New Events

International

no events posted in last week

Blog Feeds

Anti-Empire

Anti-Empire

offsite link North Korea Increases Aid to Russia, Mos... Tue Nov 19, 2024 12:29 | Marko Marjanovi?

offsite link Trump Assembles a War Cabinet Sat Nov 16, 2024 10:29 | Marko Marjanovi?

offsite link Slavgrinder Ramps Up Into Overdrive Tue Nov 12, 2024 10:29 | Marko Marjanovi?

offsite link ?Existential? Culling to Continue on Com... Mon Nov 11, 2024 10:28 | Marko Marjanovi?

offsite link US to Deploy Military Contractors to Ukr... Sun Nov 10, 2024 02:37 | Field Empty

Anti-Empire >>

Human Rights in Ireland
Promoting Human Rights in Ireland

Human Rights in Ireland >>

Lockdown Skeptics

The Daily Sceptic

offsite link British Drivers Steering Away From New Cars In Their Droves Mon Dec 23, 2024 13:00 | Sallust
British car-buyers are turning away from new vehicles in their droves and keeping their reliable old petrol models going for far longer as Labour's Net Zero war on affordable motors heats up.
The post British Drivers Steering Away From New Cars In Their Droves appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

offsite link Britain on Brink of Recession After Growth Revised to Zero Following Reeves?s Horror Budget Mon Dec 23, 2024 11:09 | Will Jones
Britain is on the brink of a recession after official figures were revised to show zero growth in the third quarter of the year and living standards fell, with Rachel Reeves's horror Budget blamed.
The post Britain on Brink of Recession After Growth Revised to Zero Following Reeves’s Horror Budget appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

offsite link What Fresh Hell is This? The Climate and Nature Bill Mon Dec 23, 2024 09:00 | Paul Homewood
If you thought eco zealot Ed Miliband was bad, wait until you get a load of the Climate Change and Nature Bill, which seeks to turbocharge the Net Zero agenda and already has the support of 192 MPs. Paul Homewood has the skinny.
The post What Fresh Hell is This? The Climate and Nature Bill appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

offsite link The Daily Sceptic Christmas Appeal Mon Dec 23, 2024 07:00 | Toby Young
The Daily Sceptic's Christmas Appeal launches today ? an opportunity for readers to show their appreciation of the work we do. Remember, donating just ?5/month or ?50/year will give you access to a range of premium perks.
The post The Daily Sceptic Christmas Appeal appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

offsite link News Round-Up Mon Dec 23, 2024 01:12 | Richard Eldred
A summary of the most interesting stories in the past 24 hours that challenge the prevailing orthodoxy about the ?climate emergency?, public health ?crises? and the supposed moral defects of Western civilisation.
The post News Round-Up appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

Lockdown Skeptics >>

Voltaire Network
Voltaire, international edition

offsite link Voltaire, International Newsletter N?113 Fri Dec 20, 2024 10:42 | en

offsite link Pentagon could create a second Kurdish state Fri Dec 20, 2024 10:31 | en

offsite link How Washington and Ankara Changed the Regime in Damascus , by Thierry Meyssan Tue Dec 17, 2024 06:58 | en

offsite link Statement by President Bashar al-Assad on the Circumstances Leading to his Depar... Mon Dec 16, 2024 13:26 | en

offsite link Voltaire, International Newsletter N?112 Fri Dec 13, 2024 15:34 | en

Voltaire Network >>

Ahmadinejad at Columbia University New York

category international | rights, freedoms and repression | feature author Tuesday September 25, 2007 14:30author by moral fibre Report this post to the editors

"We refuse to choose between Islamic fundamentalism and American imperialism"

featured image
American imperialism or Iranian fundamentalism

Under a storm of controversy Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was invited to speak at Columbia University in New York City. Ahmadinejad is in New York for the UN General Assembly meeting. The Iranian President had already caused controversy by seeking to visit the site of the Twin Towers disaster. The request was swiftly denied by the US authorities. The invitation to speak at Columbia was attacked by many across the political spectrum of the US despite many US citizens priding themselves on the right to free speech. The Iranian Presidents speech to the University has come at a time when the US establishment has increased its propaganda war against Iran in what appears to many as a precursor to war.

