Columbia President Bollinger SLAMS Ahmadinejad

[bos1]

Run time: 06:31 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tACSopIZVdk   Posted on YouTube: September 24, 2007 By YouTube Member: Views on YouTube: 0   Posted on DU: September 25, 2007 By DU Member: bos1 Views on DU: 1067

 
like only a learned man can. An answer to the wingnuts who whined to high heaven about the invite.

[Lost4words]

1. Very tacky IMO!

[bos1]

2. tacky?

[whistle]

3. It was more like harassment and this FOX News video reflects

...editing out of several minutes of diatribe by Professor Lee Bollinger in terms of his remarks at the very beginning which appear to have been cut and a number of side comments Bollinger made throughout his questioning.

In fairness to those who were unable to watch or listen to the live broadcast please post an unabridged version such as an extraction from the CSpan-3 broadcast. I would, but I'm afraid I do not possess the means or the technical knowledge to do that. I only hope that CSpan has an archive of that broadcast that someone from DU might post. Thanks

[bos1]

4. Longer versions here

8:00 mins http://youtube.com/watch?v=Z31Wsclz3mk
9:55 mins http://youtube.com/watch?v=OxBEo7DbrsI

These are selected excerpts from his speech.

[whistle]

5. Bollinger took at least 10 minutes in what was the opening welcome and may have continued

...longer had many in the audience not shown their displeasure and restlessness with his politicizing of his role as the Official University greeter for world leaders invited there to speak. If he had wanted a debate, he should have requested one. But, instead it took on the appearance of grandstanding and propaganda.

Thanks for posting those other two links. Hofully one is the full context of what Bollinger said, including all of the audience responses.

[bos1]

6. Have you watched this at all?

How do you conclude that he cut himself short? He seems to read his complete speech. What evidence do you have for "displeasure and restlessness" of the crowd? Only cheers and applause can be heard.

[UnclassifiedProducer]

7. Bollinger Blew It.

If you drop off his 'petty dictator' line, he does a fine job. But how can you justify inviting someone to speak, and then call them names? He could have easily questioned and even criticized some of the bad things that are going on in Iran without appearing like a frightened attack dog.

Attacking Ahmadinejad only helps to align more Iranians behind him--and, as reform movement leaders in Iran have said over and over, it hinders their progress.

Use your damn head, please.

UP

[liberation]

9. Can we please drop the "Dictator" canard?

I have no sympathy for Ahmadinejad, but he was elected. He is the president of a foreign nation, just because Americans feel threatened or don't like a foreign leader, does not mean that he automatically becomes a "Dictator."

Shit like this just furthers America's ignorance and hypocrisy.

PS. Before some one goes out of the way building a straw man claiming I am a fan of Ahmadinejad because I pointed out he is an elected leader, please don't.

[KneelBeforeZod]

11. The fact that a "vote" occurred does not necessarily mean he was "elected" ...

>> I have no sympathy for Ahmadinejad, but he was elected. He is the president of a foreign nation, just because Americans feel threatened or don't like a foreign leader, does not mean that he automatically becomes a "Dictator."

C'mon, now. Certainly you don't believe that the fact that Ahmadinejad, an authoritarian, allowed the charade of an "election" before siezing power means that he was actually popularly elected.

As you might have noticed from our current Presidential situation ... "elections" can be rigged (by tampering, force, threats, etc.). This is particularly true in an authoritarian state like Iran. As much doubt as I cast on the statements of the B*sh Administration ... I must cast FAR more doubt on the statements of Ahmadinejad's regime. If we doubt the voracity of B*sh's claims that he was elected twice (which I certainly do) ... we can be certain that Ahmadinejad's similar claims are outright lies.

Saddam Hussein wasn't elected - despite getting upward of 98% of the popular vote in a staged "election". He threatened and killed dissenters, and scared the vast majority into casting a vote in his favor so as to spare their lives.

Likewise, Ahmadinejad isn't elected - he's a thug and a dictator. He simply staged elections to give his regime an aire of legitimacy in a world ruled by democracies.

H

[Taverner]

8. I'm glad he did it

And I'm also glad Ahmadinejad spoke.

I have a T-shirt that reflects my opinions on this matter "I "heart" free speech - it lets us know who the idiots are"

Let Ahmadinejad make an idiot of himself. He did just that, insisting that there are no gays in Iran. Could it be, you killed them all Mr. Ahmadinejad?

And let everyone in the audience have a shot at Q&A with Ahmadinejad - let them put him on the hot seat. It's our only chance.

[slipslidingaway]

10. Bollinger never mentioned the new IAEA report, he was rather

selective in his facts. The recent press interviews were more of a set up than any attempt at dialoque IMO. As Ahmadinejad noted in his reply, a forum such as this should attempt to let the audience make up their own minds, not prejudice them from the start.