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A Prudent Invitation
PUBLISHED SEPTEMBER 20, 2007
Late Wednesday afternoon, students were informed that the President of Iran would be speaking on campus next Monday. The announcement has understandably caused a stir on campus—and around the country—as students, alumni and faculty debate the merits of bringing such a controversial speaker to campus. A University has an obligation to provide its students opportunities to deepen their knowledge and understanding of world events. Columbia has done as much through its invitation of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and should be commended for a decision that will earn it few favors in the public eye.
Columbia’s invitation to Ahmadinejad is an impressive demonstration of the University’s respect of free speech and open debate. The Iranian leader is a pivotal player on the world stage, and providing him a forum to speak is the best way for the University to live up to its mission to serve as a “center for public discussion and debate on the large economic, political, social, and cultural questions,” as stated in the World Leaders Forum literature.
President Ahmadinejad’s repression of student protest, denial of the Holocaust, and systematic human rights abuses are reprehensible. However, the University’s invitation is not an endorsement of these positions, nor does it legitimize Iran’s designated head of state. We may deplore the fact such a vile man has been elevated to the international stage—as we should—but to deny his status as a political leader would be foolish. Rather, the University’s invitation prevents a rare opportunity for students to encounter ideas that run completely counter to their values and sensibilities.
An educated student body must be willing to be challenged by diverse and upsetting ideas, and Columbia’s invitation to the President has provided just such an opportunity. However, now that the University has extended this invitation, administrators must ensure that as many students as possible can benefit from this opportunity. While the University cannot reasonably guarantee that every interested student will have a seat at the event, it should provide overflow rooms where students can watch the speech via simulcast. Additionally, all students should be given the opportunity to email questions that they would like the President to address to be considered for selection by President Bollinger or Dean Coatsworth. These measures would ensure that the considerable acrimony and inconvenience generated by Ahmadinejad’s appearance are not in vain, and that students are allowed a meaningful academic experience.
Most importantly, students must have the space and resources to coordinate protests against Ahmadinejad’s ideas. They must have every opportunity to show their disgust with Ahmadinejad’s comments or to protest his presence— provided such demonstrations do not prevent the Iranian president from speaking. Columbia has offered students an opportunity to be a part of a global conversation about Iran’s place on the world stage. The University’s students must live up to their end of the bargain—listening attentively and challenging the President on his positions.
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The formed students should wish to be challenged by various and overturning ideas, and the invitation of Colombia to the president has provided only such possibility. However, now, when the University has expanded this invitation, managers should guarantee, that so it is a lot of students as far as possible can benefit by this possibility. While the university cannot reasonably guarantee, that each interesting student will have a place in a case, it should provide sites of memory of overflow where students can watch performance through simultaneous transmission by radio and TV. In addition, all students need to give the chance to send questions by e-mail, to which they would like, that the president has addressed to be president Bollinger considered for a choice or Dean Coatsworth. These measures would be guaranteed, that by considerable biliousness and the inconvenience generated by occurrence Ahmadinejad’s, not in vain, and that to students resolve significant academic experience.
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The formed students should wish to be challenged by various and overturning ideas, and the invitation of Colombia to the president has provided only such possibility. However, now, when the University has expanded this invitation, managers should guarantee, that so it is a lot of students as far as possible can benefit by this possibility. While the university cannot reasonably guarantee, that each interesting student will have a place in a case, it should provide sites of memory of overflow where students can watch performance through simultaneous transmission by radio and TV. In addition, all students need to give the chance to send questions by e-mail, to which they would like, that the president has addressed to be president Bollinger considered for a choice or Dean Coatsworth. These measures would be guaranteed, that by considerable biliousness and the inconvenience generated by occurrence Ahmadinejad’s, not in vain, and that to students resolve significant academic experience.
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Dear Sir:
There is nothing prudent or worthwhile in partaking in
a dialogue with evil (Re: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to speak
at Columbia: "A prudent invitation, Columbia Spectator
editorial). Rather, there is the larger
risk that students will be persuaded to pursue Mr.
