"Be A Man"

If Republicans cheered blue skies and a sunny day, Josh Marshall would pen a screed decrying rising rates of skin cancer.  However, this reflexive oppositionalism can lead him to some odd places, as for example, his latest blast (actually, blasts) directed at those who objected to the news that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran *might* be visiting Ground Zero while attending the United Nations.  Here we go:

Grow Up

Am I the only one embarrassed by the dingbat brouhaha over Iranian President Ahmadinejad's attempt to visit Ground Zero to lay a wreath? Given relations between our countries I could see denying him a visa, but as long as we're hosting the UN that's not an option. Ahmadinejad now says he's "amazed" that such a visit would be insulting to Americans. Sen. McCain said that Ahmadinejad should be "physically restrained if necessary" from visiting the site.  The National Review's Kathryn Lopez got worked up in such a lather that she begged Rudy Giuliani to "lead a human blockade keeping Ahmadinejad from getting to Ground Zero" -- thus demonstrating once and for all Rudy's true calling as the surrogate id of right-wing nerds everywhere.

"Dingbat"?  C'mon, it's "moonbat" or "wingnut".  Or is this actually a bipartisan swipe?  His list of opponents failed to include Hillary Clinton, still the leading Dem candidate for the Presidency, who issued this statement:

It is unacceptable for Iranian President Ahmadinejad, who refuses to renounce and end his own country’s support of terrorism, to visit the site of the deadliest terrorist attack on American soil in our nation’s history.

Barack Obama said that Ground Zero "must not be a backdrop for President Ahmadinejad to posture", which I infer to be opposition.  I have not yet ascertained the view of Elizabeth Edwards.

Let's continue with Dr. Marshall's careful analysis:

So what's the problem exactly? Presumably we can be frank enough to acknowledge that the real issue here is that while Ahmadinejad is not Arab to most of us he looks pretty Arab. And he is Muslim certainly -- and pretty up in arms about it at that. And we officially don't like him. And we classify the country he runs as a state sponsor of terrorism. So even though he has absolutely nothing to do with 9/11, when you put all these key facts together, he might as well have done it himself. And what business does anyone with the blood of the victims of 9/11 on his hands have going to Ground Zero?

That's basically it and don't tell me it's not.

He "looks Arab"?  For heaven's sake - by that subtle reasoning Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan looks Arab, too, but he was allowed to give an address at Ground Zero.

As to the rest, well, yes, the fact that Iran, as a leading sponsor of terror, would cheer if Hezbollah did to Tel Aviv what Al Qaeda did to Manhattan does create a bit of awkwardness.  For a bit of perspective let's cut to Hillary's observation from the July YouTube debate when she opined that offering photo ops and propaganda coups to Chavez, Castro and  Ahmadinejad would be a mistake.  Does anyone doubt that allowing Ahmadinejad to pose as a foe of terrorism while the US is trying to rally world opinion against him would send a bit of a mixed message?

And when Dr. Marshall says that "[Ahmadinejad] has absolutely nothing to do with 9/11" he is being disingenuous.  From the 9-11 Commission we learned that 10 of the hijackers traveled through Iran en route to the US while Iranian border officials waved them through without leaving any eyebrow-raising passport stamps.  Now, Ahmadinejad was not in power in 2000/2001, but as the current leader of the Iranian state he certainly bears symbolic responsibility.

Dr. Marshall's Big Finish provided a chuckle:

If we as a country were a person, I'd say grow up.  Act like a man*.  Have some self-respect.

* Yes, outdated language.  But I know no non-gendered language that conveys the same meaning.

Hmm, Hillary and K-Lo ought to be men?  Do not women posses the virtues of wisdom, maturity, and self-restraint for which Dr. M is looking?  Fortunately, Dr. M is a lefty so he can get away with sexist nonsense like that.

MORE:  The Anon Lib rallied to Josh Marshall's side and took up the cudgels on behalf of Columbia, which will be hosting a speech by Ahmadinejad.  I would be more comfortable with that hosting if there was not such an obvious asymmetry at American campuses - Ahmadinejad can speak at Columbia but Lawrence Summers can not speak at UC Board of Regents.  And I very much doubt that Don Rumsfeld or Condi Rice would be able to address a Columbia audience.  So the idea of a half-free university atmosphere bothers me, although it may be that half-free is better than not free at all.

