This reminds me of when Ahmadinejad was going to speak at a college in the United States when Bush was still in office. Before the guy could get to speak the dean of the college had some opening remarks. I remember it being a controversial decision by the dean of the college to let Ahmadinejad speak.
I believe he said something along the lines of Ahmadinejad being a loathsome dictator and stuff like this. I don't know, I looked for it and couldn't find it. Anyway, the guy is still the elected official of a country. He deserved the respect from the dean of this college I believe.
The way the guy went on about Ahmadinejad made me cringe. I actually felt embarrassed that the dean was that stupid. It's like he had no common sense at all. Does anyone remember this?
If so, please provide a link for me because I just can't find it. I think it may have been two years ago. Not sure. Why not let the guy speak his mind to the public here. Maybe then, the people could come up with a solution to what is supposedly dividing us. That would be too much like the people having a say in world matters though. Right?
Edited to add found it. It was at Columbia and the dean I was referring to was Lee Bollinger.
These are the bare facts. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran received an unsolicited invitation to speak at Columbia University in New York. He showed up. In his ‘welcome’ address, Columbia University president, Lee Bollinger, said of Ahmadinejad – to his face – that "you exhibit all the signs of a petty and cruel dictator. You are either brazenly provocative, or astonishingly uneducated." This was followed by even more insults heaped on the guest speaker. At one point during Ahmadinejad’s speech, he naively declared that there were no homosexuals in Iran. The assembled audience responded to this with jeering laughter. I think this was a mistake. Don’t get me wrong. I am no admirer of the Iranian President – although I do believe he is seriously underestimated by the West. The man may act like a country buffoon, but he knows exactly what he is doing – and what will sell to his own people. Back home, his popularity rating is triple that of George Bush. Whether his speech was a public relations exercise, or a genuine/hypocritical attempt to explain his political stand to ordinary Americans, will remain debatable. However, that is not the main issue here.
www.buzzle.com...
The author feels the same way I did when I witnessed it. So I guess nothing has changed thus far. TPTB say he is no good, everyone get away and they listen.
[edit on 24-9-2009 by jackflap]



