Bollinger farted at his own party. The stink lingers...

this article came out BEFORE the speech was given, so no, Thom had no idea Bollinger would act the ass...

Correct gabi, they played their usual BS tricks and did a very unusual thing for supposedly cultured people. The Columbia University's President's behavior were not the American values Thom was referring to. Right Thom?

Most of you seem to forget that this article was written before the actual speech ...
Thom was admiring the idea/actions of Columbia .. before the krap happened ..not after!!

Hartmann speaks about free speech and diversity on this forum yet finds himself engaged in a double standard on his own forum by working overtime to insure political diversity is crushed on his message board. One cannot raise the double standard by arguing against the bought and paid for Democrats without getting the boot. One cannot argue against Hartmann's 'one size fits all' political doctrine without being shown the door. Hartmann like Bush and Cheney and Clinton is part of the problem, and not the solution to anything. A corporate basher while mired up to his neck in corporate cash via advertising on Air America. What a frigging crock of bull..

nothing to be proud of if you had CU's Bollinger being that rude and petty. he was a disgrace and mocked academic integrity.

hartmann zoned out on this article. sorry. he needs to read more of juan cole.

as they say, if you are ignorant, educate yourself. that goes for bollinger as well.

Jan, when both sides liberal and neo con support the destruction of Israel through their own belief system. Then ya you both are screwed up.

djan

Ordinary Iranians will NOT die because their "President is an anti-semite" as you say. Ordinary Iranians will die because two nations with vastly superior military (US and Israel) believe they can get away with a blatant attack on a militarily inferior nation. This claim to total domination of the world and the region has been clearly spelled out by their leaders. It is IRAN that is the victim/scapegoat and the would be attackers who are the perpertrators. Whoever the Iranian president is makes no difference to Isramerica's militaristic designs.

I have never seen such heated feeling as this issue has developed. This does not bode well for our nations all.
.

ecosutra - Wow!

You label us all as one big..."imperial liberal/ right wing neo con" thing - Wow!

Ecosutra you seem to consider American progressives as being the same as the Bushnix who hold hand with the Bin Ladin family.

I fear your paranoia lets you see nothing but anti jewish conspiracy...everyone is against you. That is a truly sad place to be.

I feel sorry for you in your extreme oversentivity and overgeneralising. But I won't let that weaken my resolve to oppose ANY military attack on Iran.
.

I honestly believe common sense in this country crumbled to the ground the day the World Trade Center collapsed! It's been a nightmare of venomous nationalism ever since! And I might add misguided venomous nationalism. That a malicious President has nurtured and used for his own selfish purposes. People who didn't really care if a country (Iraq) had nothing to 9/11 let's invade it anyway! They don't seem to care if Iran did anything either. George Bush tells them Iran is evil. That's all they need to attack. They completely ignore his track record on telling the truth. In favor of nuking them into the stone age! This country has gotten to be a very sick place! I don't know what it's going to take to get it well again. I don't like Republican's of any strip. But bless Chuck Hagel for his comments. He seems to have a clue who the enemy really is here. And it isn't the President of Iran it's the President of the good ole USA!

Dear Ecosutra and friends (adversaries),

If you happen to continue this wonderful discussion, try to remember a few things. It seems most of you do not agree with current American government policy. This is understandable and actually I am happy for you. But when you talk about world politics, please do appreciate that in virtually every country people object to their official policies. Has it occurred to you that Israel might be a very diverse society where the hippie thing made a strong impact and where many people try to live in harmony and friendship with their growing number of Arab neighbours? It is very unfortunate that official Israel policy still is to drive the Palestinians out of the last remains of their country. The belief that no stranger can be trusted is a deep scar on the Jewish soul, cast by too many cruelties. It is clear Israel has to get over this and it is very sad chances for peace were spilled during the nineties. But the solution to the problem does not lie in condemning fear and stupidity, nor does it lie in choosing between pro and anti Israel, or pro and anti Iran, USA, etcetera, for that matter. This whole Zionist agenda talk, whether it exists or not, is just part of the daily game of politics. Probably 90 percent of the world's population are ordinary folks who try to raise their children. The other 10 percent are the freaks that keep bothering us with their petty little power games. Remember that, when ordinary Iranians die because their president was an anti-semite.

No we shouldn't have expected any such as this author refers to in the USSR after Joseph Stalin died, we should expect it in Harry Truman's and Dwight D Eisenhower's Cold War crusade loving, crazy as hell USA, which bought into hard core Nazi lies and damn propaganda about the most important ally this country in the Second World War. We are a nation of scared out of wits types intimidated and misled by a nut case.

So, this little Iranian fellow has stepped up to the podium at Columbia University and taken his licks.

Would Bush or Cheney appear there under the same conditions?

Oh, it's Soviet day in the neighborhood...

Between the "petty dictator" introduction, his homosexual comment, and the evading of multiple questions similar to most politicians, I don't think the event helped him very much.

Too bad some more grounded, moderate, less kooky, members of the Iranian Parliament could have been in the discussion. I think that would have gone better, and given a more accurate view of Iran, as his opinions don't represent that of the majority there.

Don't think that helped America see the reality that far worse crimes have been committed by our state than theirs.

