Protest at Columbia over Iranian President

[DSTCHAOS]

He shouldn't have been invited to speak. Free speech on AMERICAN soil doesn't apply to terrorists and known supporters of terrorism. This goes to how I feel about any noncitizen who comes here, when you're HERE you will be treated as a human being but not necessarily given the same citizenship rights as citizens receive or given a platform to speak. Just like how Americans are often treated when we go to OTHER countries, especially Americans who are accused of tormenting or encouraging the torment of the citizens of other countries.

The president of Columbia is a cowardly moron. He waits until he's introducing the speaker to make negative remarks that will appease his critics.

Iran doesn't have gay people, everyone. Announcement.

Why did it seem like almost every news analyst on Fox News an alum of Columbia University?

[Rudey]

These guys were there yesterday: http://www.tfp.org/

I swear this was by far the scariest thing on Columbia's campus.

-Rudey

[Sugar08]

Originally Posted by DSTCHAOS

He shouldn't have been invited to speak. Free speech on AMERICAN soil doesn't apply to terrorists and known supporters of terrorism. This goes to how I feel about any noncitizen who comes here, when you're HERE you will be treated as a human being but not necessarily given the same citizenship rights as citizens receive or given a platform to speak.

I generally agree with you on this. BUT I think that because of the power this man wields, and the fact that our current (and probably next) campaign is being fought in the vicinity of Iran (and will probably be fought IN Iran), giving him a platform to speak was not only necessary, it was the right thing to do. He's not just some faceless terrorist you see on Al-Jazeera spitting vitriol.

And anyway, he only confirmed the negative opinions of many of the posters here, and I'd wager, most American citizens.

[DaemonSeid]

Originally Posted by Sugar08

I generally agree with you on this. BUT I think that because of the power this man wields, and the fact that our current (and probably next) campaign is being fought in the vicinity of Iran (and will probably be fought IN Iran), giving him a platform to speak was not only necessary, it was the right thing to do. He's not just some faceless terrorist you see on Al-Jazeera spitting vitriol.

And anyway, he only confirmed the negative opinions of many of the posters here, and I'd wager, most American citizens.

See the enemy now before he goes into hiding with Bin Ladin.

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by Sugar08

He's not just some faceless terrorist you see on Al-Jazeera spitting vitriol.

Which is why he should not have been invited. We know who Bin Laden is, too, if we could find him should he be invited to the White House for tea? Keep your enemies close to you but don't sit at the dinner table with them.

Giving him the platform wasn't necessary and it wasn't smart. And people are pretending that Columbia Univ did it for some greater cause. They did it to solidify their status as a liberal University, with far left tendencies depending on the issue, and consistent intolerance for Conservatives. All under the guise of intellectual development of the student body.

Hell, the ROTC isn't allowed on campus and The Minute Men were THREATENED and basically chased off campus. Columbia is full of it and I agree with the alum who are withdrawing their financial support.

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by DSTCHAOS

Hell, the ROTC isn't allowed on campus and The Minute Men were THREATENED and basically chased off campus. Columbia is full of it and I agree with the alum who are withdrawing their financial support.

Incredible. I wasn't aware.

[Sugar08]

Originally Posted by DSTCHAOS

And people are pretending that Columbia Univ did it for some greater cause. They did it to solidify their status as a liberal University, with far left tendencies depending on the issue, and consistent intolerance for Conservatives. All under the guise of intellectual development of the student body.

Hell, the ROTC isn't allowed on campus and The Minute Men were THREATENED and basically chased off campus. Columbia is full of it and I agree with the alum who are withdrawing their financial support.

I agree that Columbia had some ulterior motives. And ultra-liberals are just as bad as ultra-conservatives. But I don't really have a problem with this guy coming to campus and speaking, because I feel like I learned something.

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by Sugar08

But I don't really have a problem with this guy coming to campus and speaking, because I feel like I learned something.

Well that's certainly a self-centered way of looking at it.

Forget the fact that this whole incident will be re-played in Iran to make the U.S. look weak and stupid. Forget the fact that we're laughing stocks because the U.S. government couldn't keep a known TERRORIST from speaking at a private, left wing University on American soil. Imagine what would happen if other countries were as stupid as we are?

[DaemonSeid]

Originally Posted by DSTCHAOS

Well that's certainly a self-centered way of looking at it.

Forget the fact that this whole incident will be re-played in Iran to make the U.S. look weak and stupid. Forget the fact that we're laughing stocks because the U.S. government couldn't keep a known TERRORIST from speaking at a private, left wing University on American soil. Imagine what would happen if other countries were as stupid as we are?

The Iraquis let Bush walk in Iraq (however!) on his little surprise visits....fair is fair....LOL

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by DaemonSeid

The Iraquis let Bush walk in Iraq (however!) on his little surprise visits....fair is fair....LOL

no.

[Sugar08]

Originally Posted by DSTCHAOS

Well that's certainly a self-centered way of looking at it.

I guess.

Originally Posted by DSTCHAOS

Forget the fact that this whole incident will be re-played in Iran to make the U.S. look weak and stupid. Forget the fact that we're laughing stocks because the U.S. government couldn't keep a known TERRORIST from speaking at a private, left wing University on American soil. Imagine what would happen if other countries were as stupid as we are?

But we're already laughing stocks (or fiercely hated) across the world. I doubt one man's visit could do that much damage. And what does it really matter if Iran laughs at us (more)? Unless you think that more terrorists will think this incident gives them free rein to cross our borders and wreak havoc (in which case, I agree).

Technically, it's not the job of the government to regulate the goings-on of private universities. A lot of these left-leaning upper echelon schools consider them more than just American universities, (this I know, because I work for one) they work hard to appear to be internationally-focused.

To be quite frank, I think this whole incident has been GOOD pr for the U.S. government, at least internally. It a) confirms the negative impression most Americans have of Ahmadinejad, and b) it makes (some of) us feel good about free speech in the U.S.

And if the government didn't want him here, they would have found a way to keep him out. Columbia doesn't have that much power.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by Sugar08

And if the government didn't want him here, they would have found a way to keep him out. Columbia doesn't have that much power.

No, but our UN treaties do. Very hard, I think, to keep him out if he wants to address the UN General Assembly. Whether they can keep him from going elsewhere while he's in NYC to go to the UN, I don't know, but it certainly wouldn't help our image if the government was thought to be preventing him from speaking at a major university while here to address the UN. A no win situation, I think.

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by Sugar08

I doubt one man's visit could do that much damage.

It actually has, though.

You don't have to think it does in order for it to do so.

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by DSTCHAOS

Giving him the platform wasn't necessary and it wasn't smart. And people are pretending that Columbia Univ did it for some greater cause. They did it to solidify their status as a liberal University, with far left tendencies depending on the issue, and consistent intolerance for Conservatives. All under the guise of intellectual development of the student body.

Hell, the ROTC isn't allowed on campus and The Minute Men were THREATENED and basically chased off campus. Columbia is full of it and I agree with the alum who are withdrawing their financial support.

Truer words were never spoken. It was almost like Bollinger got him on the platform to harangue him, getting brownie points from his whiny undergrads and lefty PhD students.

The Minutemen thing EMBARASSED me and I tell that to every kid who calls asking for donations. Bollinger is a Constitutional scholar who allows this nonsense to go on in the name of liberal tyranny. Columbia is so full of it! But I'm thinking about B-school there, so take what I say with a grain of salt...

[jon1856]

The Op-Ed cartoons had a field day with this.
Several very good ones.
http://cagle.com/news/IranPresidentVisit/main.asp