Should Columbia University NOW be ashamed of inviting Ahmadinejad as a guest to

[Honest Rob]

their University? Columbia University has played host to an astounding number of anti-Israel activities. The university has become inundated with a biased and one-sided perspective to the Arab-Israeli conflict in the form of meetings, online petitions, posters, “teach-ins” and opinion letters. Surveying these activities, one might think that Israel was the single greatest abuser of human rights in the world today, and that its policies were developed in a vacuum—void of any security obligations for its civilian population. One might believe that the disturbing picture being painted by a minority of Columbia University students and faculty is an accurate one.

Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Sudan, the Palestinian Authority—these are just a handful of governments that have worse human rights records than Israel. All have carried out mass killings, arrests or torture in the name of national security. Yet there are no calls here at Columbia for boycotts, or allegations of apartheid against them. Sudan is committing genocide, the Kurds remain the largest population in the world without a state of their own, and the Chinese just cracked down even more harshly on ethnic Tibetans. Where are the teach-ins? The outcry?

I think that it is good that people will wake up and see the type of guests Columbia University invites. If the country has major Human Rights Violations, then Columbia is their home here in the USA to speak freely and draw an audience.


Could it be that Columbia University is the anti-Semite capital of the world and home of Human Rights Violators?
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[Nick]

Before we start, let me let you know that I was born in Tehran Iran in 1982. I left there with my mother (age 25) and my brother (age 7) when I was 3. At this time, it was very bad there. My mom decided to leave because my brother was old enough for the army and was about to be plucked for duty and the city next door to us was bombed. We saw the planes fly over our capitol city and then heard the chaos that ensued.
Now we can begin.
Your answer is NO. They should not feel ashanmed for having any anti-Isreal speakers ever. Nor the ones who do not practice equal rights. This is America. This is where freedoms are left to the people. If Columbia U was made to feel ashamed, it would be no different than the ways of Iran and other nations that follow suit.
If it were not for Columbia U inviting these types of speakers, there outragious views would be less heard. Young people from all over the nation are free to chose to listen to the nonsence and political banter that these types of leaders have to say. This allows a closer and personal view from the audience on how eratic and insnane their(anti-Isrealist) ways are. We should all be proud that this nation allows its universities to hold such events.
Ask yourself this: Would Ahmadinejad allowed Bush or Obama to come to one of their universities to speak?
Simple answer bein NO. Enjoy the freedoms of this nation. Enjoy that we can host these people with diplomacy in an effort to let the people learn correct facts and create their own opinions.
Most people believe the media. Educated people see for themselves.
I fear that most do not understand exactly what freedom is all about. We should not make Columbia U feel like they have done wrong by offering the truth in the words from the very mouth that speaks them and allowing the freedoms that we all enjoy to be put to work for a greater good.