Kristina40 is right. The President is really an "empty suit" devoid of any real power and instructed what to say by the REAL power in Iran- the mullahs. Maybe next time one of them should be invited as a real representative of the Iranian theocracy-government.

This type of group hysteria & fear reminds me of the horrible effect of our "watchdog media" before we illegally invaded Iraq. The outrageous interview of Ahmadinejad by Pelley on 60 minutes showed me how much of a media spin we are in. Read what Juan Cole, in Salon, has to say about our neocon influence in the media.

http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2007/09/24/ahmadinejad/?source=whitelist

Get your sensibilities back people. Thom has a good point, as does Juan. Try to filter out this Fox news garbage and start reading more foreign media. Our media (& politicians) have almost completely failed us.

That America exists although most Americans do no understand thier history. Where the heart of America is and where thier strength comes from has been covered with lies. Some people know though and have very long memories.

I am not sure I agree with his exceptionalism, however Thom Hartmann wisely states "we should have enough self-assurance and belief in the intelligence of our college students, that we can let them (and our larger public) evaluate his words, whatever they may be."

It's a pity that does not seem to resonate with Columbia President Lee Bollinger. It would be expected that at a centre of advanced education and learning that some social graces be expected of a host introducing a guest speaker regardless of whether he might agree with him or not. Whether the host likes or dislikes the speaker he is introducing is also irrelevant -perhaps next time a civilized student might make the introductions? President Lee Bollinger, the host, insulting a guest speaker while introducing him is beyond crass and rude; ad hominem attacks tend to reduce the credibility of the accuser and diminish if not nullify any further argument. If the uncivilised behaviour of President Lee Bollinger is indicative of the stature and quality of education at Columbia University, there may also be some blowback. Does Lee Bollinger have a massive ego to soothe or does he just not have enough smarts to realise that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was using the Holocaust taunt to bait the State of Israel that he hates?

I should point out that I don't particularly like President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad but at least I know why and it is not because of shovels full of shaped media pap, government propaganda, blatant mistranslations or ignorant editorials.

I also have to reluctantly give Ahmadinejad credit for the courage to speak openly and receive the expected jeering questions.

You Americans can be fooled all the time.Letting the President to speak is a bloody good PR exercise that's what it is.
The other day a young student by the name of Meyer at another university, asking a question as to why Al Gore, belong to secrete society, was brutally treated by the police, bundled out and taken to prison.
Below is an example of a police state.
Wake up you little children.
We the moneylenders have enslaved you all from cradle to grave.Now see below
FEDERAL RESTRICTIONS ON INTERNAL TRAVEL

Incredible as it seems, there is now a proposed Bill out for submissions (if
you can get to the particular hotel or singular internet address) which
would from next February make all passengers, both internal and
international, subject to approval by a special U.S. "Authority". And
YOU would not have the right to know whether the Travel Agent or Contractor
actually had a block on your travel , or not; or the basis of it ,if such existed, because all that would be classified information. Bastion of democracy; or Police State ? Note these reports:

Buried in the September 5 issue of the Federal Register, was a notice that this Thursday, September 20, the Transportation Safety Administration(TSA) will hold public hearings on their
http://dmses.dot.gov/docimages/p102/484384.pdf Secure Flight Plan.¨

Come with me into a nightmare world where American citizens will haveto
obtain permission from the government before they can travel by air in the U.S.

Beginning in February 2008, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will
implement their ¨Advance Passenger Information System (APIS),¨ the gist of
which is that you will need permission from the United States Government to
travel on any air or sea vessel that goes to, from or through the U.S.The
travel companies will not be able to issue a boarding pass until you are cleared by DHS. This applies to ALL passengers, US citizens and visitors alike. And how do you get said permission to travel? That´s for your
government to know and you to never find out.

Now TSA proposes to do for domestic travel what APIS will do for international routes. The new TSA rule will require that you obtain
PERMISSION to travel within the U.S.

Here is the summary of their proposed rules, which seem so reasonable, couched as they are in the blandness of governmenteez [emphasis added].

The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act (IRTPA) requires the
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to assume from aircraft operators the
function of conducting pre-flight comparisons of airline passenger information to Federal Government watch lists for international and domestic
flights......

This rule proposes to allow TSA to ... receive passenger and certain
non-traveller information, conduct watch list matching ... and transmit
boarding pass printing instructions back to aircraft operators.

"You want Israel to stop the missle defense system that has the regimes of the world shaking in their boots?"

should actually read like this ..

"You want Nazi Germany to stop the blitzkrieg that has the regimes of the world shaking in their boots?"

The modern day Nazis represented by Israel, U.S. and the U.K ( and more recently France thanks to the hungarian jew Sarkozy !!) are making the rest of the world extremely jittery. The actions of israel these past few decades and especially these past few years has the rest of the world shaking their heads in disgust. Israel has already proven to the world a hundred times over why it should not exist !!

I saw a Columbia University that had all the 'American values' of a George W. Bush or a Dick Cheney. What is the author, Hartman, smoking? Or is he just overdosed on 'the power of positive thinking'?

This fellow dares to ask the question: Why should Palestinians suffer because of the Holocaust? That is the question no one answers.

"Columbia University Shows True American Values"?

I have heard Americans state that "Americans are hated" because the less affluent of the world are jealous of America.