STILL MORE:  Frank J on his Ground Zero philosophy:

In the Fred Thompson administration, there will be no need for the leaders of terrorist states to visit Ground Zero; Ground Zero will be wherever they live.

Comments

[narciso]

Boy that's ten minutes I'll never get back. Besides that 9/11 tie; there are reports of
Iranian proxy Hezbollah coordinator Imad Mugniyeh's meeting with Bin Laden in 1996; where they shared their experience of the
U.S. retreat from Beirut (Bin Laden, was a little busy in 1983; at the moment to worry
about such things.

[Anonymous Liberal]

I have no intention of defending the way Larry Summers was treated (i.e. very unfairly), or to defend all behavior by American academics, but I do have some familiarity with Lee Bollinger, having attended Columbia Law. And I can tell you he is a very reasonable person, not some knee-jerk Ward Churchill-like leftist. And I think his defense of his decision in this instance is both eloquent and pretty obviously correct on the merits.

It's important not to lose sight of the nature of the event. A mere invitation to participate at some event is not in itself an honor bestowed on someone. If Columbia were inviting Ahmadenijad to give some sort of prestigious address or to be the keynote speaker at some event, or some other invitation that people would consider an honor, that's one thing. But that's not what this is. Bollinger has made it clear that the bulk of the forum will be devoted to a Q&A session in which he intends to grill Ahmadinejad on a number of issues, including his statements about Israel and the holocaust. And he's inviting others to do the same. I don't see why that's objectionable. It's seems to be like a rare opportunity get this guy on the record and really pin him down about certain issues.

[PeterUK]

"I have not yet ascertained the view of Elizabeth Edwards."

Although Senator Edwards hairdresser advised against attending the site since," A safety hat plays havoc with his coiffure."

[hit and run]

TM:
And I very much doubt that Don Rumsfeld or Condi Rice would be able to address a Columbia audience.

Or how about if Rumsfeld were to join as a visting fellow to the Hoover Institution, a conservative think tank (think Victor Davis Hanson) located on the Stanford campus, but unaffiliated with Stanford U.

No one would be up in arms about that, would they?

[PeterUK]

"It's seems to be like a rare opportunity get this guy on the record and really pin him down about certain issues."

The man will simply lie through his teeth.

[hit and run]

Anonymous Liberal:
Bollinger has made it clear that the bulk of the forum will be devoted to a Q&A session in which he intends to grill Ahmadinejad on a number of issues, including his statements about Israel and the holocaust.

JPod has already scripted the grilling.

Despite whatever view one has of JPod, it's an interesting argument he puts forth in FAVOR of Ahmadinejad in any argument where Bollinger is involved.

[Sue]

It's seems to be like a rare opportunity get this guy on the record and really pin him down about certain issues.

Certain issues. Like the death sentence for gays? While ROTC is not allowed on campus because of the don't ask, don't tell policy. Sweet. Odds are, his country's treatment of gays/lesbians will not be addressed. Nor will the lack of rights for women be addressed. But I will lay odds that Bush's name comes up.

[PeterUK]

Anyone who cannot see that this would be a propaganda coup for Ahmadinejad is stupid.

[hit and run]

Can Columbia open up the forum so that non-students and non-faculty can ask questions? I know that it would be bedlam to open it up to anyone. But if you think a "grilling" is in order, why not bring in some first class "grillers"?

Not that I don't trust Columbia students and faculty, oh wait, maybe I don't?

[Garth]

he probably thinks by getting out and interacting with americans he can dispell the notion he's crazy and needs to be "taken out" with extreme prejudice.

how the left would howl if he were gunned down on the streets of ny in a calculated political hit.

[Terrye]

This man is part of an insane and homicidal regime that hangs gay teenagers. Kills them. He does not hurt their feelings, he puts a rope around the necks.

He is holocaust denying loon. Sheesh.

I wonder if Columbia ever invited Stalin to speak.

