September 25, 2007
Columbia President Praised For Smacking Down Ahmadinejad
Columbia University has weathered storm of criticism for inviting Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to speak at its World Leader Forum yesterday. Columbia president Lee Bollinger had said that critical questions would be posed, and he wasn't kidding: Before Ahmadinejad spoke, Bollinger gave a lengthy speech that attacked the leader's positions and intelligence, said he exhibited "all the signs of a petty and cruel dictator," and called him ridiculous. You can read Bollinger's speech here, but here are his final words:
Let me close with this comment. Frankly, and in all candor, Mr. President, I doubt that you will have the intellectual courage to answer these questions. But your avoiding them will in itself be meaningful to us. I do expect you to exhibit the fanatical mindset that characterizes so much of what you say and do. Fortunately, I am told by experts on your country, that this only further undermines your position in Iran with all the many good-hearted, intelligent citizens there. A year ago, I am reliably told, your preposterous and belligerent statements in this country (as in your meeting at the Council on Foreign Relations) so embarrassed sensible Iranian citizens that this led to your party’s defeat in the December mayoral elections. May this do that and more.This prompted the Post to headline its story, U. DA MAN! BOSS HITS IRAN PREZ WITH THE OL' COLLEGE FRY and Newsday says Bollinger is standing tall. The Daily Intelligencer even thinks that Bollinger is having the Best Week Ever! The Daily News wasn't having any of Bollinger's strong rebukes of Ahmadinejad. Michael Goodwin writes a column saying it's too little, too late, while an editorial still finds Columbia's actions infuriating (though Bollinger was creditable): "It was cheap theater, and it cheapened a great university."I am only a professor, who is also a university president, and today I feel all the weight of the modern civilized world yearning to express the revulsion at what you stand for. I only wish I could do better.
The NY Times has an editorial questioning the behavior of NYC politicians who have been slamming Columbia's decision to invite Ahmadinejad: "Unlike Iran’s citizens, Americans have the right to laugh at leaders, as well as protest Mr. Ahmadinejad’s visit and Columbia’s decision to schedule his speech. The threats of possible sanctions against Columbia were an insult to that freedom."
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I agree with the "cheap theater" comment. This whole thing was such a giant clusterfuck of feigned moral outrage for all sides involved it makes me wonder what the hell is wrong with people - new yorkers in particular.
he knows where his bread is buttered.
I read somewhere else that Sen. Duncan Hunter (R-CA) has vowed to stop all Federal money to Columbia.
Way to go, Hunter and Silver! Threaten everyone!
The iranian dude exists! Closing your eyes and ears won't make it disappear. Debate is a civil act.
I don't agree with Iranian policies, but to ignore its existance is pretty childish.
Am I the only one who just got whiplash from the collective flip flop the entire world just did for Bollinger?
Considering the lead up, Bollinger's speech came off as pandering and hardly open-minded - which is what he kept saying he wanted everyone to be.
So much for finding a shred of integrity anywhere in this town.
Actually if they replaced Bollinger with Jerry Springer and had a "final thought" after a giant fist fight, that would have been classier than this.
While I think that Ahmadinejad is among the scum of the earth, I think he is entitled to speak at Columbia, without repercussions. I think there should be public outrage, but Columbia's funding shouldn't be in question. Despite the content of what Ahmadinejad says, it isn't illegal. He might be wrong, very wrong, but he is allowed, by our great country, to express himself within that boundary. We're a country of free speech. Since when do we judge Universities because they choose to have controversial speakers. I appaud Columbia for standing up and allowing him to speak, as all institutions of higher education should promote dialogue and conversation, no matter how controversial.
Why are people surprised that Bollinger actually grilled Ahmadinejad exactly like he said he would? Could it be because much of the media in this country is shocked to see a leader asked difficult questions? This is how great universities are supposed to operate! This is how a democracy is supposed to function! It is only by questioning authorities that we can hold them responsible for their word and deeds.
bollinger is a pompous prick
what a joke yesterday was
way to show off american values, you phoney sone of a bitch...more amunition for extremists
I think it's amazing that Mr. Bollinger is a scholar of the First Amendment yet he attacks a reigning head of state with impunity who had come to speak in Columbia's series of provocative lectures.
