What has Bollinger been doing all these years?; listening to Snow white or reruns of the 3 stooges? Ahmadinejad has been very expicit as to his stand in the world arena toward Israel, the holocaust,terrorism,his nuclear ambitions,America,etc..Those who must hear his views(they probably had their head in the sand or dabbled with extasy for years)will be served with a rehash of the above. Inviting Putin who wants to remake Russia, or Castro who remade Cuba, or King Leopold with half of Belgium on the horizon, would be a great opportunity for the new generation to learn fist hand how the world runs

The rat Americans smell is the hate based, intolerant, Islamic desire to take over the world. Let's all call it for what it is - the plan for Islamic world domination. That is the reality. And, it calls for the destruction of Israel and the Jews, worldwide, as well as all other beliefs. And, if the world does not convert to Islam, they get put to the sword. That is the truth laid bare. The US Courts are now viewing a number of documents from the Moslem/Islamic Brotherhood that specifically spell out these goals. Your desire to see the American public blame the Jews/ Israel is in fact, backfiring. As more of these materials are being exposed, Americans are beginning to see what you folks are up to, and they are getting very angry. Americans are totally and completely incensed at Ahmadinejad even stepping foot in this country. We all see and understand your motivations very clearly. You are exposed. All you have is your hatred, rage, and blind intolerance towards the beliefs of others, and the desire to control the world. So, don't lecture us about Free Speech and why Ahmadinejad should be permitted to talk at Columbia. Extend our freedoms and rights to ALL others in your own countries. Until then, you have no moral ground, or intellectual standing to even discuss it with us.

Academic credentials only reflect the nature and level of one's formal education in a specified discipline. It does not reflect, or provide, a moral compass, or any measure of common sense. Sadly, in this regard, Mr. Bollinger does not have the simple sense that G-D gave geese, nor the moral ethics to govern reason. The world does not operate from a place of academics. It operates by the faults of human nature.

A 501-3c allows public bodies to be exempt from taxation, NY City also does not impose real estate tax upon the tangible and intangible property belonging to Colombia University. In my opinion Colombia University has violated both the content and spirit of the law granting them Tax free statues. First in their treasonous act of “publicly denigrating” our armed forces by refusing them any rights to have its recruiters on their property. Second under the guise of “Free Speech” is encouraging a despot the ability of spreading his venomous diatribe against the very foundations of the county Colombia University rest upon. The notion that, that weasel will give clear and concise answers to any questions posed to him, has never seen this piece of human waste answer pointed “yes” or “no” answers to any reporter from a country that cherishes to right to free speech, if such reporter is even granted a visa to enter a country that its very laws deny, deprive and incarcerate or just outright murder any dissention from their 6th century religiously conjured up laws. The entire leadership of Iran is compromised of an attitude of total disregard of human decency, and the joke I heard from this vermin when he was intervened by an American Reporter to a direct question that he answered which was patently false, “I am a Moslem and I cannot Lie” Islamic law allows, deceit, lies, when used against an infidel. The publicly announced reasoning behind the leadership granting such vile murderer of aiding and assisting in the maiming and murdering United States Solders yet at the same time denying them the right to recruit students that have fidelity and strong sense patriotic duty to their country. This learning establishment is not entitled to have any relief for being Taxed. Yes they can invite any worm to appear on their property but not at the Public Expense. Vacate their tax exempt statues then what they actually do is not publicly funded by the American, New York Citizens