I think it is more likely the result of American arrogance, ignorance and general bad manners that Americans are thought of as they are, by not only the less affluent of the global community, but by most of the 1st world as well.

I wonder if Thom's wishing he didn't write this article of praise?

I think Thom Hartmann is yearning for an America that never existed.

Not so fast! The Columbia University President Lee Bollinger called Ahmadinejad a "petty and cruel dictator". This is a behavior of a hoodlum or hillbilly redneck peasant. I know the American political reality is that anyone holding a public function has to kiss up to the militant minority that hijacked our foreign policy. Lee Bollinger was today a low life - no class Columbia president. Embarrasment of honest Americans who need not to suck up to AIPAC. Ahmadinejad was a real hero of the day. He kept his composure and he ignored the personal attacks while surrounded by orchestrated hostility. He was a true "alpha male". Welcome president Ahmadinejad to the US of A. where even rudeness and absence of manners is protected by free speech.

Ecosutra,

If you log on to CBS and go to the message boards. There is a regular contributor who goes by the pen name Donnie900. He shares the exact same views as you. Introduce yourself to him. Trust me, the two of you are a perfect fit.

(correction) "shoe lifts"

Well we all know by now that the bush "plants" in the audience hissed and booed and were rude as usual ... stunning the President of Iran.... Once again bushies put forth his/their "ugly American" image for all the world to see.

Diplomacy... he and cheney don't even know how to spell it, let alone do it!!

Perhaps if the Iranians are pushed far enough, they will disclose to all Americans the "real deal" that was made by reagan and bush pere for the release of those long ago hostages ... The dirty deal that reagan and bush got away with ... and screwed our nicest President ... Jimmy Carter with!!

The demented Zionists try every time to discredit Ahmadinejad. I think he's an eloquent speaker and, unlike Bush, he speaks from the heart and not from a prepared speech. He's not afraid to wear reading glasses, unlike Bush who has his speeches in big print. He doesn't wear show lifts either, like Bush does, to appear taller.

I'm tired of hearing about the Holocaust. I think 6,000,000 is a preposterous number. What about the Native-American Holocaust? And the Iraqi Holocaust? How about the Tibetan Holocaust when the Tibetans requested help from the U.S., the U.K, and India but were ignored? I don't hear any of those people whining on and on for decades about their holocausts, trying to get sympathy and make everyone feel guilty.

The right wing rapture seeking freaks are the ones who support Israel for the wrong reasons. And here this alliance has driven the left into a frenzy of hatred towards Israel. You want Israel to stop the missle defense system that has the regimes of the world shaking in their boots? If you pulled your head out of your ass you would see tht the Israeli attack on Syria proved successful in jamming their Russian Skuds.

So ya Id create that deal if you would stop the arms race that the reigimes of the world are racing to get so they can continue to piledge resources all the while scapegoating a palastine issue that they do not really care about. In fact if there were ever peace in Israel the arab world would have nothing to deflect their tyranny.

Ecosutra,

Ok. Tell Ehud Olmert, Benjamin Netanyahu, and the Likud Party that Israel does not need the help of the United States. It does not need financial assistance, military weaponry, and the US will leave the Middle East altogether. And if Israel is attacked, the United States will not come to its aid, nor will anyone else. Deal?

I am all for getting out of the middle east. Why did the military complex just give the Saudis upgraded military weapons and jets? Israel can fend for themselves. But, the Saudis attacked USA on 9/11. And this week they run from the dollar. So be it. You have no idea who your friends are, witness.
" American Zionism is a protection for obstinate excess energy consumption." Now that is insane/ What does zionism have to do with Americas energy consumption? Americas relationship with Emirs is anti green.
Iran sponsors the Hamas and Hezbollah they are the insurgency in Israel.
You ignorant people think the word zionism is some bad evil word. Like Pagan is to Christianity. Like trees take up oxygen myths. Your so backward its freaky. All zionisims means is the return to Israel from a hisotry of persecution. But it appears evident here that you people still want to scapegoat Israel so you can continue your evil imperial liberal/ right wing neo con ways. I BET TO SAY THAT the US will not attack Iran, they do not have the interest to stake a claim to something that belongs to China and Russia. And thanks to the cowards of this forum, I can see why, you would let the evil Iranian regime that you installed develop nukes. This is the greatest screw up I have witnessed in my life, the fucked up attitude against Isreal from the left.

Ecosutra, I submit that you are a fictional character spouting distracting propaganda. Gyptian noticed that it doesn't add up, and I concur. The US is an occupier in the middle east, largely for oil. How would it be anti-green to get out of there and leave Zionists in the lurch? It would force reduction in energy consumption as Arab nations stopped being so supplicant to the US. American Zionism is a protection for obstinate excess energy consumption.

Unlike the US, Iran is not a state sponsor of terror, but merely dealing with local reality as it can. Iran may be more primitive than the US in some ways, but the US is behaving, consistently, much worse and more selfishly than it could, and that is the only true criterion for evil.

