Ahmadanijad at Columbia University...?

Question

I was there, because i'm a student there.. It was such a disgrace to see him being humiliated EVEN BEFORE HE CAME ON THE STAGE, AND ANSWERED ANY QUESTIONS. I was wondering... what does everyone here, who has heard his speech think about the way Bollingar ( Columbia's President) acted towards Irans President?

and.. what do you think about the speech that was given by the Ahmaddanijad?

personally I think he rightfully embarrassed everyone there by saying "In Iran.. it is our duty to honor the guest respectfully"

Answer 1

I applaud President Ahmadanijad, and his effort at conciliation with the U.S. I was very disappointed when I saw the rude, antagonistic way in which Bollinger and his associates treated the man they invited to their campus, the President of a foriegn nation treated like something stuck to the bottom of their shoe. Unfortunately, this incident reflects upon us as a nation. As if the U.S.'s relationship with Iran wasn't strained enough as it was!

Answer 2

Well, started from our prophet s.a.w. time, being rediculed, humiliated by infidels is not a surprised.
That's why our teaching (Islam), is so specific and in details, which is enough details for us the followers to obey.
The grey lines is not many.

I am sure Ahmadinnejad expected that, but he came anyway; and you know what that means, he's testing his capacity to manage such situation. He may have much more difficult task to face, he needs some "exercise".

That's OK, it's weaken the people who humiliates instead of him. Dont worry.

Read history of our prophet, I could cry reading it, that's why I shalawat a lot for him, to thank .

So, we muslims should not angry against those humiliation, give it back to Allah SWT, God is the BEST Judge and His Punishment is the best too.

His speech was clear, especially about the gays, he meant to show that Iran follow Islamic conduct.
Nothing wrong with his speech. It's quite good.

Answer 3

Columbia has a long tradition of free speech and debate, but has made it clear often before now that an invitation does not mean in the slightest that the the person's views are respected.
They are invited to debate, defend and exercise free speech.
(at the extreme, this gets difficult... The Minutemen were invited, but they were counter-protested, which behaviour was rebuked. Ahmadanijad got his say, and was clearly heard.)

And once a person has said what he did about homosexuality in Iran, why would one be inclined to respect anything else they had to say?

Answer 4

Columbia's President was pretty Petty if you ask me. But then again he got Pawned by Ahmadinjad so if anyone should be called ''an ignorant fool'' it is him. The Iranian President was Polite against those who could not maintain even a minimal amount of decency. But we all know that it wasn't just the School's University, he was being harassed right and left cuz Americans aren't used to seeing diplomatic ways of solving things and figuring things out (usually they prefer to just bomb all their problems away-- and create news ones in the process), Columbia had to be disgustingly rude with him because Congress threatened to stop funding the school just because they invited him. And it's pathetic saying that ''he hates jewish people'' when he spent a whole day greeting and meeting with Jewish Rabiis in America, but I guess this kind of thing doesn't make the News these days.

Answer 5

I didn't hear the entire thing, but I did hear Bollinger's comments, and some of Ahmadanijad's - particularly the comments on homosexuality.

While I can sympathize with Bollinger's position and the criticism he received by inviting him in the first place, he should've had the courage of his convictions and behaved in a manner befitting a professional educator.

I can't imagine anyone thinking that it was necessary to behave as he did toward Ahmadanijad... Ahmadanijad digs his own holes with his own words, and that's as it should be.

I also can't imagine Bollinger would have so little confidence in the staff and students that he would think Ahmadanijad could sway them to agree with his ideas.

No one forced Columbia to issue an invitation for him to speak. It was a choice, and it should have been handled with the level of professionalism that is befitting of an Ivy League school.

Answer 6

Of his speech, I only saw the bit where he said they don't have gay people there.

But as far as the introduction, it was a disgrace. Invite a guy over to speak, then hammer him. Disgusting.

I'm glad he got a dig in about it.

I'm curious to know the audience reaction to his dig? Did they go "Right ON!"

My guess is that it was a way for the pres to avoid flack for inviting him, but it was shameful.

About him in general, whenever he talks about Bush I applaud and cheer (he's absolutely spot on), but when he talks about Iran, he often sounds like a nut case.

Oh, and I thought it was horrible to not let him lay flowers at the WRC site. Great way to reach out to the Muslim/Arab world people.

"No we will not accept a sign of respect, even from someone who HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE ATTACKS except sharing a religion with the attackers."

Sometimes I really hate my country.

[fume, sputter, grumble] grr, argh!

Answer 7

The only thing Bollinger did wrong was not actually saying those things to Ahmadinejad's face, with a chance for the little lunatic to respond. That was a bit cowardly. Other than that, everything he said about AhMad was right.

Oh, yeah, they are so cordial in Iran, especially to all those homosexuals that don't exist because they are being murdered.

AhMad should never have been invited to the USA, the UN or Columbia. He's a terrorist.

God Bless.

Answer 8

He got what he asked for. After two years of inflammatory rhetoric, I would think he could have prepared himself. Then again, he's so much like Bush, he probably thought he had a hand-picked audience waiting for him.

In every case, I would rather an insane man out in the open than silenced into thinking he's some special martyr.

Answer 9

Harwanda is an imbecile. Your English is fine. By the way you worded it, I'm assuming theater. Try to do some other nationally recognized programs, but other than that I think you have a good shot.

Answer 10

I thought it was pretty stupid for such a prestigious school to speak that way. I thought you are supposed to go to college to come out a freethinker!

Answer 11

outraged americans everywhere were disgusted with the invitation to speak at a supposed "institute of higher learning" of a man who is directly responsible for killing american soldiers fighting in iraq. bollinger did not want to give the kind of intro he did, and he and the faculty at columbia actually agree with ahmadinnerjacket that the u.s. is the terrorist state in the world, but pressure forced him to take a swipe at the 'leisure suited one' in order to "save face". fat lotta good it did though...columbia may as well be in iran.