kenyan Election Crisis

Kappa Zeta Phi -- Indonesia, Fighting between Muslims and Christians on Maluku, N. Maluku, Salawesi, Papua and West Timor

Lago Hall (Mesa Court) -- Brazil Gang Violence

Muslim Student Union -- Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

National Society of Collegiate Scholars at UCI -- Basque Uprising in Spain, and Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka

SAIGROUP of Irvine -- Jammu-Kashmir Conflict

SHOUT (Students for Homeless Outreach United Together) -- Drug War Violence in Mexico

UNICEF at UCI -- Conflict in Burma

Interestingly, Anteaters for Israel and the Muslim Student Union have both taken on the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict.  However, they not only have different solutions to peace but diametrically different outcomes. The AFI favor a two-state solution of democratic nations, most likely in terms of land for peace, while the MSU favor a one state solution, an authoritarian one absent of Israel. As popular MSU speaker Amir Abdel Malik-Ali likes to say, "one country, majority rules. It's us. The Muslims!"

I predict that anti-American and anti-Jew sentiment will become evident when the flags are displayed, as evil always has an advantage when they are perceived moral equivalents. And look for the administration (namely Dean Sally Peterson) to turn a blind eye when the following guidelines are broken (not to mention the prohibition of national origin discrimination found in UCI's Code of Ethics):

When composing statements for your flags, please consider the following:

The aim of the Peace Flag Project is not to suggest solutions to any particular conflict, but simply to make people aware of the extent to which conflict and subsequent tragedy pervades our world. Peace Flags should inspire a sense of local-global responsibility and provide viewers with information to lead a more informed, conscientious life.

Peace will not be achieved by constructing sides and placing blame, but by recognizing each conflict as a tragedy for all of us.

Check your motivation to make sure you are acting out of compassion, not anger.

Continually remind yourself that constructing Peace Flags is a gesture of compassion without limits--compassion for both aggressors and victims. As advocates of peace, we must not poison our intentions with anger, but regard with equanimity the perpetrators of violence. If we truly practice equal compassion towards violators and victims alike, we can inspire tolerance in the minds of others. This guideline was inspired specifically by the Bodhisattva Peace Training of Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche.

The Campaign for Conscience requires flags be produced in accordance with UCI's Statement of Ethical Values, which stipulates a commitment to the following:

Integrity
We will conduct ourselves with integrity in our dealings with and on behalf of the University.

Excellence
We will conscientiously strive for excellence in our work.

Accountability
We will be accountable as individuals and as members of this community for our ethical conduct and for compliance with applicable laws and University policies and directives.

Respect
We will respect the rights and dignity of others.