I'm not a fan of Ahmedinijad particularily his oppression of his own people. However, Bollinger was down right embarressing and obviously pandering to the AIPAC crowd. One thing I will say is that Persian hospitality is requires great fanfare and guests are made to feel welcomed and Persian hospitality is world renowened. This goes back centuries. If a guest compliments something in the household of an Iranian the Iranian must give that guest that item for example. I am so embarressed that a head of a major American university treated a head of state in such a manner. Look at how poorly we fare in our hospitality. You can disagree with the man all you want but for God's sake be hospitable to a guest and if you support freedom of speech then do so even for those you hate. Bollinger you have no class.

annika September 24th, 2007 10:54 pm

"I was afraid that the students would not be mature enough, but it seems like the CEO of Columbia, Bollinger, went out of his way to look like a retard."

I'm guessing that Bollinger might have been "persuaded" to make an ass of himself because there were more positive responses to Ahmadinejad's visit than negative ones. He did a good job creating venomous soundbites for radio and TV.

He should have been arrested as soon as he set foot on our soil. He helped take hostages years ago.
I could care less what he has to say. All lies as far as I am concerned.
Disappointed, with all of the talk of terrorism why he should be allowed in the country to begin with.
If he wants to talk let him do a video op-like bin laden(or his fakes)that way those who want can listen.

I read this differently: I was afraid that the students would not be mature enough, but it seems like the CEO of Columbia, Bollinger, went out of his way to look like a retard. I think we are in trouble if one of our Ivys behaves like that. Ahmed. Used the podium better than Bollinger did.

The undercurrent of the discussion (which I saw of it) however, was the Israeli occupation and Jewish-American-Arab politics around that issue.

I'm glad it happened, but I just feel a little nauseous about this knee jerk furor over Ahmed's alleged impropriety.

Looks like someone is having a nervous breakdown because he/she believes "poor little (nuclear armed) Israel" is being picked on, because many of us think the insulting introduction of Ahmadinejad at Columbia U. was uncalled for, classless, and downright rude. It's almost comical.

ecoustra

You are one seriously deluded wing-nut. Im still trying to figure out what american consumption has to do with israeli oppression against Palestinians. Zionist scum apparently clutch at any straw to make a point !

I don't know, I have my doubts about both leaders honestly, but the doubts run like this: Bush's case for war is a bunch of lies - and as far as President Ahmadinejad goes, I'm sure he's got some skeletons in the closet that i should be more informed about.

However it's the least we could do given our history with Iran, and Dulles, and the CIA, etc, to open some dialogue. We don't have to believe everything he says. We can listen to him though.

You got that right. President Ahmadinejad was given an invitation, and after he got there and before he was given a chance to speak, he was insulted. LOL ----- Have any of the American leaders and others in charge ever heard of the word RESPECT? No? I thought so.

At least Ahmadinejad was democratically elected, which is more than we can say for Dictator Bush.

Everything I have seen posted today, whether this article, all the comments, and everything else on NPR, AlterNet, etc., have only gone to prove that what the rest of the world is saying about the United States is true: hypocrites, politically corrupt, fascist, racist, bigotted, prejudiced, and downright evil.

Ahmadinajhad is a man, a mensch. No one can say the same for Bushco.

Sad, sad, sad.

I am sick and tired of this propoganda in our media about Iran and its leaders. Iran or any Arab nation can no way wipe Israel out of the world map. Israel has one the most powerful army of the world supported by the US with the latest weapon technology. They even have undisclosed quanity of nuclear weapons. These Arab nations and Iran combined are much weaker than Israel's gigantic military power. At 60 mins interview last night, Ahmadinejad made much more sense than our war loving political leaders. Remember we killed more than million Iraqis and 4 million Iraqis are displaced from their home because of our invasion. It is obvious that our mass media and political leaders (of both parties) do not represent American people. They are just puppets, playing in the hand of warmongering rightwing Israelis.

rucognizant,

Thanks. I think I could have excluded the profanity. But I think Bollinger was way off base doing what he did to Ahmadinejad. Sure it is great that Bollinger invited Ahmadinejad to speak at CU and resisted external pressure to cancel the event. But, at least give the guy an introduction (and it does not need to be a flowery one), and save the tirade for the question and answer session. My concern is what message does it send to college and university students about academic forum and debate? Do we repudiate and condemn the other guy before he even gets an opportunity to speak? That is not the way I was taught to do it in the university.

BOLLINGER = STOOGE

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/09/24/columbia.president/index.html

blight, there's not much point in taking him seriously as he doesn't run Iran anyway, the mullahs do. He's a figurehead and little more. Do we have to agree with him? No, but beating our chests and trying to make him into the next Hitler is ludicrous. Besides we already elected the next Hitler, TWICE!

What Bollinger the president of Columbia said to the president of Iran is unforgiveable especially since they invited the man to speak there.I'll bet Bollinger is a Bush republican just like Bush he has no class or manners.Columbia should ask for Bollinger's resignation he made America and Columbia look bad.

Kristina40, I hear what you are saying. Hypocrisy certainly exists in our foreign policy (Saudi, for example).

What I find disturbing about anyone taking the President of Iran seriously is the fact that , while crying big crocodile tears for the Palestinian Arabs, his regime is busy deporting and killing Ahwazi Arabs (1.8 million deported in last 8 years!)from their oil-rich home in southern Iran and replacing them with Persians. Also outlawing writing in Arabic, praying in Arabic, ect. Not to mention the Bahia, Jews, Christians, Zoroastrians, ect. that live as second class citizens at best, killed at worst.

