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Last update - 07:04 25/09/2007
ADL: Ahmadinejad's speech at Columbia University 'a charade'
By Sandra Cariglio and Yael Wissner-Levy

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) called Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's speech at Columbia University on Monday "a charade of half-answers and obfuscation," and anything but the much-touted scholarly free exchange of ideas promised by the university.

Abraham Foxman, ADL National Director, issued a statement saying that "Columbia University did not serve its students, city, or reputation, in providing a platform to the charade of half-answers and obfuscation delivered by President Ahmadinejad."

He added that the speech given by the hardline leader of the Islamic republic "added nothing to what we already know about the Iranian regime."
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Referring to the introduction speech given by Columbia University President Lee Bollinger, Foxman said "the fact that Bollinger himself felt it necessary to slam the Iranian leader in his opening remarks underscored the fact that Columbia should never have invited this 'petty and cruel dictator' in the first place."

Earlier Monday, student protesters for and against Ahmadinejad's talk faced off at the Columbia University campus shortly before Ahmadinejad's arrival.

Over the past week, the Columbia campus has been in a state of marked restlessness in preparation for Ahmadinejad's highly controversial speaking appearance.

By Monday noon, tensions were running high. Iranian and socialist counter protest groups were reportedly ripping down posters against the event, and replacing them with posters reading "Ahmanidejad = bad, Bush = worse," and "Iran was one of the first countries to publicly denounce 9/11." Another poster read: "Jewish people have their own synagogue."

Meanwhile, a "Columbia Coalition Forum" protest against Ahmadinejad began Monday morning on the Manhattan campus. The rally was jointly run by the Stand With Us campus advocacy group and student organizations affiliated with The David Project, the Aish Hasbara Fellowship and the Zionist Organization of America (ZOA).


Various members of the Coalition were to speak, including representatives of Global Justice, CU democrats, Hillel, Gender Youth, LionPac, Amnesty International and the Progressive Jewish Alliance.

The groups joined forces not only to protest Ahmadinejad's speech, but also Columbia University for giving the Iranian president a platform.

Counter-protesters also covered over posters depicting allegations of Iranian government brutality against homosexuals and women, juxtaposed against Ahmadinejad quotes such as, "everyone who recognizes Israel will burn in the fury of Islam."

Groups such as Columbia Coalition Against the War voiced concern at demonization of Ahmadinejad, which it said increases the probability of war. In a statement, it called for a boycott of the rally, which they believed would be perceived on campus and around the U.S. as pro-war. The event also has drawn criticism from the socialist group Revolution.

Last year, Columbia canceled a planned visit by Ahmadinejad, citing security challenges and logistical issues. This year, Columbia President Lee Bollinger turned aside demands that the event be cancelled again. He has promised to personally introduce Ahmadinejad's talk, beginning with a list of what he said would be tough questions focusing on such issues as Holocaust denial, a call for Israel to be "wiped off the map," and charges that Iran supports terrorism.

Although many students have applauded Bollinger's initiative for an open debate, especially with a figure with whom they they so strongly disagree, voices of dissent have emerged in broad sectors of the student body.

Columbia sophomore Jordan Hirsh said he views the invitation of Ahmadinejad as a vast farce and "an unsophisticated way of bringing debate on campus, for a sheer controversy devoid of substance."

Others fear that Columbia's having invited Ahmadinejad might act to further legitimize him in Iran and provide a platform for values they see as fanatical.

Bollinger responded to this criticism by stating that, "It should never be thought that merely to listen to ideas we deplore in any way implies our endorsement of those ideas."

"It is a critical premise of freedom of speech that we do not honor the dishonorable when we open the public forum to their voices. To hold otherwise would make vigorous debate impossible."

Rachel Dor, a Campus Coordinator for The David Project and one of the lead organizers of the protests, believes otherwise.

"Free speech is one thing- Holocaust denial, calls to wipe Israel off the map, and disregard for human rights- that's hate speech."

The David Project President Charles Jacobs deplored Bollinger's invitation to the Iranian president.