Ahmadinejad said yesterday that Palestinians shouldn't be punished & pay the price for the sufferings by jews during the holocaust..pretty fair statement worthy of discussion...but i guess fake moral outrage sells papers
Didn't Bollinger suspend a couple of kids at U Michigan for slipping a page of dumb blond jokes under a feminist's door?
I think that was mentioned in the Spectator after CU chose him.
In any case, I definitely think the intro speech could have been made a bit more tactfully. Much better to mock Ahmadinejad subtly than to call him a 'cruel dictator'. It strikes me as pandering to the local audience rather than really trying to evoke a response from him, and certainly doesn't make the school look good to an international audience.
Bollinger sounded like a total ass yesterday introducing that guy. What nerve! Guess he was trying to save face, but I thought he looked and sounded like a rube. No class!
this gives columbia a really bad name IMO...not that i thought very highly of it to begin with
Bollinger and Ahmandiejad both sounded like inveterate dumb politicians speaking a type of transparent and boring rhetoric that is far from the art of oratory. Politicians and academics should speak clearly. These guys are both idiots pandering to powers that they concieve as being above them. Ahmandiejad is obviously a tool of fundamentalist muslim repression and Bollinger sounds like he's running for office with shallow patriotic claptrap. It was a painful reminder of the ingenuous bullshit we have had to listen to from Bush and most of the Senators in recent memory. (When will we have intelligent reprsentation that measures up with the great vision of our Constitution?)
The New York Post, although funny, makes journalism look bad.
I'm glad Bollinger gave it to him.
#6 does a pretty good job of summing up this whole event...
Bollinger came off as a real asshole with his grandstanding comments pandering to the neo-con Zionists hooting and hollering around the campus yesterday.
What does the Holocaust, 9/11 and Homosexuals have to do with the president of Iran?
Yet nary an inquiry regarding REAL geopolitical hot topics .
Surprised they didn't ask Ahmadinejad what he thought of the Yankees' playoff chances. Idiots.
Number 18, Ahmedinejad would have called the Yankees homosexuals.
I've never saw so many yarmulke wearing doofs that I did yesterday. they were inside, too.
One protestor resorted to violence outside, guess which side?
What happened to comment #6 ??
Is it just me or would our world be much better off if Israeli Government's Apartheid-like system of ethnic cleansing was wiped off the map?
Just a thought.
ditto.
not just you who thought that.
He lies to his people with a big smile on his face. He and George W. should get together and go bowling.
The US has put up with the "Israeli" and his numerous illegal activities for far too long. At some point we have to call it a "Jewish" disease.
Where are the Israeli's? Right here in the US. Nice and comffy and safe. Bring your sick notes but don't miss a second of this! Ahmandiejad is an original Middle Easterner! Hate to have to size up to that eh? It's like Blacks going back to Africa and Mexicans in Indians Reserves only everyone doesn't scream and act like a retard.
I come from both a Jewish and an Iranian background.....but today I just felt disappointed as an American.
Here we have Dr Bollinger, the head-honcho of one of America's most prestigious institutions of higher learning, coming across as a simple-minded blowhard who needs to appease his barking, conservative donors with a show of unprofessional cheap-shot spewing, revealing a pathetic lack of cross-cultural diplomatic acumen.
Yep that sounds eerily like another dumbass head-honcho in the White House.
Welcome to America....I mean, New York City...in 2007.
This commentary is very interesting:
http://commonsense.ourfuture.org/bet_wetter_nation
Bed-wetter Nation
Let me put before you an illustrative example: one week in September of 1959, when, much like one week in September of 2007, American soil supported a visit by what many, if not most Americans agreed was the most evil and dangerous man on the planet.