The Orion Online

Issue date: 5/21/08 Section: Opinion

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Editor's note: This article has been corrected. See below.

The term "fascism" has kind of become a pejorative word in the 21st century.

Right-wingers swung the word around when environmentalists proposed banning the sale of incandescent lightbulbs in favor of more efficient compact fluorescent lightbulbs. They have even gone so far as to make up new words such as "Islamofacism," and "Islamofascist" to paint an even darker image of the enemy the United States faces in its war on terror.

But the lefties play the fascism name-calling game too. They use the word to describe Dick Cheney, and condemn warrantless wiretapping and the Patriot Act.

Today the word fascism is used to describe anything overtly hostile to freedom and often has little to do with the fascist governments seen in Europe more than half a century ago.

Now that this new definition of fascism has been embedded into the political discourse, maybe it's time to check the fascism meter at Chico State. Not to sound like an alarmist, but few examples of freedom hating occur around campus.

Take the Free Speech Area located between Trinity Hall and Meriam Library. Sure, people can stand on the lawn and yammer about how abominable homosexuality is in United States until they're blue in the face, but there's an interesting little loophole to this supposed Free Speech Area.

For one, there's an 8 a.m.-to-sunset rule because of an executive memorandum issued in 1986. This means during the winter there is about a 6 p.m. curfew to free speech in that area. I guess a weeklong sit-in is out of the question.

Also, if students or citizens would like to place a table on the lawn they have to get a permit from the Student Activities Office that requires "eligible students" to disclose their name, phone number and e-mail address. Part of free speech and expression is the right to maintain anonymity, and therefore, these permits are fascist and limit freedom.

Then there's the A.S. Bookstore. Aside from the fact the Associated Students is a corporation and Chico State's form of student government, which is a fascist combination in itself, the seven 42-inch flatscreen TVs in the bookstore almost mock the anti-fascist novel "Fahrenheit 451."

The A.S. Bookstore does not allow photographs to be taken within its walls without an employee escort. Though students pay $162 in student union fees each semester to help operate the bookstore, according to Student Financial Services, clicking a photo on its premises could lead to the removal of a student. This abridges students' rights, as A.S. is supposedly Chico State's student-run government corporation. This photograph ban also abridges the freedom of the press.

Thousands of Chico State students bike their way to school each day. But guess what? Bike registration and licenses are fascist. It's the law to register your bike in many cities in California, but who registers their bikes in the suburbs or on rural farmlands? No one. Students are especially vulnerable to these fascist propaganda shenanigans because they are told they need to register their bikes when they come to this university. "The man" says it helps recover the bike if it's stolen, but no police "bike squad" is circling the city to look for Schwinns and Huffys, and it's doubtful a stolen bike will ever be recovered.

Last but not least, the proposed smoking ban at Chico State is - say it with me - fascist. It reduces smokers to second-class citizens. And to prohibit a substance that is legal to buy, consume and smoke in the public at Chico State, which is a public campus, is bogus. Not to mention, students in the dorms pay thousands of dollars to live on university grounds and being forced to walk a few blocks to get their legal fix is unjust.

Some of these examples may seem minor, but expanding the amount of freedom to all should be of utmost importance to college students. Chico State students should strive to combat anything that limits their freedoms and question any unjust fees that are levied against them.

Mike Murphy can be reached at
mmurphy27@mail.csuchico.edu

The original article incorrectly stated that it's California law to register your bike with the Department of Motor Vehicles. The DMV does not register bicycle, but rather provides the forms and identifying markers for the city's use.