"Bollinger says that by listening to 'ideas we deplore does not imply our endorsement of those ideas, or the weakness of our resolve to resist those ideas' but," Jacobs said, "Ahmadinejad is not a policy wonk or a philosopher: He is a man of action, murdering Americans and planning to slaughter the Jews of the Middle East.. He is not an 'idea' to be debated. He is a man to be stopped.

"Giving him this prestigious platform is not, as Bollinger says, 'America at its best.' It is American academia at its worst."

Many students also criticized Bollinger's last minute announcement of the event. According to Josh Rosner, president of Columbia Hillel, and Jonathan Siegel, "For effective discourse and debate to occur, adequate preparation time is necessary - thoughtful questions must be thoroughly researched, counter-speakers must be arranged, protests and rallies must be organized. Four days is simply insufficient."

Ahmadinejad, who is in New York to attend the United Nations General
Assembly and speak to Columbia University students and faculty, was denied a request to visit the World Trade Center site of the Sept. 11 attacks.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Monday that it would have been a travesty for Ahmadinejad to visit the "Ground Zero" at the site of the former World Trade Center in New York.

"I think it would have been a travesty," Rice told cable TV channel CNBC in an interview. "This is somebody who is the president of a country that is probably the greatest sponsor - state sponsor - of terrorism, someone who is a Holocaust denier, someone who has talked about wiping other countries off the map. I think it would have been a travesty."

Other elected officials joined the protests against the Iranian president's appearance at the New York university.

"He should be arrested when he comes to Columbia University, not invited to speak for God's sake," said state Assemblyman Dov Hikind on Sunday.

City Councilman David Weprin accused Ahmadinejad of having American blood on his hands, saying he aided the insurgency in Iraq by sending weapons and manpower for the sole purpose of killing Americans.

