Jim Babcock said:
>>> and that's EXACTLY why anyone who may disrupt the ahmandinejad (sp?) speech should be locked out.
I understand your logic completely. However here in the political forum we have had several threads complaining about those who would surely disrupt the President of the United States when he gives a speech being locked out. Is this not a double standard?
>>> kudos to Columbia for giving ahmandinejad a chance to speak, however unagreeable many may find.
Should the KKK be given a chance to speak at the University if they would like? Should Hitler have been given a similar opportunity? Is there any limitation to this concept that anyone, no matter how repugnant, should be given the opportunity to speak?
>>> if you dig deep enough, you can find charges of censorship everywhere
I agree. By definition, there is not enough time on anyones calendar to allow anyone who would like to speak to have their 15 minutes of glory. However, there is a pattern of behavior with certain Universities that are more inclined to have a tyrant speak than a conservative. In this case we are fighting a war where Iran is having our men in arms killed, and he is being treated at CU as a hero.
i agree that known troublemakers should be locked out from the president's functions. however, this is NOT the same as handpicking the most ardent supporters in those staged "townhall meetings" throwing softball questions. the former is a legitimate concern, the latter is just... lame. of course, some who disagree with the president will scream double standard at the drop of a dime anyway.
those with significant relevance should be afforded a platform, however repungent they are. after all, nothing exposes their hypocrisy and ridiculousness better than having them confronted (with civility and order) in an open exchange. in this regard, hitler... definitely. KKK? not quite enough relevance these days. ahmandinejad is the head of a nation, a very important one in the region at that. (and a nation that i don't mind seeing turned to dust, but that's another matter)
i don't think anyone's treating ahmandinejad as a hero either.