Bush is certainly a big disappointment - he would hardly be described as competant. The handling of the Iraq war was pretty poor, his inability to control spending can only be called irresponsible. And his support for a Palestinian state headed by Abbas or anyone else from the failed Fatah is short-sited, to say the least. But, as I said in my previous post, this is all done with the collusion of our own government. This is the work of Olmert, Livni, Ramon, Peres, and the rest of the political hacks that surround them. This is the work of Labour, Meretz, & Kadima. And by not leaving the coalition, it is the work of Shas & Lieberman. What I'm saying is that this was not pushed down the gov't's throat - this is what they wanted. For all his defects, Bush is a clever politician (in the narrow sense of the word) - he had no real interest in getting involved with this mess. Sure, there is pressure from many areas, not least the Saudis. But if we had presented a united opposition to any "peace plan", Bush would have been content to just make vague speeches, nothing more. It is the "Oslo" debacle that our leaders cannot shake off. And no wonder - seeing the quality of the individuals who make up our gov't. could turn the strongest stomach. Nice chatting with you - I'm glad to see we have some strong supporters in America.

If Pres. Bollinger is so hellbent on having Ahmadeinejad spew his nonsense under the aegis of Columbia University, then perhaps the appropriate thing to do would have been to insist on a quid pro quo where Bollinger would speak at an Iranian university using the same format that will take place at Columbia. But hell will freeze over before that happens.

To honor him NOBODY should show up for his BIG appearance!!! Where is Bush in all of this...even allowing a war criminal into the USA. Bush is usally very good at twisting things to his advantage...Is he slipping??

I have two problems with identifying the Iranian president with Hitler: 1) Iran has still the second highest jewish community in the M-E: around 25,000. Those jews don-t have to wear a yellow Magen David star, nor are they persecuted in any way. 2) This continuous spreading of the "Israel must be wiped of the map" lie must come to a stop. This is, word for word, what the presdient said: “Imam ghoft een rezhim-e ishghalgar-e qods bayad az safheh-ye ruzgar mahv shavad.” Which translates to: “The Imam said this regime occupying Jerusalem must vanish from the page of time”. So, first, the president was quoting ayatollah Khomeini (remember the other famous quote by the Pope? I guess not). Second, the speech was refering to the actual governement of Israel, not the jewish people. These are two very different things. If the president really wanted to kill jews, surely he would have started with the 25,000 or so iranian jews back home, don't you think? And if (most of) you still confuse Judaism with Zionism, try http://www.jewsagainstzionism.com/

I live in the Midwestern US and most people I talk to wish this guy would just go home let alone visit ground zero. I and most everyone in my circles are conservative Christians who love and support Israel. God bless Israel and the USA.

Bollinger was a president of University of Michigan and was a professor of constitutional law there. Thus it is telling that he doesn't talk about the constitution. He knows perfectly well that "freedom of speech" is anchored in the First Amendment, and this applies only to citizens (though some quibble about this point). Nor did Bollinger give a damn about free speech when he was prez at UM. In fact, UM couldn't mangle the First Amendment enough, along with its unconstitutional affirmative action polices. Courts regularly found Michigan's "speech codes" unconstitutional. Evidently, Bollinger left UM for the money. Moreover, the first amendment applies to GOVERNMENTAL bodies--including public universities, not to private ones like Columbia. Finally, freedom of speech does not mean that one is invited, introduced, etc., to speak. It just means that one CAN speak in a public space, and that one should be protected (if necessary) from harm if one does speak. The Islamists and confused leftists on these TBs deserve ridicule and possibly contempt. No, Bollinger is making a different point: that a university should be a forum for vigorous debate, and this debate should involve important spokesmen from various positions. Alas, B. is extremely insincere here. Universities always make decisions on the range of opinions to be subsidized on university grounds. They need to make such decisions, as funds and space are limited. In addition, universities need to address the fact that not all opinions merit subsidy. Note that there are no "creationists" (or "Intelligent Design" frauds) who are subsidized. And, unless Holocaust deniers are Muslim, they are not invited either. Nor are people like David Horowitz (to the best of my knowledge) invited to speak. Nor, of course, are the grounds of Columbia allowed to host Jews who believe that Muslims from Judea, Samaria, and Gaza (or from elsewhere in Israel) should be expelled (I'm sorry, "disengaged"). The "president" of Iran is appealing to B. because he shows his contempt for Bush and the Neo-cons and because he does so from the position of a political notable. This whole event is one big partisan political demonstration, and it should be treated as such. Jewish alums should cut off their alumni contributions and should make the reason for this crystal clear. A university is destroyed by this kind of political posturing, and opponents of it should play hardball.

