At Least One Voice Of Dissent
The dean of the Columbia Law School, David Schizer, has publicly denounced the invitation of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to speak at Columbia.
This event raises deep and complicated issues about how best to express our commitment to intellectual freedom, and to our free way of life. Although we believe in free and open debate at Columbia and should never suppress points of view, we are also committed to academic standards. A high-quality academic discussion depends on intellectual honesty but, unfortunately, Mr. Ahmadinejad has proven himself, time and again, to be uninterested in whether his words are true. Therefore, my personal opinion is that he should not be invited to speak. Mr. Ahmadinejad is a reprehensible and dangerous figure who presides over a repressive regime, is responsible for the death of American soldiers, denies the Holocaust, and calls for the destruction of Israel. It would be deeply regrettable if some misread this invitation as lending prestige or legitimacy to his views.
That is one of the real dangers of inviting Ahmadinejad - giving him legitimacy at a particularly bad time to do so. While Schizer says it is his personal opinion, he released this on the official Columbia Law School website. There are some people at Columbia who have a moral compass after all. Thank you Dean Schizer.
Iran, The Ivory Tower | Gaius Monday, 24 September , 2007
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» Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad arrives in USPinOy SPY! » Blog Archive — Monday, 24 September , 2007 @ 7:39 am
By feeblemind, Monday, 24 September , 2007 @ 8:12 am
Yes. You should go read shrinkwrapped’s post on Mad Jad’s visit. He argues a visit to Columbia and Ground Zero will do exactly that. Increase his stature in the Muslim world. Shrinkwrapped compares it with the American Indian custom of counting coup.