Ahmadinejad's agenda,
which is the annihiliation of the Jewish people.
There really is no mystery here: if the subject was
something different, he would not have been given this
platform to speak.
AN OPEN LETTER TO DEAN COATSWORTH:
September 23, 2007
Dean Coatsworth:
I’m sure you and President Bollinger have been appropriately bombarded with plenty of hate mail since your decision to invite Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to speak at Columbia University has been publicized. I am not a woman of words, and there are many people far smarter and more articulate than I who I’m certain have expressed their disgust at your thoughtless decision making. I however cannot stand by idly as the founding principles of this country are being turned into a farce. It behooves me therefore as an ashamed student and staff member of the University to write this letter in protest.
In the name of “learning and scholarship” and Freedom of Speech, you have chosen to grant a raving lunatic a public forum to espouse the very ideas that America deplores. For what purpose? So we, as students of history, can challenge his claim that the Holocaust is a myth? So we, who believe that all Men are created equal can shake a finger at his government's suppression of civil society and particularly of women's rights? Or maybe it’s to let him know that we, as Americans, are offended by his endorsement of international terrorism which targets innocent civilians and American troops.
The reasoning behind President Bollinger’s absurd assertion that “It should never be thought that merely to listen to ideas we deplore in any way implies our endorsement of those ideas” is inherently flawed. The very fact that you have created a platform for Mr. Ahmadinejad to promulgate his despicable viewpoints is a testimony that you, inaccurately using the mask of Free Speech as your banner, believe his opinions can possibly be substantiated. A debate/discussion implies that there are two potentially valid sides to an issue at hand. I should hope that there are no members of the Columbia community who are under the impression that Ahmadinejad has anything credible to offer the American people. On September 24th, therefore, there will be no debate taking place. There will, however, be an all expenses paid framework for Mr. Ahmadinejad to further spread his previously documented beliefs and callous hatred on our soil. The University’s expenditure of millions of dollars that could have gone to true academic furtherance is disgraceful and inexcusable.
After a poor attempt to justify your decision to invite Mr. Ahmadinejad, you state, “If he [Adolf Hitler] were willing to engage in a debate and a discussion, to be challenged by Columbia students and faculty, (um,) we would certainly invite him.” While the above reasoning would hold true in protesting an invitation to Adolf Hitler, Sadam Hussein, Osama Bin Laden or any other world renowned mass-murderer, I feel especially offended by this statement in particular. May I remind you, Dean Coatsworth, that during his regime, Hitler was responsible for the annihilation of 6 million innocent men, women and children – Jews, Homosexuals and Gypsies. I will also inform you that my paternal grandfather’s seven brothers and sisters were brutally gassed in Auschwitz. My grandfather escaped death by a hairsbreadth, and that is why I am here today. I don’t need to inform you of all the Nazi atrocities that took place during the 1940’s in Eastern Europe – I’m sure you’ve seen your fill of Holocaust movies, and after all, you do plan on challenging Mr. Ahmadinejad’s assertion that it was all a myth.
I implore you, however to consider your reaction if a large group of your family members, friends and neighbors were subjected to every unimaginable torture – beaten, raped, shot, starved, robbed of every human right that we as Americans take for granted. Consider now that the person responsible for the physical and psychological destruction of the people you love so dearly was coming to visit your part of town. Dean Coatsworth, would you graciously extend this depraved person an invitation for wine and cheese at your home? What if this perpetrator of evil was “willing to engage in a debate and a discussion to be challenged by yourself and others”? Would you then invite him/her over for a meeting of the minds? I certainly hope that whatever sense of human decency that is still present within you would lead you to decide against it. I certainly hope that you would be repulsed by the very thought of being in the same room as the person responsible for the grossly unjust deaths of your loved ones.
