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Originally Posted by DSTCHAOS
Well that's certainly a self-centered way of looking at it.
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I guess.
Quote:
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?
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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.
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