Recently the student government at UC Irvine voted to remove all flags from the school’s lobby.

According to The Associated Press, someone took the American flag from the lobby and placed it on student president Reza Zomorrodian’s desk a few weeks ago with a note saying it shouldn’t be in the lobby.

The flag was replaced, but the Associated Students responded by using their right to a democratic process. In the end, however the vote will be vetoed by the executive cabinet at Irvine.

The backlash these students have endured from this decision is reprehensible. An Associated Students meeting to discuss the controversy surrounding the flags that was set for March 11 was cancelled due to a threat of violence. Additionally, the names and photos of the students who made the decision have been distributed online with the caption “make them famous.” Regardless of your feelings on the American flag, the safety of these students should not be compromised.

What people have done on social media in retaliation to this vote is inexcusable. Although people should hold their representatives accountable, sites like Twitter and Facebook make sharing hateful things too easy. These are students who did their best to represent their fellow students and they made a mistake. Vilifying them in such a public manner can stifle free speech. Posting their photos and names with the sentiment to expel them or stop them from getting jobs is not the way to react to something you don’t agree with. To be constructive, visit their meetings or write the Associated Students with your grievances. By all means let them know what they did was wrong, but don’t try to ruin their lives.

If it becomes impossible to make a mistake as a student leader who is learning how to interpret and represent the voices of other students without having your future jeopardized, it could ultimately inhibit people from making their voices heard.