Related Links: Iranian President goes to UN General assembly | Irish Times continues to Misrepresent Iranian "Threat" | Iran Holocaust conference opens | Irans Nuclear Threat | "Israel must be wiped off the map"! But did Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad actually say this?

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has just finished speaking and answering questions at Columbia University in New York City. Nobody got tasered for asking awkard questions. The university last year disallowed a visit from the Iranian leader and as the BBC rather quaintly captioned a photo on the news story "many Americans oppose Iran". Perhaps mindful of this hostility, the the dean at Columbia’s School of International and Public Affairs, John Coatsworth told the audience of "an extraordinary opportunity to directly engage in an atmosphere of civility and restraint.” Tickets to the event had sold out within one hour of it being announced, which indicates the event dubbed "access of Evil" by Foxnews might contribute to improving student union facilities at the university in the future. Already minute by minute reports are appearing at all levels of reading & viewing difficulty.

......."Lee C. Bollinger, the university’s president, defended the decision to allow the Iranian president to speak at the Columbia University forum. But he also criticized at length Iran’s human rights record, Mr. Ahmadinejad’s call for the destruction of Israel and his description of the Holocaust as a myth, among other positions......"

...those other positions of course would be the girl on girl & boy on boy action thing. Ahmadinejad did touch the destruction of Israel, Holocaust, homosexuality, Gun control, Atomic Bombs & brown jacket things through the day & no doubt everyone is pouring over the details.

Excellent coverage from the New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/24/world/worldspecial/24...=1&hp
updated blog style report on what was being said, who said what, was he being grilled, would it be tough enough for him to avoid a war, why can't he admit he got it wrong -
http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/09/24/protests-a...ecial

_______________________________________________________________

Local indymedia coverage - has been a bit wanting in the lead-up phase, but now happy imc'istas are getting all passionate & hitting the qwerty - the official line coming out from libertarian central is though :-

We refuse to choose between Islamic fundamentalism and American imperialism

Readers were reminded on the feature page how Iran reacted to 911, since of course Mahmoud has been refused permission to lay a wreath at ground zero during his visit.
http://nyc.indymedia.org/es/2007/09/91089.html

The newswire had seen a protest announced for the Mahmoud gig on the http://nyc.indymedia.org/es/2007/09/91196.html but it is true that most people protesting him came in on the general Fox News circuit.

Coverage since has included these
" Campus Circus Maximus: Ahmadinejad Visits Columbia
Even on its best days, Columbia University exhibits something of fortress-like mentality. Its statuesque stone walls add a touch of Romanesque grandeur, of course, but they mostly just serve to remind visitors and the occasional perceptive student of the institutions' historic isolation from the surrounding community. September 24 2007 was not one of Columbia's best days, as the visit of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad segmented the campus and the streets outside into varying playpens for the exercise of free speech."
http://nyc.indymedia.org/es/2007/09/91197.html

Stop Demonization of President Ahmadinejad! "Stop the war drive against Iran"
reminded imc people in NYC that contrary to Mahmoud's insistence there will be no war, there's still a war drive, which is actually more profitable.............anyway.
"..... We denounce the campaign of demonization against Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad that has preceded his visit to attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York. We call on the anti-war movement, progressive organizations, students, workers and community groups to stand up to this racist campaign and say loudly and clearly: No war against Iran!"
http://nyc.indymedia.org/es/2007/09/91198.html

& as an aside for people whose world ends at the mysterious Nazca lines of Tara as seen from space, just as I was inputting this text an article appeared "as if my magic" on a Tara protest over there in the Big Apple. would you believe it. The great traditional air by Moore (Thomas not Michael) having got an airing raised voices and a plucking on the harps, Saturday last http://nyc.indymedia.org/es/2007/09/91201.html

______________________________________________________________

For those of you who have your mind made up about evolution, gays, the right to bear arms, & need for nukes - Fox news of course has offered people a delightful coverage. The "access of evil" http://youtube.com/watch?v=p09iDvRF65k good for a giggle. They've now followed up http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,297823,00.html & I'll be serious here, have spun one of the key changes in Mahmoud's chatter. This time he tweaked his Holocaust denial, which is why it is being reported as "inferral" now. But till we all read the exact verbatim we won't know.........what he said.........that is...........

