But why even invite the terrorist leader in the first place.
Is there a transcript yet of the full speech?
But we welcome you with open arms. Matter of fact, as elite members of academia, we're very proud of our tolerance and openness toward evil.
Ummmmm...To humiliate him in front of worldwide cameras....?
Columbia University President Lee Bollinger covered his ass bump.
This is correct and his students applauded AhImathug.
I would not let my child go to this pathetic college.
I’m as conservative as they come, but I don’t understand all the fuss about allowing this nutjob to speak. By allowing his ideas to come out, don’t we form a better understanding of his madness? Isn’t the free-flow of ideas key to overcoming his lies?
I truly don’t have a problem with controversial speakers giving speeches at American universities or other public forums. Look at the long list of speeches by Soviet and Chinese leaders that have taken place on American soil. It proves that they don’t have any rhetoric or ideas that we are afraid of.
However, I do have a serious problem with this dirtbag! Ahmadinejad has been identified as a participant in the seizure of our embassy in Tehran. This scumbag participated in an act of war against this country that was one of the worst black eyes this country has seen in the past few decades.
He should never have been allowed a visa in the first place—UN speech or not.
Does anyone find it strange that Iran released a Columbia College Graduate they were holding recently? Wonder if some kind of deal was struck for the dictators appearance.
At first I was amazed and impressed that Bollinger lit into Ahmawhackjob like that. But then, upon even a moment’s reflection, it was clear that Bollinger’s ass-covering words only explained more clearly than anyone at Columbia had before why the speaking invitation never should have been issued in the first place.
We don’t have to honor the “right to speak” of Nazis and Stalinists advocating genocide by inviting them to distinguished platforms in our leading universities. Ahmawhackjob engages in his “right to speak” all the time and in fact has a much bigger bullhorn than 99.9% of the people in the world. There was no good reason for Columbia to help him stage this propaganda event.
btw, it is clear that back in Iran it was a completely successful propaganda event for the Mullahs, because they simply omitted all hints of any criticism or opposition in the official media accounts, and portrayed Ahmawhackoff as being loudly cheered, standing ovations, etc. (which was true for a limited portion of leftist whackos in the crowd, apparently). They just did an Orwellian excision of all hint of disharmony and criticism.