There is a really interesting book out there, Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi. I would recommend the book, it gives an inside view of Iran during the revolution through the eyes of American educated literature professor.

[Semanticleo]

AL;

"Moreover, our hysterical, utterly juvenile overreaction plays right into Ahmadinejad's hand politically. First, it elevates his importance far beyond anything he deserves. Second, it actually makes him more of a sympathetic figure to Iranians who wouldn't otherwise be inclined to side with him. To Iranians, it must seem like Americans either don't know or don't care about the difference between Persian Iranians and Sunni Arab terrorists like Osama bin Laden. Iran had nothing to do with 9/11, and I doubt that most Iranians appreciate their head of state being treated as if he and his country were somehow responsible for those events, particularly when all he planned to do was lay a wreath at the site."

Indeed. A plethora of international issues
infest the daily news, and this is what counts? Please.

[PeterUK]

Yes,you need at least one token conservative.
Anybody want to lay odds on this not being hijacked by the anti-war movement?

[PeterUK]

"I wonder if Columbia ever invited Stalin to speak?"

Columbia would invite Satan to speak in the interests of balance.

[hit and run]

PUK:
Yes,you need at least one token conservative.

Hell, compromise conservative, let Andrew Sullivan grill him on gay issues.

[Topsecretk9]

So the idea of a half-free university atmosphere bothers me, although it may be that half-free is better than not free at all.

Iran Universities are zero free. Seems awfully hypocritical for Columbia to wet kiss a man who closes down his universities at will, but of course so called liberals could care less about Iranian students.

Actually, it make me sick that liberals want to wet kiss the fascist scumbag while he is killing American soldiers.

[Sue]

Iran had nothing to do with 9/11, and I doubt that most Iranians appreciate their head of state being treated as if he and his country were somehow responsible for those events, particularly when all he planned to do was lay a wreath at the site.

We are being asked, how did Hillary! say it, have a willing suspension of belief to that portion of Patraeus' testimony that Iran is supplying weapons to those killing our troops in Iraq. For that reason alone, he has no business anywhere near ground zero.

[Rick Ballard]

Now Peter, what's a college for if not to pursue collegial interests? I'm certain that Bollinger will do his utmost to persuade Ahmanutter of the folly of pursuing the islamic theological position rather than switching to the progressive Hegelian theology. What difference does it really make when submission is the actual end anyway? Surely Ahmanutter will be lead to substitute Reason for Allah - especially given that, either way, the Jews remain the enemy.

Great things can come from a meeting of like minds. Look what Molotov and Ribbentrop were able to achieve. The disparity in this case is as purely theoretical as it was back then and there is no reason to believe that common ground will not cheerfully be shared while ever closer relationships are developed.

[Terrye]

It is like having a conversation with a snake. What do you talk about?

Tell me Mr. Mad Mullah, do you have problems attaining an rejection? Quite often when shrimpy little men fail to perform they feel the need to compensate by beheading an unwed mother. Did you ever behead an unwed mother?

I just can't quite visualize how a conversation like this works.

[SteveMG]

Concepts like honor, dignity, decency are apparently foreign to Dr. Marshall.

Men without chests, indeed.

SMG

[RichatUF]

from the Hillary! quote-

It is unacceptable for Iranian President Ahmadinejad, who refuses to renounce and end his own country’s support of terrorism...

It is unacceptable unprofitable for Iranian President Ahmadinejad, who refuses to renounce and end his own country’s support terrorism... has declared war on the United States and Israel...

I'm sure once the rent table can be worked out, Hillary! will be more pliant towards our Islamic and Chinese masters [ask Hsu, the check's in the mail].

[hit and run]

Ah, what the hell, Pat Buchanan is a Columbia alumni...Norman Podhoretz...David Horowitz...Laura Schlessinger...Mona Charen at Barnard...Ben Stein...Jeffrey Hart...Denis Prager...

...invite any of them on behalf of the greater Columbia community.

And another opportunity to mourn Jeanne Kirkpatrick...

[hit and run]

Shoot, didn't even catch this, get Thomas Sowell there....

[clarice]

If you get a PhD. in history at Brown are you still a doctor? Are you really well-versed in history? What a clown.

