Controversial world leaders poisening the mind of our students..., oh no! Options

[Melissa]

So this discussion/debate is stemmed from an extremely controversial event (at my college, at least) when President Ahmadinejad, the president of Iran, was invited to speak at Columbia University. Parents, alumni, prominent leaders, reporters, etc. all had something to say - many of which were very negative - and tons of people pulled funding (listening to alumni bitch at us over the phone was not a pleasant task). I had the chance to listen to him speak and have to admit that he's an incredibly intelligent man (which is scary because I think he's a bit crazy), and while he said many things that might cause some outrage (i.e. "there are no homosexuals in Iran" - look the event up if you're interested, etc), that's not the point of this debate.

I really don't care if you agree/disagree with Pres. Ahmadinejad, I'm wondering if you think that it is a positive or negative thing to have such a controversial figurehead speak at an American university. People opposed to the event have said that there is no good outcome and think he should be banned from even landing on American soil. They say that such a smart man like him would only succeed in poisoning the minds of students.

The other side of the argument is that the only way to understand someone under such scrutiny is to listen to him and hear him out. Chris Colombo, our dean, claimed that if Adolf Hitler was alive, he would invite him to come over and explain himself. Wouldn't it be interesting to hear what he said? Hear him say why he did what he did?

So, what's your side of the argument? Should figureheads such as Saddam Hussein, Ahmadinejad, or Hitler be allowed to speak to at universities? Or should they just be completely ignored?

[Spirited Away]

I came from a country torn by communism, so if a communist leader had came to my university to speak, I'd be the first to protest. My community from all over the States will join me.

With that said, the argument that we should at least hear them out is crazy for one reason: do they hear us in turn or will the shoot us down at the first oppotunity?

In a position of leadership, they know exactly what they're doing and so do the people who follow them as well as those made to suffer by their rule. We understand them quite well already.

If they want understanding, they should do as Hilter did and write a book. I'd buy one and tear out the pages to wipe my ass.

Now then, I'd have to say that these leaders are great speakers. It is hard for the uninformed to not be moved by their pretty speeches, this reason I can forgive. But for those who advocate them for the sake of "uniqueness", "radicalness", or "zeal"... this is a shame on humanity.

On a last note, your Dean seems to enjoy his own morbid curiosity. He should read a book rather than subjecting the student population to hear the why's and how's of any killer.

[illriginal]

I came from a country torn by communism, so if a communist leader had came to my university to speak, I'd be the first to protest. My community from all over the States will join me.

With that said, the argument that we should at least hear them out is crazy for one reason: do they hear us in turn or will the shoot us down at the first oppotunity?

In a position of leadership, they know exactly what they're doing and so do the people who follow them as well as those made to suffer by their rule. We understand them quite well already.

If they want understanding, they should do as Hilter did and write a book. I'd buy one and tear out the pages to wipe my ass.

Now then, I'd have to say that these leaders are great speakers. It is hard for the uninformed to not be moved by their pretty speeches, this reason I can forgive. But for those who advocate them for the sake of "uniqueness", "radicalness", or "zeal"... this is a shame on humanity.

America is the transgressor. Iran doesn't want war, but America's leader does. America is the transgressor, not Iran, not Islam.