Ahmadinejad: Why The Right Is Wrong
The man whose name you can't pronounce is landing in New York. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will address a select group of Columbia University faculty and students on Monday as part of the school's annual World Leaders Forum.
Reactions to Columbia University's decision to invite him have been mixed, and right in line with expectations. McCain, Giuliani and groups including The Anti-Defamation League have come out swinging against the Columbia-Ahmadinejad coupling, armed with terms like "Holocaust denier," "Persian Hitler" and "state sponsor of terrorism." They also make note of what they see as Columbia's other failings: lack of an ROTC chapter, the decision to let Minuteman founder Jim Gilchrist speak last year and Columbia Dean John Coatsworth's recent remark that he would also invite Hitler to speak "if he were willing to engage in debate and a discussion."
Supporters, including Columbia President Lee Bollinger, have for their part expressed concern about the dangers of curtailing free speech. In a prepared statement, Bollinger wrote: "That such a forum could not take place on a university campus in Iran today sharpens the point of what we do here."
Once again, the American right is going about things all wrong. Ahmadinejad is their best tool. Rather than working to shut him down, they should sit back and let him speak. Here's why: Sound bites from Ahmadinejad's Columbia appearance will inevitably produce more "evidence" the administration and its hawks can use to push the need for this regime's elimination -- like his incendiary remarks at the Council on Foreign Relations last year. It is Ahmadinejad's words the administration consistently cites as supporting evidence for its cause. If Ahmadinejad wasn't afforded the opportunity to speak, and to offer up more inflammatory remarks, then the right would be without this easy ammunition in its ongoing campaign to invade Iran.
As leading campus free speech and first amendment scholar Robert O'Neil rightly notes: "If you suppress a viewpoint by disallowing or barring a controversial speaker, you make the speaker a martyr."
While all eyes are on Manhattan, precious few are watching what's happening in Washington. On Thursday, Senators Jon Kyl and Joseph Lieberman filed an amendment to the 2008 Defense Authorization Bill that would make it official U.S. policy to "combat, contain and roll back" Iran and its surrogates in Iraq. Section 5 calls for the United States to formally designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist organization. If passed, this amendment would open the door even wider for military action against Iran.
Why hasn't this bit of news sparked similar debate?
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I sick and tired watching and listening to all
the nut cases on TV bashing Iran and Ahmadinejad.There was some jew nut shooting his mouth off in NYC this morning about the appearance of Ahmadinejad at the UN and Columbia U today.I only wish that the pandering US TV networks like CNN and the whacko's at Fox noise would realize that this guy and Iran are not the problem.The problem is the war criminals in the White House and the US Congress who always pander to the Israel lobby.Iran hasn't attacked another country in hundreds of years while George, shit for brains, Bush and Israel have attacked and murdered hundreds of thousand innocent men,women and children.Bush and the Lobby should all go to Hell where they belong.
All American press villifies Columbia University for....for...FREE SPEECH ??????
Are you KIDDING me ?????
WHO do you think OWNS and CONTROLS all of the broadcast networks and print media in the UnUnited States Of America ????
There's a thought to chew on !!!~~~
When you figure it out, TUNE OUT !!!~~~~~
So this is what passes for freedom of speech on college campuses these days. Killers and mass murders can speak but heavens forbid that someone says we should stop immigration until we can control it. We will have none of that Hate speech on our fine campus. You can talk about destroying Israel but not stopping illegal Mexicans from destroying America. Talk about the end of America and Sharia law being installed but lets not ask young men if they want to serve their country on our fine campus. Columbia is a joke and should loose all federal funding. Ask California if they will fund your socialist ideology. If you want to have free speech all speech is accepted or you have no moral backbone. Obviously Bollinger has none or he would have expelled students who ran on stage last year at a Minuteman event but then they were towing the line of the left; America would be so much better if we just allow everyone in and hold hands and chanted together.
I salute Columbia University for allowing Ahmadinejad to speak. It is up to each of us to listen and watch, and judge accordingly.
I'm pretty sick about these Neocons bullying Columbia, academia, any politician, or any citizen that questions the disastrous foreign policy Israel and it's ally, America, undertake
Here's hoping that these brave actions by Columbia are the beginning of the end of the Neocon Coup by Israel.
Can anyone believe MSNBC, CNN, not to mention FOX screaming out the Bush-regime's camelspew with the editorial setups for this fair and balanced debate? It's almost like everything got 'FOX' all of a sudden. The layers of deceit are almost unbearable from this Judeofacist Coup -everybody see Dershowitz and Krystol jump up?
These Israeli/Necons (or as I fondly call them, Judeofacists, because that's what these right wind Likud party extremists are) are the terrorists who have us in Iraq and will have us up to our waists in blood and gore in Iran - imminently (the next 6mo).
"The Israeli Lobby and US Foreign Policy " is an essential primer to the 'why they hate us' that Israel and the Neocons don't want Americans to know about. It very clearly outlines the PRESENT manipulation of our foreign policy for our coming war on Iran - read it before (or during) our war with Iran begins - talk about exciting and timely! Ha! It's a great read and required background
These Neocons used our nation to further Israeli 'goals for democracy in the Arab world' which translates to 'creatively destroying the Arab world until it grovels before us and pays homage' - or at least a oil pipeline from Kurdistan to Haifa.