If this is the way you’d feel on personal level, consider the emotions of the many citizens of America and the entire free world who feel this exact way about the murderer-tyrant Ahmadinejad speaking at your University, and revoke your decision to allow him to speak.
If however, you still see nothing wrong with inviting an individual responsible for the intolerable suffering of your loved ones for a civil discourse, well then, Dean Coatsworth, I will find you no less repugnant than I did at the beginning of this letter.
And for the record, THIS is freedom of speech at its greatest.
Debbie Rybak
CUMC Staff
Student, School of Continuing Education
As I said elsewhere, Columbia has become "The Ship of Fools". You remember when the escape ship was sent back to Nazi Germany, and the passenger said "They can't kill us all, can they?" Hitler did.
Ahmadinijad wants you to die. His mantra is "Death to America", "Death to Israel", "Death to the Zionists" Think Lee Bollinger can debate him out of his view?
What more information do you folks need?
Do Columbia undergrads have no sense of shame? Are you so disconnected from reality that you are not filled with rage towards the man responsible for the deaths of your brothers and sisters in Iraq? Has your narcissistic sense of entitlement removed you that far from the actuality that people your age are fighting jihadis who would kill you, egged on by the little Hitler you're welcoming to the campus? If a cross town neighbor began killing your family members, stockpiling weapons and asserting he planned to kill you and everyone of your family, would you invite him over to tea? Ask him to state his views, so you could debate with him over whether he should kill you? Probably you would. Cowards.
I agree with the comment above that Columbia must be filled with blithering idiots.
Providing a podium for racist, antisemitic, and dangerous ideas has never been the mission of any university. As for students being able to challenge Ahmadinejad, they can no more do so than leave their real names and addresses at this website.
The point is that we have become cowards in the US, afraid of publicly challenging those with abhorrent ideas. We are each fearful of retribution by extremists, and the possiblity of violence in response to condemning their ideas.
Columbia has proved that it is more fearful than the many Jews and Jewish Organizations that are marshalling to protest this heinous disgrace.
Let Ahmadinejad grab a box at Hyde Park Speaker's Corner some Sunday and speak his piece. If he is not subject to lynching there, then the British have also lost their minds.
Bert Gold
i praise the spectator's ed board for its opinion. it's so easy to be popular; doing the right thing is often times difficult. i applaud bollinger and sipa too for organizing this debate and not canceling it under pressure from the powers that be. "cogito, ergo sum" said descartes. i am glad that at least at columbia reason can trump fear, bigotry and censorship. i am prouder than ever to be a CU student. i just hope now that this opportunity is not wasted, and that ahmadinejad is seriously challenged.
This is a copy of a letter which I sent to Professor Bollinger last night.
Dear Professor Bollinger,
I am a graduate of the Department of Electrical Engineering
(Dr.Eng.Sc-1969), and have been an Adjunct Professor, in the
Department, during the Spring Semester, for the past four years.
I live in Israel and come to teach at Columbia in the Spring.
I returned from Yom Kippur services here in Israel about three hours
ago.The services include the Yizkor memorial service which is partly
devoted to the memory of the victims of the Holocaust.
Columbia University with your backing, (judging by your statements
on the Columbia Press Room Website) has invited the Twenty-First
Century equivalent to Hitler, to speak at the prestigious World
Leaders Forum. Yes, I too, believe in free speech. However, this
person has called for the destruction of the State of Israe,as you
yourself admit in your press statement)and let us be honest, he
means the Jewish State of Israel. This same person is also trying
to develop nuclear weapons, or at least the whole world seems to
think that is what is doing.
Do you really believe that someone who says that he is planning to
destroy the State of Israel, while trying to develop nuclear
weapons,deserves an invitation to speak at Columbia University. Is
free speech on a campus the right to call for the destruction of
seven million people? There has got to be a limit, even to concept
of free speech.
You say that he is going to be asked about his statement to destroy
Israel. And if says, "Yes, I am planning to destroy Israel",what
will be your next question?
