****OFFICIAL Columbia University's Ahmadinejad Q&A****

[BradT]

Any video of the Q&A in its entirety?

 

[Pabster]

Originally posted by: eits
whenever ahmadinejad said there weren't any gays in iran and the crowd laughed, i felt pity for him. he looked so embarrassed and ashamed for saying something he knows deep down to be bullshit...

He should be embarrassed and ashamed. But for crimes far worse than homosexuality. Maybe he better study that Quran again.

 

[shiner]

Originally posted by: Craig234
His statement on Iran not having gays is obviously wrong, and contemptible. As usual, it's the 'benefit' of the society repressing gays that makes it easier, in a circular way, for people to deny their existence, and thereby the nature of homosexuality as naturally occurring.

I'll also note though that it wasn't that many decades ago that the US was largely filled with people who are nearly as ignorant, with homosexuality as an official mental illness, and movies pretending it didn't exist as actors like Rock Hudson had to hide their sexual preference.

I'll also note that we have a large faction in the US, who currently has their guy in the Presidency, who also has these false beliefs about homosexuality as a 'choice', who have a syndrome of leaders who are gay secretly, caught in a gay scandal, and get 're-educated' to heterosexuality, to gain support from the base.

If we want to ridicule the president of Iran for his statements that deserve it, let's remember the head of the US Senate pronounced that Terri Schiavo had brain activity and could recover, as the president returned early from vacation to sign an emergency bill in the middle of the night, in an act filled with hypocrisy as he did the opposite in other less visible situations.

Edit: and let's not forget how the norm in our popular culture until recent years was for males to say they'd happily 'beat the crap out of a gay person if the met one'.

I recall many 'average' people saying that and it wasn't considered something to challenge. Thank goodness we've improved, but give Iran some time.

We are viewed as similarly backwards by much of the rest of the world on capital punishment and universal healthcare, among other things.

I'll buy you a ticket to Iran if you promise to never come back.

 

[db]

Not by name, but by implication, he called Bush "stupid, retarded".

 

[shiner]

Originally posted by: db
Not by name, but by implication, he called Bush "stupid, retarded".

Well on that we can all agree.

 

[eits]

Originally posted by: Pabster

Originally posted by: eits
whenever ahmadinejad said there weren't any gays in iran and the crowd laughed, i felt pity for him. he looked so embarrassed and ashamed for saying something he knows deep down to be bullshit...

He should be embarrassed and ashamed. But for crimes far worse than homosexuality. Maybe he better study that Quran again.

why is it that everytime you post, it sounds like you're oozing pompous bravado... as if you've just said something totally brilliant and righteous...

 

[Narmer]

Except for the gay part, the forum was excellent. Like eits said, the President is a very gifted speaker (like Hitler and Reagan), but far more poetic and cultured. I really liked the way he mixed the religion and science together. The guy is clearly an intellectual of the highest order. I was able to get a handshake on his way out to 114th street.

 

[Narmer]

Originally posted by: eits

Originally posted by: Pabster

Originally posted by: eits
whenever ahmadinejad said there weren't any gays in iran and the crowd laughed, i felt pity for him. he looked so embarrassed and ashamed for saying something he knows deep down to be bullshit...

He should be embarrassed and ashamed. But for crimes far worse than homosexuality. Maybe he better study that Quran again.

why is it that everytime you post, it sounds like you're oozing pompous bravado... as if you've just said something totally brilliant and righteous...

That must be one of the talking points these people parrott around. It doesn't make any sense but it's simplistic and sounds good. For the record, Bush has far more blood on his hands.

 

[yllus]

Originally posted by: Narmer
Except for the gay part, the forum was excellent. Like eits said, the President is a very gifted speaker (like Hitler and Reagan), but far more poetic and cultured. I really liked the way he mixed the religion and science together. The guy is clearly an intellectual of the highest order. I was able to get a handshake on his way out to 114th street.

Actually he was evasive, intellectually dishonest and really nothing special when it comes to speak - I'd take Tony Blair over him in a debate any day of the week. Your seeking out a handshake doesn't surprise me in the slightest.

 

[Narmer]

Originally posted by: yllus

Originally posted by: Narmer
Except for the gay part, the forum was excellent. Like eits said, the President is a very gifted speaker (like Hitler and Reagan), but far more poetic and cultured. I really liked the way he mixed the religion and science together. The guy is clearly an intellectual of the highest order. I was able to get a handshake on his way out to 114th street.

Actually he was evasive, intellectually dishonest and really nothing special when it comes to speak - I'd take Tony Blair over him in a debate any day of the week. Your seeking out a handshake doesn't surprise me in the slightest.

How was he evasive?