Our coming attack on Iran is an exponential blunder over Iraq and is only Phase II as described in the published Neocon handbook.
They aren't even done with us after they make us Iran
The right wing media is afraid that Amino Jihad might say something reasonable while in the US instead of being misquoted in a translated sound bite. Bill O'Reilly will be denied his cut off button; how frustrating.
Hey, he might even offer the US cheap oil.
That would be one in the eye for Exxon.
The Kyl-Lieberman amendment is one of the most scurrilous pieces of legislation ever to be presented to the Senate. Reporter and historian Gareth Porter in a series of hard-hitting articles has shown that every premise in the amendment is false or misleading. Presentations by Brigadeer General Kevin Bergner in July (who was not in Iraq until sent there to give this briefing by Cheney cronies) are contradicted by statements made by General David Petraeus, who among other things declared that the Quds forces could not be found in Iraq, and that there was no evidence that Iran was involved in an earlier incident in Karbala in which 5 U.S. soldiers were killed. The Cheney crowd, who seems to have made Kyl and Lieberman into Stepford Senators, are desperate to gin up an excuse to attack Iran. Iran has no interest in a destabilized Iraq, and they know already that Shi'a forces in Iraq are wary of them. Of course, Mr. Ahmadinejad, who has no control over the military, foreign affairs or Iran's nuclear program serves as a foil for their invective, and a further specious excuse for their war mongering. Please God, these crazies will not be allowed to carry out their insane attack plans--but it will take more vigilance on the part of journalists and the public to stop them, because mere truth, logic and common sense apparently won't do it.
William O. Beeman
President, Middle East Section
American Anthropological Association
Bombing Iran and expecting a positive outcome is like throwing a grenade into your living room to rearrange the furniture to your liking.
Only the mindless would think of such a thing, and yet that is exactly the sort that power our government at this point.
Well here we go again. We are seeing the VP puppeteer Notorious Slick Dick Chaney his "Howdy Bushdoody" and the Right Wingnuts displaying their total lack of integrity regarding truly free speech.
This is just another shining example how far out of touch this administration is with American Constitutional values.
Could it be the Emperors administration has no cloths again.
It appears that the Impeachment cards need to be dealt before they get our country into another specious war.
Let's just hear what he has to say! I'm sure there will be much discussion amongst the Colombia audience....if anyone in the audience will be allowed to speak out. If not, then the entire episode will be a total failure. LET'S HEAR WHAT THE MONSTER HAS TO SAY...
Please, there's no money to be made through peace. American foreign policy is shaped by what actions are in the best interest of the rich, rich Americans and rich foreign interests. I've noticed of late that the Cheney/bush PR people have been rolling out the Iranian equivalents of Chalibi to talk about human rights abuses in Iran; these must be rich Iranians who came here with their money after the overthrow of the Shah? Oh, we can sure trust their unbiased judgment.
Ignore, ignore, ignore.
Every second of media coverage, angry demonstrations, punditocracy or public forum provided during Ahmadinejad's visit should be cancelled, curtailed, or denied.
It's time for the press and the punditocracy to stop playing into foreign exploitation of the U.S. media system, and time for the U.S. post 911 psyche to realize that we do our nation more harm than good by paying an iota of attention to this PR enteprise.
Bush has declared the axiles of Evil which of course includes Iran. The Iranian people are not bad people, now Bush on the other hand has hurt us more with his bullshit words than this man's words will. Let him speak, let him tell us what he believes. This is what America is supposed to be about. Last week when congress condemmed Move on for their TRUE ad regarding General P, that should have been a wake up call for us all. This is scary shit, they are trying to take away womans rights, freedom of speech, what is next? Liberman is a complete idiot and needs to be voted out, Connecticut wake UP. This guy tricked you into voting for him. He is basically a Republican in a liberal clothes.
This United States government is a sham that claims to allow " free speech", then damns anyone that DOES speak freely about problems either here at home or abroad.
We march in lockstep ( sound familiar ? )when someone disagrees with our et.alies-religions,et.al. Cows going to slaughter, 300 million strong.
NO MORE ! If you want to buckle the knees of all of these fraud politicians ( both parties ), STOP BUYING. Don't go to the malls after Thanksgiving and empower the scum with YOUR hard earned dollars. Buy NOTHING during the Christmas season that isn't required. THEN watch how these frauds react !!!
bellsouth.netsouth.net
I'm glad my conservative brethren are not taking your advice Ms. Ensha. You see, conservatives have principles. We see things as right or wrong. This psycho, Am...d, has already said enough to give us "ammunition" without affording him the opportunity to poison our soil. FACT: He has denied the severity of the Holocaust; he has threatened to wipe Israel and the US off the map; his army is supplying arms to several terrorist organizations who are killing American soldiers; he refuses to stop enriching uranium which he plans to use for nuclear weapons. And for those who believe that he is not the official voice of Iran...The theocrats who do run the country have not denounced a single hate-filled word he has spoken. Unfortunately, the meaningless United Nations does make its home on American soil, so we have no power to stop him from entering. After all, the United Nations is filled with terrorists and human rights violators. However, any platform given for this piece of crap to speak is tantamount to a slap in the face to every TRUE American.
You do not see things as right and wrong, you see things as what you say is right or wrong, and once you decide this is right and this is wrong, you do not have the intelligence it takes to correct any mistakes you might have made on your right/wrong assumptions....case in point, The Bush Iraq War.
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