Does he deserve the right to use our University as a microphone for
expressing Nazi-like views, sixty years after the Holocaust?
Imagine inviting Hitler in 1939 to come to the University to
express his views.
How do you think , I, and others, of Jewish and non-Jewish background
feel about this kind of appearance? Will the next step be, to
invite someone from the KKK to speak about his or her views?
There has got to be a point at which reasonable men, say no to this
kind of Nazi-like philosophy.
I am asking you to realize what this invitation means to many of us
attached to the school! It is not an issue of free speech but
rather one of racism of the worst kind!!
Sincerely,
Professor Irving Kalet
I assume CU people are not idiots, and must know that the issue has nothing to do with freedom of speech. No one suggests thatl Ahmedinizhad should be forbidden by law from making political speech.
But CU is choosing to HONOR the man with an invitation, providing him a forum. It will be perceived as an HONOR by the press in Iran, in the region, and throughout the world. Everyone sees this as an honor, and if CU doesn't realize this, then it's even more insular and irrelevant (and stupid, frankly) than I could have thought.
If, however, CU does understand that it's honoring this man, but doesn't care . . . then the callous amoral depravity of this arrogant stunt, while every year thousands of mothers lose their sons and daughters to acts of terrorism sponsored by Iran, and children are orphaned by Iranian bombs, . . . what can one say? And for the CU president to say he'd similarly honor Hitler by giving him a forum too?
It turns the stomach. Literally.
I suspect this disgrace to the once-distinguished university will have lasting repercussions. And it should. It heaps shame on the entire CU community.
"Columbia’s invitation to Ahmadinejad is an impressive demonstration of the University’s respect of free speech and open debate. The Iranian leader is a pivotal player on the world stage, and providing him a forum to speak is the best way for the University to live up to its mission to serve as a “center for public discussion and debate on the large economic, political, social, and cultural questions,” as stated in the World Leaders Forum literature. "
Do you people actually believe this lunacy? If you do, why don't you extend an invitation to the BTK killer or perhaps Charlie Manson (a mass-murderer from the late-60s for you obviously ignorant srpouts).
Let's try your phrase again: Columbia’s invitation to Ahmadinejad is an impressive demonstration of the rampant lunacy of the left and a perfect reason for making sure that our kids who have their sights on Ivy League schools stay as far away from Columbia as humanly possible.
The Little Hitler needs to be arrested as soon as he sets foot on American soil -- not welcomed with open arms by an allegedly respected university. Columbia is a laughing stock and The Little Hitler gets the last laugh.
I heard the editor of the Spectator this hour on Fox News and I've come to the conclusion that everyone on the Columbia campus is an utter blithering idiot.
As several have mentioned in the comments here, what could this terrorist possible say that anyone in this country could be interested in hearing? You don't question someone who is funding the wholesale slaughter of American troops and is at this very moment expressing in no uncertain terms his hatred for Israel and the country where a bunch of misguided morons are going to give him a platform for free speech when he denies free speech to his citizens.
It's pretty obvious to me that retardation, not education, is occuring on the Columbia campus. Why pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to send your kid there and risk having them turned into a Constitutional ignoramus?
It's interesting that most schools (presumably including Columbia) that deny ROTC and the presence of military recruiters on their campuses do so under the guise of opposition to the military's policy of "don't ask, don't tell." I.e., these schools abhor the military's policy concerning sexual orientation and service. In that light, some of us not-so-academically sophisticated goons out here in the hinterlands are wondering what Columbia considers the policy of radical Islam to be concerning homosexuality. We're hoping that in that light Columbia will provide the same gracious acceptance of military recruiters and an ROTC unit on campus that it is providing to one of the world's spokesmen for radical Islam.
How about presenting him with an honorary degree? Wouldn't that be swell?
Columbia is providing this clown the honor of addressing one of the most prestigious universities in the United States to help bolster his falling popularity back in Iran. If anyone thinks the edited version shown on the state run media in Iran will show anything different is even more of a fool than the President of Columbia University.