_________________________________________________

Just in!!!!

a video made by a student of the introduction, I presume this blog address will see more coverage added later on tonight (or today as it is in NYC) http://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/2007/09/24/columbia...ideo/

Best Buddies
Best Buddies

 #   Title   Author   Date 
   Full Interview With Mahmoud Ahmadinejad     Terence    Tue Sep 25, 2007 16:06 
   more blogosphere coverage on "who won?" - you'd swear it was just a debate.     scared to look    Tue Sep 25, 2007 16:15 
   'Wiped off the map' claim is untrue     Aragon    Tue Sep 25, 2007 17:02 
   How about an apology.........     Stain the Obvious    Tue Sep 25, 2007 17:07 
   Farsi text and supporting Saddam     Sceptic    Tue Sep 25, 2007 18:32 
   Israeli media reaction to the debate, let's do that now, then do the boy on boy/girl on girl thing.     snoring    Tue Sep 25, 2007 19:12 
   Sceptic Sceptic     Aragon    Tue Sep 25, 2007 20:05 
   Facts not assertions     Sceptic    Tue Sep 25, 2007 21:01 
   Facts     Jim O'Sullivan    Tue Sep 25, 2007 21:13 
 10   The truth about US in the Middle East     Aragon    Tue Sep 25, 2007 21:22 
 11   ADMENIJAD NEVER SAID "WIPE ISRAEL OFF THE MAP"     revolt    Tue Sep 25, 2007 22:09 
 12   NO homos in Iran     JohnHM    Wed Sep 26, 2007 00:16 
 13   He did say 'wipe off'     Denis MacEoin    Wed Sep 26, 2007 00:29 
 14   Musing through Neo-Con speel     revolt    Wed Sep 26, 2007 01:17 
 15   McEoin's Distortions     Aragon    Wed Sep 26, 2007 07:27 
 16   one point     Jim O'Sullivan    Wed Sep 26, 2007 08:18 
 17   Bible Thumpers & Zionists     Aragon    Wed Sep 26, 2007 09:23 
 18   It is not nice to awaken to Biblical Phraseology     Language of Fear    Wed Sep 26, 2007 10:27 
 19   ................................     Nodin    Wed Sep 26, 2007 11:14 
 20   ?     Aragon    Wed Sep 26, 2007 12:26 
 21   When you are old you see everything a second time round     Frank Adam    Wed Sep 26, 2007 13:04 
 22   Frank Adam     Aragon    Wed Sep 26, 2007 13:20 
 23   ................................     Nodin    Wed Sep 26, 2007 15:47 
 24   Supporting one or the other...     Tech1.0    Wed Sep 26, 2007 16:15 
 25   Opinion of an Iranian socialist     pat c    Wed Sep 26, 2007 16:35 
 26   All that is painfully true     Aragon    Wed Sep 26, 2007 17:08 
 27   Reply to Jim O'Sullivan above     Sceptic    Wed Sep 26, 2007 17:42 
 28   Aragon     pat c    Wed Sep 26, 2007 17:47 
 29   Complete Verbatim report - Video - more from Israel & household names     moral fibre, fraid to look & snoring    Wed Sep 26, 2007 18:42 
 30   Circles     Jim O'Sullivan    Wed Sep 26, 2007 20:09 
 31   pat c     Aragon    Wed Sep 26, 2007 20:42 
 32   brief aside on the pith of political cartoons.     art critic    Wed Sep 26, 2007 21:14 
 33   Art Critic - and all your other incarnations     Aragon    Wed Sep 26, 2007 21:41 
 34   Ah now...     gosimeon    Wed Sep 26, 2007 23:27 
 35   It's not surprising to see, ..     Tech1.0    Thu Sep 27, 2007 00:21 
 36   Aragon     pat c    Thu Sep 27, 2007 10:17 
