he is a despot and a dictator He doesn't deserve any respect. I am glad the Prsident of the univerity challanged him.No one has yet. He can spew his propoganda to Diane Sawyer, say what he wants on all the major news channels and no one challenges him at all!
My Grandfather was part of the allied forces that liberated the concentration camps. He went into Nordhausen.
After the people were liberated he was in charge of documenting the atrocities for the Nuremburg war tribunals.
My Grandfather still has nightmares today. Anyone who denies the holocost, calls for Isreal and the US to be wiped off the map, murders homosexuals and sponsors terrorists does not deserve any respect. respect is somthing that is earned and in my book he hasn't earned any. If Hitler came to speak would you give him your rspect? What about Pol Pot or Stalin? He is an evil man not worthy ofmy time or respect!
Then why invite him in the first place? What do you think this accomplished? And what do you think he'll do? He'll go back to Iran and inform his people how badly he was treated by the Americans. Remember most Iranians HATE this man, and many are looking for a regime change, much like what is currently happening in Myanmar. Most Iranians are pro West. But I'm scared of what happened at CU last Monday may cause the Iranian people to rally around him rather than against him.
It's important to remember Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is a HEAD OF STATE. If this guy was some Iranian version of Rush Limbaugh, I'd feel different about it. But he's the Iranian President. And whether or not the man actually deserves it, he is the president of a nation, and this alone demands our respect.
Lee, I totally agree with you. The man is a dictator, a terrorist, a liar and a madman. He'd love to kill me. If I traveled to Iran, I'd probably be executed, and he'd rejoice about it. He's a horrible person. But I just feel that since he IS a head of state, we should treat him with the same respect we would show any other visiting dignitary such as Gordon Brown, Queen Elizabeth, Queen Beatrix, Nicolas Sarközy, etc...
I would think you should then not attend his meetings. That would to me be the highest form of disrespect, and at the same time preserving your own respectful way of behaving.
I agree Janice. That would be the ULTIMATE slap in the face! If Columbia University wanted to express their hatred for this man, an empty auditorium would certainly do it!