Bollinger was silent on the speech code at the University of Michigan when he was there--showing once again that cowardice and the failure to defend real free speech and dialogue is a sure shot to academic success.

[PeterUK]

Rick,
The first question will be,"President Ahmadinejad,do you think that a reversal of Bushitlers insane hegemonic war in Iraq is preventing the restoration of peace in the Middle East".There probably won't be more time for more questions because of the anti-Bushitler riots..

A couple of points,Ahmadinejad could room with Andrew Sullivan,in the interests of learning and peaceful co-existance.
That "common ground" you mention,I think it is called Europe

[Terrye]

I am not so sure inviting Pat would help. Considering his own feelings about the Jews and all.

But Norman Podhoretz would be someone who might have some good questions for Mr. Ahmadinejad.

[PeterUK]

"President Ahmadinejad,do you think that Bushitlers insane hegemonic war in Iraq is preventing the restoration of peace in the Middle East".

Too late at night!

[Sara]

You can be all academic about Imanutjob, but the bottom line is that he is conducting a proxy war with us and sanctioning his minions to kill our soldiers and supply weapons to the terrorists. He has declared that our strongest ally in the region should be blown off the face of the earth. He has insulted a segment of our society and world society with his holocaust denials.

And he was part of the Iranian Embassy take over and hostage crisis.

The President should deny him entry into the U.S. just as Clinton did with Arafat. Columbia should have the scorn of nation reign down on them. I don't care how fair Bollinger is. This evil man should not be disinvited, no not disinvited, told to stay the hell away.

This has nothing to do with free speech, it has everything to do with American lives and American freedoms.

[Terrye]

Sara:

I agree that this guy is the enemy. But that whole UN thing makes it difficult to refuse to let them in.

I was never really crazy about the UN, but over the years I have gotten more and more disgusted with the place and one of the reasons is that any and every nut job on the planet who can get an invite to the United Nations gets to come to New York.

That just sucks.

[Sara]

The man is an enemy of the United States and the idea he should sit down for a chit chat with college students and be wined and dined at the Press Club is contemptible.

[PeterUK]

The rich irony of this is,those self same fair minded liberals, are the very people who Ahmadinejad wants to see dangling from a crane.

[Sue]

As PeterUK called him Imanutjob, doesn't care what we think, want or do. He is a true tinfoil hatted terrorist loon that believes only what he wishes to believe even if proven otherwise. I only wish he would fall in a deep hole or fall off the platform at that college called columbia. I am sick and tired of hearing it called a prestigious university!
Since the tinfoil hatted leftist loons have taken over academia, there is no more prestigious universities left in the world. Only places full of young and old nutjobs!

[Sara]

Well Clinton kept Arafat out, and Imanutjob is not coming as a diplomat or ambassador, he is coming as a Head of State of a country that is waging war against us and our allies. I'm sorry but as I said it is contemptible and outrageous.

[centralcal]

From what I have read (sorry, read to much to remember every source), Mahmoud answers questions with 30 minute (or longer) diatribes. So what difference is it if the questions are probing? The Q & A could last a week!

I really think Bill Kristol has the best idea. Columbia students should simply boycott. The faculty won't, so I won't even go there suggesting that. And, sad to say, the students probably will not either. I also read somewhere today that it was "SRO" already and anyone trying to attend now would have to watch a remote transmission.

Sickening.

[Terrye]

Imanutjob is pretty clever. That PUK is talented with that sort of thing.

[narciso]

An imperfect comparison would be when Harvard welcomed Ernst "Putzi Hanftaegl,
'11. Hitler's flack there in 1936, but
they had the excuse he was an alumni.

I had forgotten about Saudi Hezbollah's role in the Khobar Towers in Dhahran, in
1996; the reputed real life analogue of
the events in "The Kingdom" as another
mark against him. Indications are the bombers trained at a camp at the ever popular city of Mashad; which many Iraqi
politicians including an Al Queda leader
and the Sunni speaker of Parliament, have
as part of their name. Bob Baer, a name I've referenced many times; based his latest
alternative look at September 11th as essentially an Iranian plot with AQ 'false
flag' elements; that's academic free range
crazy comparable to trutherism; ie 9/11 denialism

[hit and run]

Best of all?
----

Iran, Bollinger and Salman Rushdie [Greg Pollowitz]

If Ahmadinejad does speak at Columbia, I would hope that President Bollinger brings up Salman Rushdie, who was forced into hiding by Khomeini's death threats over the publication of The Satanic Verses.

