Posted on 09/21/2007 6:00:58 AM PDT by indcons
Columbia University said it does not plan to call off a speech by Iran's president despite pressure from critics including the City Council speaker, who said the Ivy League school was providing a forum for "hate-mongering vitriol."
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is traveling to New York to address the United Nations' General Assembly. He was scheduled to appear Monday at a question-and-answer session with Columbia faculty and students as part of the school's World Leaders Forum.
City Council speaker Christine Quinn called Thursday for the university to rescind the invitation, saying "the idea of Ahmadinejad as an honored guest anywhere in our city is offensive to all New Yorkers."
Quinn said Ahmadinejad was coming to the city "for one reason - to spread his hate-mongering vitriol on the world stage."
Ahmadinejad has called the Holocaust "a myth" and called for Israel to be destroyed.
His planned appearance at Columbia also was condemned by Jewish groups including the Jewish Defense Organization, which described Ahmadinejad as "the Hitler of Iran."
Columbia spokesman Robert Hornsby said Thursday there was no plan to cancel the appearance, though the university dropped plans for an Ahmadinejad speech last year because of security and logistical problems. The decision came after a Jewish activist group expressed outrage over the invitation.
(Excerpt) Read more at seattlepi.nwsource.com ...
They only protest conservative speakers. There didn’t seem to be any back story on who invited him to speak.
Yet a man who, as Iran's chief executive, is in charge of that country's executions of homosexuals is not only allowed, but formally invited.
I’d send my kids to “Gary’s Kwik-Loob & Kommunity Kollege” before I’d send them to Columbia.
Good. Let the nutjob speak. Better for us, worse for him.
Just for GP, he should be locked up and sent to gitmo the second he lands on US soil.
I guess they only demonize and harass people trying to protect the borders of the United States. People out to destroy Israel and actively engaged in terrorism are welcomed.
Welcome to the bizarre new world order!
Unbelievable!
From the Columbia World "Leaders" Forum website
Monday, September 24, 2007, 1:30–2:30 p.m.
Roone Arledge Auditorium, Alfred Lerner Hall, 2920 Broadway
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran
Co-sponsored by the School of International and Public Affairs
A keynote address followed by a question and answer session with the audience.
Just let one or two of their major contributors from their alumni organization threaten to withdraw support if they follow through and they’ll fold like a cheap suit!
When might we expect to hear speakers who advocate reinstituting Slavery invited to Columbia?
Leaving now screaming!!!!
Every “progressive” in New York City will show up to cheer.
But outrage over a speech at an Ivy League University by an Islamicist who calls for the destruction of Israel, hates America and denies the Holocaust? No way. Not worth the effort.
Prolly was just another NY Mangina...
I know nothing about this university—do they receive federal funding in any way? It should be pulled IMMEDIATELY for aiding and abetting enemies of the USA! What about the alumni society? Any decent people there who can exert some pressure to get this thing cancelled before there are riots in NYC??
Good for them! Now let's "Cancel their federal funds" for doing so!
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