Defending the Truth

Columbia University must be the most ultra left university to invite someone as nutty as the president of Iran. Perhaps Columbia U. could be about as left as the University of California @ Berkeley. I wouldn't be surprised if Cal (as they are known in California) invited the prez of Iran to speak in Berkeley.

That may be.

And perhaps Ahmadinejad will end up being "backed into a corner he can't escape from," so to speak, during various times in this discussion.

But, this possibility doesn't change my opinion that the US government should have been more forceful and vocal in trying to stop this discussion from taking place in the first place on the basis that such discussions of this type don't exist in Iran.

If he wants a voice, first give a voice to average Iranians.

I can think of two people: My dad's doctor and a car salesman. My dad's doctor is Persian, and the car salesman is an Iranian ex-patriate I met in 2000 when I was shopping for a car.

The truth is, Ahmadinejad is only going to say what the Iranian regime wants him to say.

And, of course, that regime doesn't tend to speak for average Iranians since they don't, themselves, have a voice in Iran.

And, if Ahmadinejad expects to be given the right to free speech in America, why shouldn't the average Iranian be given that same right in Iran?

Exactly. The Ayatollah is inside his head.

Now what fucking control do we have over the rights of the average Iranian?

I've known several ex-Iranians during my lifetime so far.

And not a single one of them had any intentions of going back to Iran with its form of government.

They love their country.

But they hate their government.

Does this Ahmadinejad speak English?

They would go back on a moment's notice if they saw positive changes in the government. However, instead of a moment's notice, they would have to give careful thought to see if they trust the government first.

I believe he is highly educated, Rod. He probably is fluent in English.