Tuesdays with Paulie 9/25/07

Ahmadinejad comes to Columbia
No Gays in Iran or Conservatives on campus

He denies the Holocaust ever happened. His government is the world leader in training and supporting terrorism. Since taking office over two years ago, he continuously calls for the annihilation of Israel. However when the Progressive mindset of Columbia University gave him a stage to address the students, faculty and the world, the big story was a comment about gays, "In Iran we don't have homosexuals like in your country," said Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Truth be told, he isn't lying. In Iran they do not have homosexuals because when it is discovered that you are gay they simply execute you as they did this past July when the government murdered an 18 and 16 year old boy for being homosexuals.

Ahmadinejad presence in the United States serves as a reminder of just how much freedom as well as civil rights we truly enjoy in this country. Here is arguably our nations greatest enemy, coming to the United States and is able to travel anywhere he desires within a 25 mile radius of the United Nations complex in New York City. He is also granted a speaking forum at a highly acclaimed university and the government has no legal recourse to silence him if they so desire.

The Iranian President is also a symbol of tyranny. Besides murdering homosexuals as standard practice in Iran. He has his political rivals and those who protest against the government arrested, tortured and killed at will. Woman have half the value of men in his country and can often be rapped and murdered by men or mobs without any repercussions.

The irony is that the Progressive activists and intellectuals who welcomed him to Columbia and in some instances praised him, are the leading voices for gay and women's right in America, but conveniently ignore the oppression these groups face under his regime. They do share the common opinion of blaming the Jews and Israel for the world's problems, which I guess makes him just peachy in their book.

As much as most Americans are sickened by the idea of Ahmadinejad speaking at Columbia, let me remind you that the thinking on college campuses as well as intellectual hypocrisy, can only be found in the world of Academia.

You will always hear about the "free exchange of ideas," being preached by students and professors at universities. "Open and honest debate," is another saying spewed by academia. These are wonderful concepts, but hardly the reality.

Last October Minutemen Project founder Jim Gilchrist was attacked when students rushed the stage during a speech he was giving at the invitation of the Columbia College Republicans. Gilchrist was escorted out by security to protect his safety. However, when a murderous dictator takes the stage, peaceful protests are found outside the auditorium and inside the hall the only danger toward the speaker is the odor of bad breath from laughter and booing. Columbia also has a ban on ROTC being on campus. So much for open debate and free thinking.

On Wednesday former GOP Congressman Tom Delay and conservative talk-show host Andrew Wilkow, were scheduled to speak at Seton Hall University at the invitation of the College Republicans. The school administration canceled the event claiming Delay would cast a negative light on the school.

At Stanford University, the Hoover Institution has appointed Donald Rumsfeld to a short-term chair position. Students and professors are fighting this decision even though Hoover is an independent entity on campus.

The sad reality is that many college campuses are not venues for the free exchange of ideas, but active forces censoring conservative ideas. The very notion that Ahmadinejad would be welcomed at Columbia, but ROTC is barred from campus is despicable. Welcome to the current state of higher education in America.

Paulie