You hear almost nothing about this repression, even in the Arab world, as there is little political hay to make with it.

Let him talk, then send this hypocrite home.

I just listened to Ahmadinejad's speech, including his introduction by Bollinger. It was a remarkable show, and it delighted me to see it happen, or should I say, that it happened at all.

The Evil Dr. Frankenstein, the scourge of the Earth, was given a microphone to address America, from the stage of one of its finest universities. It was astounding, and we all should pat ourselves on the back that it occurred. Free speech still lives! Not everyone is cowering in the corner.

Forget about Bollinger's puff-piece softball hits for his constituency: remember, Columbia is in NYC. Are they really going to be hospitable and accommodating? Probably not.

But I listened closely to the crowd. There were quite a number of people in that audience that know all the U.S. - Iran history, and the broader mid-Eastern history. That was a divided crowd, and it was a divided crowd in NYC, of all places. That surprised me.

Ahmadinejad did a pretty good job of framing the issues. He successfully rebutted the assertion that he had called for the destruction of Israel, and that Iran's nuclear development work was illegal or inappropriate. I hope everyone that hasn't already listens, first-hand, to the speech, and especially to the Q and A afterward, as it is the most pointed, aggressive and revealing part of the show.

Columbia didn't have to give Ahmadinejad a stage. Somebody there decided to do it in order to reduce the scope of disinformation and war-drumming available to the Bush administration and their neocon chums.

I say this was an act of great courage for Columbia, Bollinger notwithstanding. Good on them.

Hear the speech for yourself, and see what your impression of the man is. http://www.c-span.org/

A man will give up almost anything except his suffering.
John Cleese

I agree with treefrog that we need to promote honesty.

We also need to respect that human nature works all ways, and does not just serve the interest of Christians or Jews or Americans, when convenient.

There is a lot of truth in that right now America and Israel are currently two powers responsible for provoking and exacerbating violence all over the middle east. I want the best for Israelis, but also for Palestinians, Iranians, Iraqis and for people here. But some common sense needs to be employed sooner or later.

I am as Jewish as the next person who is Jewish. However, Israel basically invaded the Palestinians homeland, they are confiscating their resources, destroying their livelihoods, killing people. Palestinians are pissed off and threatened. That is normal. That is actually a rational response to their situation. If someone invaded New Jersey people here would be pissed and threatened too. They would likely fight, and fight hard, to save their families and their homes.

Also, I think the religiousness of Israelis is sadly being used as handmaid to the powerful U.S. interests who want to keep as much control over that region as possible.

Claudius;
What you said at 4:14. You have summed it up perfectly.
I was so offended with the tee vee news blurbs from Bollinger's speech today I am going to write him a letter!
What a joke! You have to have a college degree to get a job today, ransome your first born in student loans, AND get immature institutional leaders like Him?

all sides taken into account, the BIGGER point here is really ... The President of another country went to a university and engaged in a dialogue with a group of people he did not preselect ... now if only Mr Bush would do that abroad or here! Can you imagine anyone in the world be allowed to ask the President of the US the questions asked of the Pres of Iran .. amazing.

"For a nation that is afraid to let its people judge the truth and falsehood in an open market is a nation that is afraid of its people."

Well, I wouldn't exactly say it's a nation afraid of its people; it's more like a corporate-controlled government afraid of its people. Let's face it, a nation of 300+ Million people who have the courage to unite and hold their politicians accountable for the decisions they make in "our name" and in the spirit of democracy, would pose a threat to their power.

As we have seen over the last several decades but particularly in the last 6 years, a quantum leap has taken place in the acceleration of a U.S. government "power grab" over its citizens through legislation that would limit the voice and freedom of individuals and divert more power to government officials who are being supported by global elitists who want to control the entire world through wars that are paid for by all the suckers who fall for their bullsh*t rhetoric on the "Global War on Terror".

We all must remember one thing: War is created to discourage dissent and breed conformity!

Do we have the courage to unite and conquer our fears, or will we remain the little children we once were who feared the boogie-man?

Thanks, Thom!

Ecosutra

I think you have misinterpreted support for free speech with support for Ahmadnejad. With regard to our foreign policy that has been burdened by less than truthfullness, it is important to witness the truth whether we agree or disagree.

This isn't Israel, this isn't our fight. We should promote honesty and peacefull solutions or stay out the conflict.

Interesting, a duly elected Iranian president comes to America to talk to our university students. I'm supprised that Iran will have anything to do with us after Kermit Roosevelt and our CIA overthrough theit former duly elected president. Islam must be more forgiving than Christianity. It's no wonder that the roses bloom red with all the blood America has spilled in Iran for cheap oil. Maybe some day a duly elected American president will visit Iran to talk to their students. Maybe some day, if we ever have a duly elected president...

I thought Ahmadinejad's comments on the holocaust had been deliberately mistranslated into this holocaust doesn't exist thing. What I read was that he had been drawing a comparison between what is happening to the Palestinians in Israel/Palestine and the holocaust in Nazi Europe. The holocaust is a sensitive subject, but I think the subject of Israel-occupied-Palestine is a very sensitive subject in his part of the world as well.

Freedom Loving American, I endorse your sentiments one hundred percent. If there were 300 million Americans like you the world wouldn't be in such danger of self-destructing.

