Ahmadinejad's Speech
September 24th, 2007
This entry is corrected. Contrary to the original posting, Sheldon Silver apparently did not attend the Sunday rally at Columbia.
Along with protesters, bloggers were out in force for today’s speech at Columbia by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Columbia Journalism students provide their account, along with an on-line survey and photos, here. On the City Room, Sewell Chan offers his minute-by-minute account. A few nuggets:
Ahmadinejad denied Iran is developing nuclear weapons but said, referring to the U.S., “If you have created the fifth generation of atomic bombs and tested them already, what position are you in to question the peaceful purposes of others who want nuclear power?” He said he wanted to go to Ground Zero to “show my respect” and, according to Chan, was puzzled that people considered his proposed visit (vetoed by Police Commissioner Ray Kelly) an insult. And, when asked about the treatment of gays and lesbians in Iran said, “We don’t have homosexuals like in your country. We don’t have that in our country.” (In case you were wondering, an international gay rights group says this is not true.)
Opinions continue to run high on whether Columbia should have allowed Ahmadinejad there in the first place.
The Columbia Spectator is reporting, according to the Daily Politics, that “the university is now being flooded with congratulatory phone calls for hosting the event, at which Columbia President Lee Bollinger told Ahmadinejad: ‘Mr. President, you exhibit all the signs of a petty and cruel dictator.’”
Former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, Mitt Romney and Council Speaker Christine Quinn have condemned Columbia’s invitation, with Giuliani saying it “is not even a close question” and Quinn joining a protest near the UN. David Weprin’s opposition has landed him on Hardball and CNN, pretty heavy stuff for a City Council member from outer Queens. Weprin, along with Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver has indicated the city and state governments should consider punishing Columbia by withholding public funds from the university, thereby ushering in an era when the three men in a room will have veto power over who speaks at universities.
Not everyone opposes Columbia’s allowing the Iranian president to speak. If the university thinks it’s educational, President George W. Bush said,” I guess it’s OK with me.” And Mayor Michael Bloomberg reportedly criticized those trying to silence Ahmadinejad saying, “I can’t stand this guy. But to go and to give the terrorists what they want - and to give the people who dislike this country ammunition - by saying we don’t even have the freedoms that we preach is just not real smart.”
In category: Civil Rights, Education, Electoral Politics
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September 25th, 2007 at 1:36 pm
The only thing that is clear is how arrogant and hypocritical Americans have become. Bellinger’s behaviour is nothing short of infantile - insults are not debate they are opinion. I expect more from an academic leader.
And who is the US to preach others about nuclear weaponry when it is the largest arms dealer in the world? And the only country to have used a nuclear bomb in war? If you have nukes why shouldnt other countries? How about dismantling your nukes first? OooooO scary that would be like—a fair playing field, no way we are superior, we are Americans!
September 25th, 2007 at 1:37 pm
And what happened to the land of free speech? Giulini should keep his fascist mouth firmly shut…
September 25th, 2007 at 8:38 pm
how about Ahmadinejad hates jews?
September 25th, 2007 at 9:15 pm
Ummm, Daivd Weprin never said that the city should withold funds to Columbia…Silver is the only one who said it. furthermore, Silver was not at the press conference that David Weprin held at Columbia. I was there and Silver was not at that rally/press conference
September 25th, 2007 at 10:53 pm
I was really appalled by the reception that was given to the Iranian president at Columbia University.The president of the university really made a fool of hinself by attacking his guest before he could even deliver his speech.One might have a problem with Ahmadinejad’s views, but I think that one have to have respect for the office that he hold, just like we Americans sometimes disagree with Bush’s policies but we do not use certain derogatory terms to addresse him because of the respect that we have fo the office that he holds. Mr bollinger made the comments he made so as to try to appease the critics who are questioning his decision to invite President Ahmadinejad to speak at an American Ivy league institution,but in the process of trying to appease he ended up making Mr Ahmadinejad appear presidential. It is time that we as Americans start asking the hard questions as to why is it that all of a sudden most of the world is against us and that we seem to have lost the moral superiority that we had? What does one consider to be a win in Irag? When our men and women in uniform are dying everyday for a war that was started based on fabricated intelligence.What are we as citizens going to do about our balloning deficit and the future of our children which is being mortgaged to the chinese based on the debt that we owe them? Why is it that only middle class and poor families are the only ones sacrificing for this war in Irag? Why is it that we want to police the world when we cannot even guard our borders? Why do we let corporations incorporate their busineses offshore to avoid paying taxes in the US.Why do we continue to support Israel even when they clearly commit attrocities in the occupied territories? Why is our government being run by spoiled millionaires who do not have a clue what ordinary Americans go through everyday? Let us ponder upon these questions and start demanding answers before we end up like the empires in the past.Our political system needs a major overhaul before it is too late.May God bless you all and may God bless the entire world so that there can be peace, progress and prosperity
September 26th, 2007 at 8:38 am
Thanks, for your correction Bill. I think we’re each half right. Silver was not at the rally, but, according to the Sun, Weprin has proposed cutting Columbia funds, telling the paper, “Bollinger made a big mistake, and there should be consequences for him for making that decision We should look at everything involving Columbia, whether it be capital projects, city and state, or other related things that we do in the city for them.”