Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Speaks at Columbia University. Good Idea?

[David In Indy]

I think it was an excellent idea. And I fully support the University's decision to let him speak. Free speech is probably the freedom we are most proud of as Americans. Frankly I'm a bit angry at how the Republican Party is acting. They are throwing fits about it. And apparently the Republican Party (along with Fox News) is appalled at the amount of money this country has spent protecting him since he has arrived here. They said we should send Iran the bill. I wonder how much money other countries have spent protecting OUR president?

I think it was a good idea. Yes, the man is a terrorist and a dictator. His government executes homosexuals and journalists and abuses women's rights. But I'm interested in what he has to say. And I have always felt it is better to engage in dialogue with our enemies, rather than ignore them. Problems have never been solved by sweeping them under the carpet and pretending they don't exist.

[dot-matrix]

*snip

I think it was a good idea. Yes, the man is a terrorist and a dictator. His government executes homosexuals and journalists and abuses women's rights. But I'm interested in what he has to say. And I have always felt it is better to engage in dialogue with our enemies, rather than ignore them. Problems have never been solved by sweeping them under the carpet and pretending they don't exist.

We said David I concur

[Lynne]

I agree that it was a good idea.  I even thought that the introduction by the president of Colombia University was a bit too hostile.  I don't think he misrepresented anything, but it put the man on the defensive from the get-go.  Not a way to encourage dialog, IMO.  Yet, being put in this position seemed to result in Ahmadinejad backing down from some of his more ridiculous assertions and added qualifications.  For instance, he backed off his denial of the very existence of the Holocaust and instead questioned the direct link it should bear on Palestinian/Israeli issues today, which I think is a much more reasonable place to start a discussion.

I don't follow much of this as closely as I should, but I've long suspected that at least some of the 'nonsense' rhetoric we get from his speeches are meant to consolidate his support in Iran.

[David In Indy]

Surprisingly the Iranian people are overwhelmingly Pro American which came as a shock to me. I have an Iranian friend who told me most Iranians (about 85%) are pro US/Western. They just have to be very careful who they admit it to...
...
And I hope to see more of this. Maybe if we can all sit down and talk, perhaps we can work out our differences and someday there will be peace in the world.

I admit I'm a dreamer, but this is my wish. 

[Rayn]

It's great that he was invited to speak, but the way he was introduced was really unnecessary.  Everyone knows about his mistaken views and beliefs, but it was in extremely poor taste, even if honest, to invite a person as a guest then treat him in a hateful manner.  We should be pursuing diplomacy and enlightenment.  We could be helping him to see what we see and understand us instead of insulting him.  That just makes matters worse.  The president of Columbia was not only rude, but struck me as bit "dense" not to have understood the opportunity he had to better relations between our two countries, but instead of one dumbass on stage, there were two.

[Rayn]

PS... I'm wondering what this has to do with the movie!   LOL!

[Lynne]

Surprisingly the Iranian people are overwhelmingly Pro American which came as a shock to me. I have an Iranian friend who told me most Iranians (about 85%) are pro US/Western. They just have to be very careful who they admit it to...
...
And I hope to see more of this. Maybe if we can all sit down and talk, perhaps we can work out our differences and someday there will be peace in the world.

I admit I'm a dreamer, but this is my wish. 

Sure enough...the Iranians/Persians I know all live here in the US now, but that's the feeling I get from them too.  And don't feel lonely, I was just quoting John Lennon's Imagine a day or two ago in that favorite Beatles thead.... 

It's great that he was invited to speak, but the way he was introduced was really unnecessary.  Everyone knows about his mistaken views and beliefs, but it was in extremely poor taste, even if honest, to invite a person as a guest then treat him in a hateful manner.  We should be pursuing diplomacy and enlightenment.  We could be helping him to see what we see and understand us instead of insulting him.  That just makes matters worse.  The president of Columbia was not only rude, but struck me as bit "dense" not to have understood the opportunity he had to better relations between our two countries, but instead of one dumbass on stage, there were two.

I agree with you, Rayn, especially the more I think about it.  I see the introduction as a violation of the inviolate guest/host relationship - Colombia invited HIM, after all.

PS... I'm wondering what this has to do with the movie!   LOL!

Sure it does - all sorts of themes like promoting tolerance and communication and understanding! 

[ifyoucantfixit]

       I think myself that it was great to have him come here, and speak..It allows us to
see his lies and the over exagerations that he uses.
       I also think that the president of Columbia was out of line in how he attacked him in the introduction.  As others have stated, its a tremendous breach of etiquette to invite someone to your home, and then attack them with harshness and slander.
       If you want to use those kinds of thougts towards a person, do it in another venue..I thought it was highly rude, if nothing else.  Bad taste what ever you want to call it.
       I was embaressed.  I dont like the man, dislike every thing he stands for, and his abuse of human rights as well as his own religious laws...but having said that, are we now taking the George Bush and Dick Cheney way of acting, losing all of our self respect and courtesy, and fair treatment to guests...No matter how distasteful.  I dont think he should have been invited, if that is how they were going to act.

    Kind of proving once again "if you lay down with dogs.  You rise up with fleas."

[Rayn]

Lynne said,

"Sure it does - all sorts of themes like promoting tolerance and communication and understanding!" 



Rayn replied,

"Ok, I see, and agree." 

[Shasta542]

What were his goals for the visit to the U.S.?