And as ironies go, here's an interview of Salman Rushide by Bollinger. An excerpt:

Bollinger: At your talk at Columbia in 1991, you gave a self-description, in which you talked about holding on to your soul. You said, “No matter how great the storm, if that plunges me into contradiction and paradox, so be it. I’ve lived in that messy ocean all my life. I fished in it for my art. This turbulent sea was the sea outside my bedroom window in Bombay. It is the sea by which I was born and which I carry with me wherever I go.” Do you still agree with this as a description of yourself?

Rushdie: Yes. I mean, this really is the last thing to say: I think that democracy, freedom, art, literature—these are not tea parties, you know? These are turbulent, brawling, arguing, abrasive things. I’ve always seen the work of the imagination and the world of the intellect as being turbulent places. And, you know, out of turbulence come sparks, which are sometimes creative and sometimes not. But without that turbulence, in a calm sea, nothing happens.

If Bollinger really wants to highlight the power of free speech, he should invite Rushdie to debate Ahmadinejad.

[MikeS]

Ahmadinejad has already explained himself. Now he needs to have somethings explained to him. The people of Iran should understand that they are viewed as a barbaric pariah state because of their association with Hezbollah and nutjobs like Mamoud.

[hit and run]

Maybe Haleh Asfandiari would be given a chance at the mic?

[Sara]

I was reminded today by one of the talking heads that Iran allowed the 9/11 hijackers to pass thru Iran without benefit of a passport stamp or anything like that. That was before Imajihad (thank Pamela Geller) in his present position, but he is the Head of State now and the face of Iran.

[Sara]

Iran Describes Ahmadinejad As "Socrates of 3rd Millineum"

[MikeS]

I got a kick out of the statement of those Stanford professors who object to Rumsfeld's Hoover Institute appointment.

 

"We view the appointment as fundamentally incompatible with the ethical values of truthfulness, tolerance, disinterested enquiry, respect for national and international laws, and care for the opinions, property and lives of others to which Stanford is inalienably committed,"

It appears that those professors have heard these words before, and they know that they sound good. But they don't seem to understand what the words mean!

[Sue]

Not this Sue Is someone impersonating me or do we have a visitor?

[Terrye]

Socrates? Does that mean he will be drinking hemlock? I hope.

I hear he did not like The 300. Where are the Spartans when you need them?

[Sue]

It boggles the mind to think they are allowing a man a platform who believes killing teenage boys because they are gay is the right thing to do. Because he hates Bush. The world has truly gone mad.

[clarice]

Go to little green footballs to see what Columbia did with a leading German Nazi in the lead up to that war and how that university continued relations with German universities even after the Nuremberg laws purged all Jews from them.
I have always regarded the Jewish connection to Columbia as evidence of the masochism of NY Jews.

[Terrye]

clarice:

I have never understood that phenomenon. It just seems to self loathing to me.

[clarice]

I don't understand it either.

http://hnn.us/roundup/entries/42946.html

[Syl]

It's seems to be like a rare opportunity get this guy on the record and really pin him down about certain issues.

LOLOL! ROTF! LOL!

"Are you really building the bomb?"

"We don't make bad movies in Iran!"

[Syl]

Rushdie: Yes. I mean, this really is the last thing to say: I think that democracy, freedom, art, literature—these are not tea parties, you know? These are turbulent, brawling, arguing, abrasive things. I’ve always seen the work of the imagination and the world of the intellect as being turbulent places. And, you know, out of turbulence come sparks, which are sometimes creative and sometimes not. But without that turbulence, in a calm sea, nothing happens.

This is simply brilliant...couldn't one also say that 'turbulence' and 'sparks' vs 'calm sea' and 'nothing happens' defines capitalism vs socialism as well?