I like him !
On second thought, maybe it's a good idea to have him speak here since 95% of the students have never read a newspaper except "The Onion" and probably have little idea how insane, murderous, and oily this guy really is.
why did Columbia disinvite the anti-ILLEGAL imigration speaker??
why not invite David Duke?
how about Neo-Nazis?
the Spectator & Bollinger are phony hypocrites who.........
the double standards reek -
Shame on Columbia and it's timid "leaders"
As a Columbia GSAS grad I am not surprised to see that almost 30 years later, Columbia is still a screwed up place. Also not surpirsed that SIPA is co sponsoring the event--we political science students in GSAS alwas thought SIPA was a little odd--they all wanted to be the State Department officials or international financiers but didn't appear to have the ethics, morals or values required to think responsibly about foreign policy.
Unfortunately, this is not a true vehicle for learning and open debate, but only a photo op.
This man is not here to foster understanding. The university is not allowing him a podium for intelligent debate. They both want front page recognition.
The truly horrible part of this event is the pretending. No one REALLY thinks minds will be opened or ties between our countries forged. He has again and again railed against us, supplied our enemies with the means to blow the bodies of our children, brothers, and fathers to pieces and threatened/promised more.
So having him stand in a honored, prestigious school in our country, spout his views and use the sound bites to bolster himself to his fervent, violent supporters back home is directly akin to O.J. Simpson having dinner at the Goldman's house and casually explain why his ex-wife and Ron probably deserved what they got even if he didn't do it (wink, wink).
Simply revolting.
The interesting thing about this visit is that it will be studied for many years to come. While the people who are debating here are mostly concerned with current politics, historians and politicians will be looking for the effects that show up in the future.
Since this is a live, unscripted event, it has the possibility of reinforcing the Iranian position or of undermining it or of actually changing it.
Instead of looking at this as just an opportunity for a "far left" university to promote a far left agenda, this might be a chance to let the Iranian President and people to see Americans as civilized, reasonable people who don't spend all of their waking hours pursuing a course of hatred against Iran. At the same time, we might be shown that Iranians don't spend all of their waking hours pursuing a course of hatred against America.
The president of Iran is speaking at Columbia, that is a noteworthy fact but what is even more remarkable is that he is even doing it at all here in the United States. Ahmadinejad has time and time again expressed his same controversial views in many others forums, he does not need to speak at the University to remain relevant to the big picture. But will he say something new this time?. Hopefully he will realize that a lot more people will be paying attention this time and use this opportunity to say something relevant.
Bollinger is a pseudo-educator who wants to demonstrate his independent thinking and so-called
educational theory to prove how intellectual he is in inviting Ahmadinejad, our proven enemy, to
public discourse. How educational! How traitorous! I wonder what kind of conversation he
would have had with Hitler. Bollinger, let our government handle these things and keep your nose
out of international affairs. I've had a bad taste in my mouth for Columbia University ever since
the report of the ill treatment of returning vets by Columbia students. This hardly raises my opinion.
We live in an amazing country! Columbia University kicked the ROTC program off of its campus years ago, yet sees no problem with inviting to its campus the man responsible for the deaths of so many of our brave troops in Iraq. Shame on the Trustees of Columbia for permitting this travesty to happen. Maybe some brave Columbia Security Guard will have the good sense to taser Ahmadinejad while he's speaking...
Free Speech as a constitutional right applies to us here as US citizens, not crazy holocaust deniers from Iran. What's amazing to me is that this university thinks this man has anything to say worth listening to. Columbia University's president is only desirous of granting this moron a platform to launch more of his anti-semitic and anti-american views.
Inviting this thug and using the free speech excuse to somehow justify it?
This coming from campus leadership which prohibits the US military from visiting?
So much for the free speech excuse.
Maybe next they can invite Chavez to speak. We all know how he adores free speech. Why not Kim Jung Il? He's another influential world leader.
