A shameful disgrace to academics
The controversial visit of Ahmadinejad to the US has been a revealing mirror for what goes on in American politics and the level of degradation of values such as freedom of speech, democracy, human rights and even law itself.
Many Iranians do not agree with their president’s rhetoric. After all, what can they expect from him? They all know what kind of a character he is. Yes, he has been defiant before the Americans and this is exactly what a lot of people, Iranian and non Iranian alike, admire in him. The rest does not matter to those who like him. Those who criticize him do not agree with his extremist opinions. However, what happened in Columbia University was vivid evidence to the fact that politics has degraded the American society to an extent that even the President of the University would just literally lose it and forget his extremely critical role.
Whatever Ahmadinejad is or says cannot be a good enough excuse to address him with such harsh and particularly indecent and impolite words. This was way below the dignity of a university president. And guess what? Ahmadinejad is absolutely right in saying this was no manner of hospitality. This man is ruthlessly correct in what he says. President Bollinger has spoken in a manner which was by no means befitting of the President of such an esteemed and reputable university. It would not be unfair to say that he literally disgraced the University of Columbia. He simply got carried away with all the propaganda and the pressure he was under for inviting the man. If he ever intended to say such discourteous and uncivil words, it would have been a lot better if he did not even invite the man to address people there. What did he mean to do? Make fun of Ahmadinejad? Had he forgotten that the man is not merely an ordinary individual? In that capacity, he was also representing a sovereign state. Forget about the fact that people may not like him in his own country. You should not have forgotten about your own values and the decorum which was indispensable to your office, you were not a politician and you should not have followed the rhetoric of American politicians. I am truly sorry for you, President Bollinger. You just blew one chance you had for showing the world that you can be independent of the political and ideological chaos which surrounds you.