We need a new direction. Checkout my blog for some ideas!

bligh, it's not neccessarily anyone supporting Ahmadenijad, it's the absolute hypocrisy of our government trying to villainize him so we can bomb his Country to dust. We are guilty of many more crimes against humanity than Iran. The whole fiasco is to make him into some kind of boogeyman to the American people so the Decider and friends can "liberate" the Iranians like they did the Iraqis. All the while Israel cheerleading in the backround. Saudi Arabia is every bit as repressive but nobody's trying to go to war with them, why not? What about Darfur? Pretty fucking repressive there but nope, not going there either. In the meantime 4 million Iraqis are doing their immitation of Moses wandering around in the desert and another million or so are DEAD.

Did anyone accidentially listen to the pathetic NPR "report" about the big "protest" that was going to take place outside Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's visit to Columbia In NYC. WNYC National Propaganda Radio started mimicking Fox News, it was very hard to tell them apart.

NPR even went as far as to mention that the Bush administration had all sorts "evidence" Iran was up to nuclear proliferation in a very confident manner. No actual evidence was ever mentioned. They make me sick.

Ecosutra, if you wish to pity me at least spell my name correctly. I have not once said I dislike Jews, Judaism or the people of Israel. Once again you prove yourself to be a reactionary asshole. Take a deep breath, get a firm grasp on your reading comprehension and try again. I dislike Zionists who are every goddamned bit as evil as radical islam or the wingnut evangelical assholes here. I abhor organized religion because the outcome is always the same. Lots and lots of death and destruction of innocents. BTW I am not a Christian, Jew or Muslim before you get in a rabid lather...

i can only imagine how much more insightful, informative and stinging Ecosutra's posts are going to be after he learns how to speak english properly.

he is obviously limited in his command and its too bad - i for one prefer maniac rantings when they are clear and concise.

i am hoping to see an improvement in bush's diction as well, but i think Ecosutra has got a better shot at it.

I find it ironic that people are talking about religious reactionaries here in the U.S. while cluelessly praising a representative of one of the most repressive theocratic regimes on earth.

Who do you think the president of Iran answers to? The people of Iran? No. The religious mullahs that run the country. The same country where homosexuals are put to death, women are beaten on the street for showing an ankle, ect. Let the man speak, but don't act like he represents a country where personal freedom is important. His country is every bit as repressive as Israel.

Keith Olbermann is ripping them a new one right now on Countdown...Go Keith!

milesofmusic: "reminds me of watching saddam being hung by a crowd of raving jackals."

That thought went through my head, too. Saddam was a bad guy, and got what was coming, but they entire country was made low by the way in which it was handled. Columbia brings in this religious-bigot to speak as a guest, then basically pummels him with rotting fruit before he gets in a word. What's the point (and why don't they do it with Christians and Jews?)? Kind of a mockery of academia.

Then again, that's not to say Ahmadinejad isn't foolish for expecting anything but this sort of welcome. The problem is, it should have come from the students, not the administration.

I felt the introduction was outrageous. It did not speak well for the university, nor for America.

LOL Geoff, you're forgiven, good summation.

interesting. here is how chinese view the talk today.
now I got to listen to fox news for bill's comments!!

Ahmadinejad: Iran not to attack any country

www.chinaview.cn 2007-09-25 02:59:25 Print

NEW YORK, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said here on Monday that Iran maintains a defensive policy and will not attack any country including Israel.

"Iran will not attack any country," and has "never sought to expand its territory," Associated Press quoted Ahmadinejad as saying in an exclusive interview.

In response to reports that the United States is preparing for war against Iran, the Iranian leader said "That is not how I see it ... I believe that some of the talk in this regard arises first of all from anger. Secondly, it serves the electoral purposes domestically in this country. Third, it serves as a cover for policy failures over Iraq."

Ahmadinejad also reiterated his call for a debate at the United Nations on world issues with U.S. President George W. Bush.

Last week, the White House rejected the suggestion that a debate might take place between Bush and Ahmadinejad on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

"I don't think that will happen," White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said.

The Iran leader is to make a speech and answer questions at Columbia University on Monday afternoon. He is also due to address the UN General Assembly on Tuesday.

Little Brother

that was a great take on irony. indeed. Sometimes I'm sad to say that many of the posters here at commondreams aren't really in tune with irony and have a kind of one to one relation with life. Then they get all bent out of sorts and make accusations that completely annihilate the irony underlying the situation. So, one has to be careful.

Not only am I an alumni of columbia in this day and age of calls for the privileged to come down off their hobby horses, but I rode my bicycle over there today to take a look. You know not too many people were there really outside on Broadway. but I did see some interesting groups, like the Jewish group opposed to any interference by Israel or America in the business of other countries. And on the other side of the street, the raging Zionists trying to defend their right to what they think life owes them, which is, money for nothing and kicks for free.

Ironically, one of the most vital bits of knowledge I acquired from Columbia's famed core curriculum was in the Greek tragedies where one should never violate the gods of hospitality. If you do it's like Halloween everyday. You marry your sister accidentally, you eat your parents for supper. Awful stuff. Kind of like life in america. So, Lee Bollinger's remarks would fit in where with that???

