By Mark Egan
2 hours, 33 minutes ago
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Vilified as a Holocaust denier, a supporter of terrorism and a backer of Iraqi insurgents, the president of Iran was actually able to make New Yorkers burst into laughter -- but not at a joke.
"In Iran we don't have homosexuals like in your country," Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said at Columbia University on Monday in response to a question about the recent execution of two gay men there.
"In Iran we do not have this phenomenon," he continued. "I do not know who has told you we have it."
Loud laughs and boos broke from the audience of about 700 people, mostly students at the Ivy League school whose garb included "Stop Ahmadinejad's Evil" T-shirts.
Everyone from presidential candidates to September 11 families had expressed outrage that Ahmadinejad would speak there.
2007-09-25 05:19:04 · 7 answers · asked by Kooties 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Other - Society & Culture
Ok, I'll give Ahmadinejad this. He's from Iran. This happens to be his country. But to speak on behalf of hundreds and thousands of Iranians and tout that homosexuality is "nonexistent" in his country is being delusional. ( o _ 0 ) Dude you are truly wacked in the brain.
2007-09-25 05:53:10 · update #1
It doesn't surprise me that he would make this statement however untrue it is. I know quite a few Muslims from different countries and they have made similar statements.
While it is unheard of to speak for a majority... some places do have a limited homosexual population. In some cultures it it unacceptable and remains hidden. Then too the only place I have ever heard and seen literally thousands in one place is the United States. They are out of the closet and living just as heterosexuals are. There are many communities where it is accepted and even have their own tv station LOGO.
I say, "to each his own." Who are we to judge? Then too... a bunch of rich, white Ivy League students who have never been to the country really have no facts if it is true or not. Nothing irks me more than people believing they know everything about other cultures and heritages. They don't.
This man should have never been allowed into this country. We all know what he stands for and we don't like it. It was all a big publicity/ breaking news story set up to get public reaction and sell papers. Just my personal opinion.
2007-09-25 09:10:33 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 2⤋
I am horrified that this man is being invited to speak at a University. My only consolation is that presumably most of the students will be intelligent enough to recognize a madman when they see one. Ahmadinejad has repeatedly and publicly vowed to destroy Israel. Right now, Iran has 600 missiles pointing directly at the Jewish state. A few days ago, I watched a programme in which a British journalist was interviewing Ahmadinejad. The Iranian leader again insisted - while smiling - that Israel 'must cease to exist'. In Iran women are regularly stoned to death for their 'sins' - men rarely receive this punishment, though. I hope Columbia Uni gives Ahmadinejad the reception he deserves. In other words, an icy one.
2016-05-18 01:39:32 · answer #2 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Homosexuality doesn't 'exist' in Iran because it will never be allowed out in the open. Underground in Arab culture, man-love runs rampant, but they'll never admit that to you. Anyone who dares to come out is basically committing suicide.
This and the falsehood that Iran "reveres its women" (just ask the professor who just returned from there after being held under house arrest for three months), proves that Ahmadinejad is an even more adept liar than Dubya. And I didn't think ANYBODY could top him in that department!
2007-09-25 05:23:57 · answer #3 · answered by dreamchaser8860 6 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Pretty ignorant comment, which is why it garnered so much laughter from the crowd. Let the fool speak and dig his hole deeper.
2007-09-25 06:42:31 · answer #4 · answered by steph833 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Why doesn't Chris Crocker make a You Tube dedication to his comments? That should be quite entertaining.
2007-09-25 05:32:05 · answer #5 · answered by Hot Coco Puff 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋
I'll bet you $1,000 bucks that he has a stash of girl-on-girl porn stashed away somewhere in one of his mansions.
2007-09-25 05:23:46 · answer #6 · answered by hottie 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
He may think he's killed them all off, but I doubt it.
2007-09-25 05:52:30 · answer #7 · answered by Rossonero NorCal SFECU 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