Apparently, you don't know what these so-called "Jews against Zionism" really are. They're ultra-Orthodox religious fanatics who believe the secular state of Israel shouldn't exist because the Messiah hasn't come. Not only that, but these were the same bastards who attended Ahmadinejad's Holocaust Conference and made it possible for him to claim there are Jews who believe as he does. So if these are the people you're holding up as some sort of shining example, you're obviously way in over your head on this subject.

with move on dot org. He's for pulling the troops out. He helps send back as many as he possibly can with Iranian IED's. 60 minutes had him on to jumpstart his campaign. He's for alternate energy sources besides oil. He's anti nuclear weapons and he has a religious side about him also.....he wants to bring the world to an end to help bring back his messiah. Thanks Columbia University and 60 Minutes. They never fail to snuggle up to our enemies, and undermine the United States during times of war.

Columbia will not permit ROTC on campus. Yet, the dean, Coatsworth said that he would have invited Hitler to the Columbia campus. Both Coatsworth and Bollinger, the president of Columbia speak the PC mumbo- jumbo about exchange of ideas, having the obligation to present other points of views etc. If that is so, why are they against allowing students who are interested in investigating ROTC and engaging in intellectual debate with those students who have chosen to join ROTC? I am not against immigration. Yet, I do not want criminals or terrorists to come into the US as we have enough of them now. With a broken immigration system and so many illegal immigrants pouring into the country, how can the government screen for criminality? Yet, Columbia, in effect, sanctioned the censorship of the leader of the Minutemen by not providing enough security and by not punishing the idiotic students who prevented the Minutemen leader from speaking. Their "sanctions" on these student thugs were a joke. Is the leader of the Minutemen less worthy of a platform than the evil fanatic Iranian who has said that he wants to wipe Israel off the map and denies the Holocaust? I always thought that academic freedom was consistent. Evidently, Columbia does not believe that the Minutemen and ROTC have the right to state their platform. Their views are not politically correct and that is the essence of Columbia's commitment to free speech: Columbia decides who is entitled to free speech.

is the first sign of stupidity!!! This man represents a country which does not tolerate free thinking, but yet we are letting him come into our nation to have an open forum??? How dumb are we???

You are all conveniently forgeting that this man represents a nation which does not tolerate freedom of speech, freedom of religion, western culture etc. The hypocricy of this situation escapes your narrow minds b/c you are all hypocrites yourselves. Tolerating intolerance shows ignorance!!!

The more publicity he gets the better. How else is the world to see how nuts he is?

Columbia University does't allow military recruiters on campus because of their don't ask, don't tell policy concerning gays in the military. He invites a man from a country who executes them.

We live in a global communications environment which allows all government leaders of the world to be seen and heard. This dictator is not denied a forum. We all know his opinions. He has made his hate obvious. Why should one of our Universities give this hate filled war monger the honor of speaking on the very soil in which he advocates destruction and death to all who live here? Get off your free speech kick. It sickens me. His mouth needs to be shut not honored. Do you people actually believe this poor excuse of a human being is going to say anything truthful? His idea of free speach is to lie to the world. In Islam it is not a sin to lie to someone who is not a muslem. He thinks he is honoring Allah by putting on his silly grin and lying to the world. He is a snake!

and overlook --- Iran is a real country w/ a real past and culture ... Judaism is founded on superstition and out dated texts ... this whole thing is an insult to the intillectual community of the world

I don't see why all the fuss about Ahmadinejad speaking. The crowd was filled with jewish students and pertinent questions were asked and Ahmadinejad was given time to show he is a total fool. Columbia just provided the venue for people everywhere to see the truth about the Iranian president.