What a bunch of crap. A new low.
If Kim Jong-Il came to speak i would be all over that. Are you serious?!
Difference between the US military and Ahmadinejad: the latter isn't recruiting anyone to go off to their death for a falsely-justified war.
I am so glad that I am no longer a student there.
I am so furiously angry at Columbia.
I hope the next terorist attack hits your executive offices when the president is there.
The man Ahmenidijhad is a kidnapper, a racist, a wonam hatter, a holocaust denier.
Its absolutely sickening that the University would give him a platform to spout his hatred.
Maybe Joseph Mengle is still alive in Argentina and the university could invite him for a speach on Eugenics, experimenting on children, and the final solution. Maybe they could get Bin Laden and Zawahri to come speak on the ethics of the mass murder of infidels as well.
Or even a forum on hatting and killing Jews.
I am going to fins out who your Jewish patrons/donors are and I am going to contact them and urge them to withdraw their financial support you folks are SCUM.
I am so glad that I am no longer a student there.
I am so furiously angry at Columbia.
I hope the next terorist attack hits your executive offices when the president is there.
The man Ahmenidijhad is a kidnapper, a racist, a woman hatter, a holocaust denier.
Its absolutely sickening that the University would give him a platform to spout his hatred.
Maybe Joseph Mengle is still alive in Argentina and the university could invite him for a speach on Eugenics, experimenting on children, and the final solution. Maybe they could get Bin Laden and Zawahri to come speak on the ethics of the mass murder of infidels as well.
Or even a forum on hatting and killing Jews.
I am going to find out who your Jewish patrons/donors are and I am going to contact them and urge them to withdraw their financial support you folks are SCUM.
It seems that you are really concerned about jews since you keep on mentioning them.. I would not be surprised if you are one since you are defending them so much and threatning to call jewish donors.. lol
Well I'm glad Ahmenidijhad was invited and I hope he speaks up and that students challenge him. This could be a very interesting debate... hearing ppl's ideas and opinions is critical to learning.
I think there's a difference between giving a soap box to a world leader and providing a public forum to a klansman. I agree it is ridiculous to deny the holocaust, but we have to take into account that President Ahmadinejad holds a great deal of power and influence, and it is important to understand his position. It is even more important to have a chance to question these views. While allowing a klansman to speak at Columbia would grant him legitimacy, Ahmadinejad has legitimacy (like it or not) with or without a Columbia appearance. Though what he has to say might not make any of us happy, it is arguably relevant anyway.
Relevant? To whom?
oh i don't know... relevant to ANYONE WHO CARES that we might go to war with the country this man leads! I don't mean relevant as in correct or appropriate, I mean relevant as in important to know about.
10:18 poster is a moron. The Ed Board isn't supporting the Iranian President. Learn to read.
They're supporting him as a invited speaker. Learn to read between the lines and understand what is tacit. Your unenlightened and insulting comment proves the point that the true meaning of "freedom of speech" is beyond your ken.
A≠B
congrats on restating your inane and nonsenical point
Bravo, Spectator.
A true voice of free speech on Columbia's campus.
"Iran's place on the world stage?" The only stage this guy should be on is the 3:10 to Yuma. And probably the editorial board along with him to ride shotgun. I wouldn't let this guy use my bathroom.
Would the Spectator support a speaker from the KKK who denied that Slavery existed in the united states? Then why is it supporting a holocaust denier?
is it even possible for there to be a slavery-denying Klan member, seeing as they were kinda in support of it in the first place?
But that's neither here nor there...
It's difficult to imagine what he'd say that's particularly new. he's stated his views on so many subjects already. If Bollinger can bring him out, more power to him.
BTB: from Wiki--according to dictionary.reference.com and the United States Department of Education, the term alumnae is used either in conjunction with women's colleges or a female group of students. The term alumni is used either in conjunction with men's colleges, a male group of students, or a mixed group of students:
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