Ahmadinejad Will Speak At Columbia Forum

[bemildred]

Source: NY Sun (originally from a university press release)

President Ahmadinejad of Iran has accepted an invitation to speak at Columbia University on Monday afternoon at a forum sponsored by the university's School of International and Public Affairs, a spokesman for the university said last night.

The Iranian Mission to the United Nations requested the invitation through a professor in the Middle East department, Richard Bulliet, who is a specialist on Iran.

"Opportunities to hear, challenge, and learn from controversial speakers of different views are central to the education and training of students for citizenship in a shrinking and dangerous world," the dean of SIPA, John Coatsworth, said in a statement. Mr. Coastworth invited Mr. Ahmadinejad to kick off a series of lectures and events about Iran, he said in a statement. The president of Columbia University, Lee Bollinger, is scheduled to introduce Mr. Ahmadinejad on Monday to an audience that will be made up exclusively of Columbia students, faculty, and a few invited guests.

Mr. Ahmadinejad was invited by SIPA to speak at Columbia last fall, but Mr. Bollinger revoked the invitation on the grounds that he could not ensure that the program would reflect the academic values of the university. In his talk on Monday, Mr. Ahmadinejad will field questions from the audience and from Mr. Bollinger on his government, as well as his views on Israel and the Holocaust. Mr. Ahmadinejad has stated in the past that Israel should be "wiped off the map" and that the Holocaust did not happen.

Read more: http://www.nysun.com/article/63050

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I predict a giant bullshit eruption over this.

[wtmusic]

1. IMO the opposite will happen:

He will come across as knowledgeable and charismatic, and Republicans will bend over backwards trying to make his appearance...disappear.

[zbdent]

2. Where's the "Intelligent Design" Republicans who keep saying

"There isn't enough evidence that Evolution is true. Teach the controversy!" ... you'd think that they'd also believe that this guy should have a voice, if they think that just believing something despite a preponderance of evidence against your stance allows this to be given the same weight ...

[mikelgb]

3. wish I could be there

I know I will not be able to get an accurate account of the dialog...

[bemildred]

4. Columbia University urged to cancel Ahmadinejad speech

Columbia University was urged on Thursday to withdraw a speaking invitation to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who will be in New York for the United Nations General Assembly.

New York City Council speaker Christine Quinn wrote to the university urging them to cancel Ahmadinejad's planned speech on Monday, which is part of Columbia's World Leaders Forum. "Ahmadinejad is a Holocaust denier," she wrote.

On Wednesday New York police said Ahmadinejad, who has called for Israel to be wiped off the map, had been denied a request to visit the World Trade Center site of the Sept. 11 attacks during his visit.

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"An exchange of ideas should not include state sponsored terrorism and hate speech. He can say whatever he wants on any street corner, but should not be given center stage at one of New York's most prestigious centers of higher education."

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/905809.html

[Scurrilous]

5. Pressure to arrest Ahmadinejad

<snip>

"Israel's friends are calling for the arrest of Iran's president in advance of his arrival next week in New York City

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will be in New York for the opening of the new session of the United Nations General Assembly.

On Monday, a team of lawyers and diplomats who want Ahmadinejad tried for inciting genocide will call on the U.S. Department of Justice to arrest the Iranian president when he arrives on American soil.

"He is an international war criminal," said Harvard Law School Professor Alan Dershowitz. "He has repeatedly violated the anti-genocide convention. He is as guilty as the Rwandans who are convicted and sentenced to years in prison for inciting genocide."

http://www.jta.org/cgi-bin/iowa/breaking/104265.html

[bemildred]

6. My my my. Gone completely off our meds. nt

[ohio2007]

7. Wouldn't it be a hoot if somebody took him hostage for 444 days?

just saying,
New York is full of all types and I bet the NY Cops would look the other way if he was seen carrying a wreath in downtown NY.

The police don't need to put the manpower around Amad DinnerJihad. besides, New Yorkers are civil enough these days to accept another public official making another trip to the site without it making MSM breaking news headlines.

Let him lay a wreath at the Pentagon ;) I know Shanksville is a bit out of his visa 'no fly zone'

[bemildred]

9. You approve of hostage taking? nt

[ohio2007]

8. Maybe he will be cell mates with bushitler at the Hague

they can fight over the soap
but
I won't go into all those directions.

[rayofreason]

10. I wonder how gay Columbia students feel...

...about someone speaking at their school who would have them executed in Iran for the "crime" of being gay?

[superkia]

11. I would like to hear him speak but its too far.

[gateley]

12. It will be interesting to see what coverage this gets between now and Monday. nt

[bemildred]

13. Yep. I don't think it's over yet. nt