Poor Mahmoud, he was done wrong.
The topic: Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad spoke at Columbia University on Monday, September 24, 2007. During his introduction, Columbia president, Lee Bollinger “took him to task”, as the American news organizations are reporting, saying that Ahmadinejad exhibits “all the signs of a petty and cruel dictator”. Bollinger also referred to Ahmadinejad’s denial of the Holocaust as “brazenly provocative or astonishingly uneducated.”
I SAY: Many Americans are standing proud today. “Boy, that Bollinger really told him. He really handed him his head.” The march of pride is being led by the news agencies (FOX and CNN alike), and we choose to jump on the bandwagon, when we should be ashamed.
Yes, it is true that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is partially responsible for the brutal treatment of his own citizens (even though he is the president, he is not fully in charge of the country). He is also the man who says that Israel should be wiped off of the map and the Jews will burn in the fire of Islam. He also denies that the Holocaust ever happened, claiming that it is nothing more than Hollywood special effects. I believe that he is a tad nutty, if not an all-out madman, but we are totally in the wrong by insulting him during his introduction at Columbia.
First – Columbia invited him to come and speak, claiming it was an educational experience for their students. President Bollinger was feeling the heat of national outrage that Ahmadinejad was allowed to speak on a campus whose students physically chased a representative from The Minutemen from the stage. Columbia also denies ROTC representatives to speak to students on campus (odd, the ROTC trains young men and women to protect our nation from people like President Ahmadinejad – hmm). I say to President Bollinger, if you are having second thoughts about having the president of one of the “Axis of Evil” countries speak in your auditorium, un-invite him!
Second – President Bollinger, since you did not un-invite President Ahmadinejad, he is now your guest. Like him or not, treat him as such.
Third – Right or wrong, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is the president of a country/head of state. Again, whether you agree with him or not, he is due the respect that goes with that office. Unfortunately, we Americans do not even treat our own heads of state with the respect that is due the office they occupy anymore, so why would I expect that we would give it to someone else?
Fourth – If George W. Bush were treated like this on his speaking trip abroad (whether you like him or not) we would scream our head off about our president being “dissed.”
Fifth – As American’s such behavior is beneath us. This rude treatment is something I would expect from a third-world thug, not from the greatest country on Earth.
Again, I don’t disagree with the assertions of President Bollinger. After all, he was only using President Ahmadinejad’s own words. He was right in asking him to address his earlier statements and actions, but he crossed the line by making it personal.
That’s the Soapbox for today. Thanks for reading.
Have a great day.
Jeff
No comments:
Post a Comment