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.

[Spirited Away]

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

What are you talking about? Where in my post did I say anything about Iran or Islam or transgressors?

[illriginal]

What are you talking about?

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?

You're talkin about a man coming here with no weapons, with no army, with NOTHING but the clothes on his back, who's willin to speak to a group of young adults in a foreign country in which HATES him, HATES Iran, HATES the Middle East, HATES Islam, HATES Arabs, yet... you call him crazy. Yet... you only know what the media tells you. Yet if he wrote a book... you'd do nothin but rip it up and wipe your ass with it. Ignorance at its finest.

Never judge by action... judge by intentions, this is how God judges.


EDIT: She thinks it's crazy for a controversial leader to speak their mind to the people... not that she thinks the controversial leader is crazy him/herself...

[Spirited Away]

You're talkin about a man coming here with no weapons, with no army, with NOTHING but the clothes on his back, who's willin to speak to a group of young adults in a foreign country in which HATES him, HATES Iran, HATES the Middle East, HATES Islam, HATES Arabs, yet... you call him crazy. Yet... you only know what the media tells you. Yet if he wrote a book... you'd do nothin but rip it up and wipe your ass with it. Ignorance at its finest.

Never judge by action... judge by intentions, this is how God judges.

First, you really, really need to take my suggestion to (read) moar. Please tell me, print a screeny or quote me, where I call that man crazy.

Second, please stop assuming things that you do not know about me. You lead the discussion in the Feedback forum about personal attacks and what not, but here you are committing that very act by assuming that I only know what the media feeds me and implying my ignrance in judgment. I do speak two languages fluently and can read a third quite passably. I've gone to college and earned two degrees with honors, which proves I can do read and do research quite well. My media consist of news from these different counties that sit opposite ends of the world. Your generalization of "media" is quite small in this aspect.

Third, there is no ignorance when you and your loved ones suffer (insert oppressive leader here) personally. I do not speak for those in Iran or Islamic states, I'm simply answering to the topic at hand, which if you had forgotten by your own brash intentions of shooting me down, is "should (insert controversial leader here) be allowed to speak at universities".

(Read) Moar (and do it correctly), for goodness sakes O_O