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  1.   The true face of the American "Anti-War" movement 10:50  |  Slibovitz 24/09/07
  2.   So-called Israel totally isolated in their laughable protest 11:00  |  Hannah 24/09/07
  3.   It is mind boggling that Ahmadinejad would face such danger 11:54  |  Natallie Durson 24/09/07
  4.   Hannah you forgot the ACLU.... 12:34  |  Lynn 24/09/07
  5.   Facebook is a louasy site 12:41  |  Ophir 24/09/07
  6.   Hannah 12:41  |  Ruth 24/09/07
  7.   America is Not A Police State 13:04  |  Brenda 24/09/07
  8.   Hannah the Hag 13:05  |  Petra 24/09/07
  9.   #2 Arab Hannah 13:12  |  Sarah 24/09/07
  10.   Petra 13:29  |  Sarah 24/09/07
  11.   So who cares? Me? 13:45  |  Daniel Chorde 24/09/07
  12.   Daniel Chorde 14:43  |  NATIVE AMERICAN 24/09/07
  13.   #11 Daniel Chorde 14:50  |  Axel 24/09/07
  14.   Daniel Chorde about "land grab" 14:52  |  John Stewart 24/09/07
  15.   iranian president,landgrab 14:55  |  Dan 24/09/07
  16.   Iranian President (aka Megalomaniac) at Columbia 14:56  |  John Stewart 24/09/07
  17.   Hilel Group! Silly Group 15:06  |  Roxana from IRAN 24/09/07
  18.   Daniel Chorde - Grab This! Maybe it Will Make You Feel Better. 15:09  |  Phinias Whoppy 24/09/07
  19.   daniel chorde #11 15:09  |  gogo 24/09/07
  20.   Anti "ZIONISTS" 15:11  |  Drew 24/09/07
  21.   This is truely a laughable `protest`. 15:12  |  MA 24/09/07
  22.   Free Speech 15:26  |  Joe Indian 24/09/07
  23.   #17 Roxana from Teheran 15:32  |  Soraya 24/09/07
  24.   interesting 15:43  |  rafa 24/09/07
  25.   No Slibovitz, 99% of Ahmadi nijad are Zionist 15:44  |  Moise 24/09/07
  26.   hannah #2 15:46  |  rafa 24/09/07
  27.   CALL COLUMBIA NOW!!!!!!! 15:46  |  IT`S NOT TOO LATE 24/09/07
  28.   Petra 15:50  |  Jon 24/09/07
  29.   Question from an African 15:57  |  Daniel Chorde 24/09/07
  30.   land grab 16:00  |  viking 24/09/07
  31.   Urinating in the Ocean 16:01  |  SES 24/09/07
  32.   The Devil Speaks 16:05  |  Rabbi Izzy Lahm 24/09/07
  33.   SHAME ON US 16:06  |  Robbie 24/09/07
  34.   Why Zion? dear hannah... 16:07  |  stork 24/09/07
  35.   Ahmadinejad 16:10  |  Tyrese Williams 24/09/07
  36.   Iranian President stirs protest 16:24  |  jay 24/09/07
  37.   daniel chorde 16:24  |  JL 24/09/07
  38.   To Brenda #7 16:29  |  Persian Kitty 24/09/07
  39.   Natalie & Hannah 16:31  |  Eli 24/09/07
  40.   To Roxana no 17 17:03  |  dovale 24/09/07
  41.   LAND GRAB???? 17:09  |  Doug 24/09/07
  42.   #34 Say Stork---where are the "Hebrews"? 17:12  |  ballistic 24/09/07
  43.   Iranian Pres.Visit to Columbia U. 17:14  |  Joan Lord Crisona 24/09/07
  44.   Iran 17:38  |  Natalie Durson 24/09/07
  45.   Iran and its leader 17:42  |  Larry Rich 24/09/07
  46.   daniel chorde # 29 are you american or african? 17:45  |  terrornator 24/09/07
  47.   RESPOND TO HATE #2 17:47  |  TOBIA 24/09/07
  48.   Iranian president stirs protests, conter moves at columbia 17:51  |  Auwal 24/09/07
  49.   NATALIE ... WE LOVE YOU 18:02  |  GZLives 24/09/07
  50.   Well done Hannah 18:08  |  Auwal 24/09/07
  51.   To Terrornator re: Daniel Chorde 18:09  |  Persian Kitty 24/09/07
  52.   Dan 18:17  |  Auwal 24/09/07
  53.   Fear 18:30  |  chelemer 24/09/07
  54.   Natalie #44 YOUR A FOOL! 18:30  |  Doug 24/09/07
  55.   # So called Hannah 18:31  |  17 24/09/07
  56.   Bollinger a Liberal Fraud 18:33  |  Chick 24/09/07
  57.   UN should be moved to Geneva or Vienna 18:38  |  Simba 24/09/07
  58.   Lessons from history... 18:38  |  melodyangel 24/09/07
  59.   It`s easy to see that opinion against the Jews.. 18:46  |  Micha 24/09/07
  60.   AHMADINEJAD`S FACE IS A FULL MOON FOR JEWISH EXTREMIST LUNATICS 18:46  |  JACKAL 24/09/07
  61.   Haaretz should publish the IP address.. 18:48  |  Micha 24/09/07
  62.   Please move the UN 18:51  |  Micha 24/09/07
  63.   columbia and bollinger 18:51  |  Shmuelshachor 24/09/07
  64.   columbia and bollinger 18:52  |  Shmuelshachor 24/09/07
  65.   Bravo MA!---It truly IS a laughable protest 18:52  |  Pat 24/09/07
  66.   persian kitty,thats what i though,i just wanted to hear him say 18:54  |  terrornator 24/09/07
  67.   Roxanna from Iran 19:02  |  Connie 24/09/07
  68.   Not much of an "American" protest 19:25  |  Clickfool 24/09/07
  69.   Let him speak... 19:47  |  john bull 24/09/07
  70.   No. 1, Slibovitz 19:51  |  W 24/09/07
  71.   For Phinias Whoppy # 18 19:52  |  Clickfool 24/09/07
  72.   re #4 `Hannah you forgot the ACLU....` 19:55  |  Colin Wright 24/09/07
  73.   re #44 Natalie Durson `Iran` 19:58  |  Colin Wright 24/09/07
  74.   to Clickfool 20:02  |  Lawrence 24/09/07
  75.   re Clickfool #68 `Not much of an "American" protest` 20:03  |  Colin Wright 24/09/07
  76.   Re #70 `#1 Slibowitz` 20:08  |  Colin Wright 24/09/07
  77.   to Natali 20:17  |  adi 24/09/07
  78.   Ahmadinejad at Columbia 20:21  |  Eve