 37   Pat!     Aragon    Thu Sep 27, 2007 11:05 
 38   Aragon!!!     pat c    Thu Sep 27, 2007 11:10 
 39   bread and butter     Socialism in context    Thu Sep 27, 2007 11:18 
 40   Socialism in context     Aragon    Thu Sep 27, 2007 12:17 
 41   ..     himself    Thu Sep 27, 2007 15:04 
 42   Tech1.0...     gosimeon    Thu Sep 27, 2007 16:39 
 43   Iran or Usa where would you go?     revolt    Thu Sep 27, 2007 22:34 
 44   Okay so...     gosimeon    Thu Sep 27, 2007 23:17 
 45   Holidays in Iran     revolt    Fri Sep 28, 2007 05:39 
 46   10 Iranian University Heads have questions for Bollinger     Aragon    Fri Sep 28, 2007 08:50 
 47   Full Text Of Ahmadinejad's Remarks     pat c    Fri Sep 28, 2007 10:19 
 48   Its not neocon propaganda     Sceptic    Sat Sep 29, 2007 11:03 
 49   The Great Satan     revolt    Sat Sep 29, 2007 15:12 
 50   Straying?     Sceptic    Sat Sep 29, 2007 15:42 
 51   European 'Civilisation'     Aragon    Sat Sep 29, 2007 16:10 
 52   Another childish contribution.     Tech1.0    Sat Sep 29, 2007 17:43 
 53   To return to the actual interview....     Tech1.0    Sat Sep 29, 2007 18:01 
 54   Up is Down     revolt    Sat Sep 29, 2007 19:07 
 55   Civilisation and Revolt     Sceptic    Mon Oct 01, 2007 20:56 
 56   re: sceptic's last gurggling     gurgle    Mon Oct 01, 2007 22:36 
 57   an historically interesting detail, forgotten...     redjade    Wed Oct 03, 2007 11:36 
 58   Comumbia     Sceptic    Thu Oct 04, 2007 06:17 
 59   Wrong again     Jim O'Sullivan    Thu Oct 04, 2007 08:15 
 60   Neo-con nonce sense     revolt    Thu Oct 04, 2007 13:32 
 61   Bollinger and accustions of mass rape     Sceptic    Sat Oct 06, 2007 05:24 
 62   sceptic you're gurggling.     iosaf    Sun Oct 07, 2007 18:01 
 63   ok if not chomsky, who do you consider worthy then....     wageslave    Sun Oct 07, 2007 23:37 
 64   you surprise me sceptic     iosaf .:. ipsiphi    Sun Oct 07, 2007 23:50 
 65   link not working iosaf...     wageslave    Mon Oct 08, 2007 00:05 
 66   Read Chomsky     revolt    Mon Oct 08, 2007 18:02 
 67   Revolt     Sceptic    Tue Oct 09, 2007 19:06 
 68   You are so dim sceptic     iosaf    Wed Oct 10, 2007 11:22 
 69   noble ideas but....     wageslave    Thu Oct 11, 2007 03:42 
 70   Bowling for Bollinger?     Revolt    Fri Oct 12, 2007 03:50 
 71   Middle class fading...hmmm     Neddy    Fri Oct 12, 2007 16:27 
 72   Sustainable living?     Revolt    Fri Oct 12, 2007 17:46 
 73   Sweeping statement     Neddy    Sat Oct 13, 2007 08:01 
 74   The workers...     Brennie    Sat Oct 13, 2007 08:46 
 75   re     Revolt    Sat Oct 13, 2007 16:39 
 76   re: Ahmadinejad at Columbia University New York     Pete Smith    Sun Dec 02, 2007 01:56 
 77   More precise     Watcher    Sun Dec 02, 2007 10:10 


Number of comments per page
  
 
© 2001-2024 Independent Media Centre Ireland. Unless otherwise stated by the author, all content is free for non-commercial reuse, reprint, and rebroadcast, on the net and elsewhere. Opinions are those of the contributors and are not necessarily endorsed by Independent Media Centre Ireland. Disclaimer | Privacy