Otherwise, I'm sorry to admit on commondreams my educational background! I'm trying to live it down.

Perry could very well have been asking almost the same questions to bush last night. Especially when he said, "Sir, I notice you are laughing. This is serious." DUH -- Has he never noticed the permanent idiotic smirk and chortle of the psychotic sociopath georgie? Why doesn't he ask bush why the heck he's always laughing and smirking when talking about serious matters??

Isn't it sad a day in American history when every other world leader is intellectually superior to our president? Isn't it a sad day in American history when any other world leader no matter how many people they have killed or imprisoned is morally superior to our president?

Isn't it a sad day in American history when all Americans know we have the most evil, vile, scum in America leading the country? When will this nightmare end?

looking at the approval of Ahmadinejad from the blogging comments is very distrubing. Your all completely crazy full of fear and hate of Bush that you have sided with a man who suggest there is no homosexuals in Iran. I dont have to tell you , you just have selective hearing. I am very upset that the blogs Buzz Flash and Alternet, and now the beloved Common Dreams are following the line of hatred towards Israel. You cowards. This to me is the sole reason Americans fear liberals. Its really crazy. Please go back and read my post before so you can hear me loud and clear. You all are scapegoating your own fester of over consumption, and you have put your security behind turning your back on Israel so you can feel powerful and feel detached from the blame that you have allowed your governments to exploit, consolidate, and manipulate, so you can have your mcmansions. Christina is a sick poor soul I have no respect for.

Kudos to Columbia University and Thom Hartmann for this great piece. Thanks for reminding us of the IDEALS of this country.

Actually he was elected. But in Iran the clerics make the decisions and the president shoots his mouth off. We have gone through this about 10 times since the UN was founded; some leader of a country we don't like comes to the UN and our politicans get the people hysterical. The one I liked best was when Nikita K. took his shoe off and banged on the table.

We have to listen to our president tell horrific lies almost every day; what's wrong with listening to some other fool talk nonsense?

keith campbell
denver

saila writes:

Based on what I read on Yahoo about the personal attacks of Colombia University's president on Ahmadinejad and his use of foul language as well as the swarms of Jews all over that area, one thing about America became undeniably clear: It is almost totally under the control of various Jewish lobbies. Elected officials of one hue or another, including the president of Colombia University, were jumping over each other to prove which one is AIPAC's best ass kisser. That is America today.

---------------------

we now know that there is nothing left of academia in nyc.

invite a guest to speak and then sandbag him in your intro.

that is the stuff of scum.

reminds me of watching saddam being hung by a crowd of raving jackals. in his death saddam showed courage and grace under enormous pressure and was afforded a humanity to which he was not entitled.

he died a man.

when bush is tried for his war crimes i bet that he will piss his pants like the true coward he is.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has been declared a holocaust denier which he plainly denounced today, once again. he is not.

the point he makes is this: after the war (WW2) the state of israel was helped into its being greatly by europeans who "felt bad" about the holocaust. so why put the israeli state in palestine?

why not put the israeli state in germany or poland then. what did those reparations have to do with palestine?

when he says that he would like the state of israel to go away that is what he is talking about.

it is the one question the aipac fascists really can't spin, so they demonize and shout him down.

the ultra military state of israel has an estimated 600 nukes and could vaporize iran in 20 minutes. what have they to fear from iran other than the fact that iran reminds them of their bastard beginnings, which cannot be denied - even by every dershowitz between tel aviv and queens.

so forget Ahmadinejad - he is hardly a sympathetic character, what about the palestinians who live a holocaust and genocide everyday under the auspices of the state of israel?

what about their holocaust - it is ongoing and could be stopped.

how's aipac going to spin them as they murder them one by one.

forty years and counting.

just exactly who is the holocaust denier here?

I'm with Trefrog

The idea is to be for censorship and free speech at the same time. Columbia University succeeds here.

The War goes and the war goes on.

By asking him to speak, only to throw out a chain of insults in the introduction, indicates that Columbia is a second rate institution. How cheap can you get? In a one-on-one debate, the President of Iran would rip our President to shreds. Ahmadinejad was entitled to respect because he was asked to speak. How classless to do what Columbia did. Another shameful display of True American Values. Now Ahmadinejad can go home a hero. Way to go, Columbia, you did the neocons proud.

sipsey, no wonder Ahmadinejad spends so much time smiling while these morons interview him. He's thinking to himself "how can these people be so incredibly stupid, yet run the world?" I often have that same smile when I talk to the locals down here in red state hell LMAO...

"Columbia University Shows True American Values".

Ermmm....... maybe not so much, since the president of Columbia called him a "petty dictator." First of all, why did he do that? What did it accomplish?

Second: in Iranian politics, the president is a relatively minor figure, so to term Ahmadinejad a "dictator" is just plain ignorant. Apparently the pres of the university gets his news via talking points from the MSM. How embarassing.

To claudius, RickinSF, and Little Brother - my sentiments also. LB, I too will be interested in reading what TH has to say about Bollinger's behavior.

Surely, Columbia University has presented the grace of American intelligence as a top educational institution in the U.S. to the world, by welcoming the "democratically elected" President of Iran, with a rampant claim by the University' President, naming him as a "petty, cruel dictator." This followed the journalistic excellence seen in the CBS 60 minutes yesterday…

America, I have no hope for you.

The AIPAC and their fuckbuddies the NeoCons have once again triumphed by demonizing yet another middle-east head of state (read Juan Cole). This is just the beginning. They will never rest till we bomb Iran. And a willing, guillible, self-absorbed, apathetic American public will once again get shafted where it hurts.

Ditto what treefrog said...

Humorless people who don't get, and can't intentionally produce, irony were quick to declare it "dead" after 9/11; on the contrary, one cannot help but be drenched in irony wherever one turns these days.

Columbia seemed to hearken back to the interlude between the McCarthy era and 9/11 by refusing to knuckle under to special interests and assorted demonizers, instead resolutely asserting the principles of academic freedom, freedom of speech, and the willingness to give a courteous and open-minded hearing to other points of view, regardless of how controversial or even repugnant they may prove to be.

Except it turns out that this was all just a mousetrap for this Bollinger pustule to bait, berate, and condescend to his guest. Apparently no matter how high one rises on the Ivory Olympus, one cannot resist the temptation to be Big Man on Campus. I can imagine Bollinger settling down to a Scotch and soda at the Faculty Club and relating with relish how he "handled" Ahmadinejad and took him down a peg or two.

I have repeatedly read that, contrary to the prejudices and superstition of wingnuts, that Middle Eastern cultures place a high premium on hospitality. So we put our visiting Iranian official on a stage and sic a "host" on Ahmadinejad who might as well have walked over to him and stubbed a lit cigar out in his eye. I don't know anything about this Bollinger mug, but he seemed to be playing to the corporate infotainwhore/Wingnut/AIPAC Gallery.

I appreciate that just because the US/Israeli government is unfairly demonizing Ahmadinejad doesn't mean he's not a demon. Perhaps. But using an academic forum ostensibly subscribing to an international understanding of intellectual comity as cover to stage a confrontation is unworthy at best.

So the fact that Bollinger took an inquisitorial tone regarding human rights issues is beside the point; if you invite a guest for a fireside chat, you don't seat him in a chair and suddenly thrust his feet into the fire.

I'll be interested to see whether Thom and other CD contributors find Bollinger's grandstanding a turn-off.

Ecosutra, honestly, shut the fuck up! I'm sick to death of whining ass posters coming on here calling anyone that disagrees with Israels policies an anti-semite! You sound every bit as reactionary as the asshole that resides in the shit errr I mean White house right now. When Israel kills innocent civilians it's the mistake of over-zealous soldiers but when anyone else does it, it's terrorism? Get some kind of grip on yourself, you're a reactionary asshole and Goddess only knows we have enough of those on this planet...

I wish all religious people that have come to this place called the U.S. would go back to where they came from and take thier religions with them. Feel free to visit and talk about your religion and then, please go home. We had peace in this country before you brought your self-righteous religions and concepts of punishment and hell.

If your religions are so important and civilized you should have stayed in the land of your ancestors.

I am very proud of Columbia University for having Iran's President as a guest speaker. I thank posters like Kelmer@2:55 for restating the controversial (mis)quote...it is EXTREMELY important. I gotta give Ahmadinejad much credit for having the conviction to come into the "lions den", to state his case. Perhaps, seeing the handwriting on the wall, he decided that the lives of sons and daughters, and innocent civilians are important enough to do what ever it takes to set the record straight. I certainly think it is that important. I can not believe the number of critics who denigrate Columbia for hosting something THIS important; it's beyond comprehension. Ahmadinejad's appearance, otherwise, neutered the US propaganda machine, which has been more active under this administration than any other in our history. I tend to question third hand quotes, especially from certified Chicken-hawk, who have proven themselves capable of lying NATIONS into war.

Saila, if that makes you feel powerful to place your hatred towards some jewish secret society, then answer me this? Who gains to exploit oil reserves, I have not seen pipelines into Israel. I have no idea where your coming from, but it sounds like you do not hold your life accountable. Its amazing, it would be enough to have the arabs and oil pirates like Bush exploiting the policies to benefit themselves. But when Bush pretends to defend Israel for motives oither than keeping the conflict going so that they can continue their exploitation, and then my side, liberals add in on the hate because they have to scapegoat as well, then I am at a loss of words to explain the ignorance I see around me from intellectual people unwilling to take acknowledgment of their own festering way of over consuming lives. Sure there is injustice in israel when a soldier gets carried away. But you can't hold governments accountable to soldiers misconduct. Blackwater is another story. Hamas and Hezbollah are insurgencies that keep peace out and instability for the exploiters, misguided are the people. Israel and Palastine were so close to peace until the Hamas screwed everything up, and that is a zionist conspiracy? Saila is an anti semite!!!!!!!

A Story

The Sun and the North Wind saw a poor man walking along wearing a jacket. They bet each other that the strongest one could make the man remove his jacket. The North Wind huffed and puffed and blew as hard as he could but the poor man just hugged his jacket tighter and tighter with a scowl on his face. Then the Sun tried by shining brighter and warmer ans soon the man removed his jacket with a smile on his face.

Our MSM and the powers behind them huff and puff. I recall that our much disgraced R.M. Nixon opened China with a Ping-Pong Ball and not a bomb. Life is like a mirror - we see in others our own dark side and we reap what we soe.