 

[shiner]

Originally posted by: Narmer
Except for the gay part, the forum was excellent. Like eits said, the President is a very gifted speaker (like Hitler and Reagan), but far more poetic and cultured. I really liked the way he mixed the religion and science together. The guy is clearly an intellectual of the highest order. I was able to get a handshake on his way out to 114th street.

You might as well just go ahead and forget about posting here ever again.

I mean unless of course you can manage to make it downstairs in time to catch your credibility that went flying out the window and keep it from hitting the ground.

 

[Craig234]

Originally posted by: Jaskalas
Let me get this straight Craig, we have to keep murderers alive (let them back out on the street?) and copy socialist healthcare systems with huge wait times or else we cannot criticize the execution of homosexuals?

Beyond that, is your argument that two wrongs make a right? Do your examples excuse such things that we complain of?

Thank goodness we've improved, but give Iran some time.

Is it not popular opinion that Islamic societies have been kept in the dark ages and that the rest of the world has moved on? I?m curious on your view of this line of thought ? and if you think there is reason to expect a move towards moderation.

No, Jaskalas, we don't have to do those things before condemning the execution of homosexuals. I condemned that, and welcome your doing so as well.

My comments are rather an attempt to prevent the frequent problem of one group being myopic and only criticizing others while ignoring their own issues, turning it into an issue of nationalism (WE'RE THE BEST WE'RE #1!!!) rather than into simply trying to push what's right in the world.

Think about it, how hard is it for two societies to simply condemn each for each others' flaws - say they're both right - and not get anywhere? We can condemn countries for continuing traditional female genital mutilation, while some groups ask why the US continues to have male circumcision as such a popular option (admittedly it's medically *far* less destructive). The Muslim world can condemn us for our higher crime rates, drug problems and such - but if they just do that and don't improve their own issues, what good is that? What good is it for two nations just to point fingers? The idea is for countries to listen and improve - as well as to realize that there's room for diversity in the world and sometimes the other country has a right to make a different choice.

Some issues cross the line on the reasonable range for 'diverse culture', and those are the ones we combat - including the execution of gays.

My comments were in no small part meant to encourage Americans to better understand the thinking behind such wrongheaded attitudes by pointing out how our own not too distant past, and even a bit of our present, has no small amount of similar problems. We can look and see the problems fundamentalism causes them - even while fundamentalism is on a resurgence to cause new problems here. We can point fingers at Islam being 'backwards' and forget the Christian fundamentalists' takeover of Rome around the 4th century leading to Western civilization's dark and middle ages for a thousand years, even after the Muslims had helped mankind develop so much in writing, science, and other areas.

In other words, I'm agreeing with you on the need to criticize, and I want to keep it useful and not have such important issues get lost in mere nationalistic noise. "THEY SUCK!"

To the extent tha our own history can help people better understand and relate to the problems they have, the better for understanding how to actually improve things.

It was in just the 1960's that the Ameericans earlier to see the need for equal rights for blacks were called '***** lovers' and beaten by those who were not yet so 'developed'.

There's a lesson there for us not to demonize people with such views just as monsters, but rather to try to understand how societies grow in their beliefs.

 

[yllus]

Originally posted by: Narmer

Originally posted by: yllus

Originally posted by: Narmer
Except for the gay part, the forum was excellent. Like eits said, the President is a very gifted speaker (like Hitler and Reagan), but far more poetic and cultured. I really liked the way he mixed the religion and science together. The guy is clearly an intellectual of the highest order. I was able to get a handshake on his way out to 114th street.

Actually he was evasive, intellectually dishonest and really nothing special when it comes to speak - I'd take Tony Blair over him in a debate any day of the week. Your seeking out a handshake doesn't surprise me in the slightest.

How was he evasive?

Did you listen to a word of the debate? He avoided clarifying his position on whether Israel should be "destroyed". He avoided stating whether his nation would clamp down on insurgents or war material flowing into Iraq. He avoided discussing the specifics of why he considered the Holocaust to require a factual revisiting.

As the president of Columbia implied at the end, he didn't really answer much at all.

 

[Narmer]

Originally posted by: shinerburke

Originally posted by: Narmer
Except for the gay part, the forum was excellent. Like eits said, the President is a very gifted speaker (like Hitler and Reagan), but far more poetic and cultured. I really liked the way he mixed the religion and science together. The guy is clearly an intellectual of the highest order. I was able to get a handshake on his way out to 114th street.

You might as well just go ahead and forget about posting here ever again.

I mean unless of course you can manage to make it downstairs in time to catch your credibility that went flying out the window and keep it from hitting the ground.

Like I give a damn...

Oh, I also chatted up with a secret service guy. They live a very interesting life. We ended up talking about Columbia girls and compact sets (from real analysis).

 

[First]

Does someone have video of this? Can't find it on YouTube yet.

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

Originally posted by: Narmer
Except for the gay part, the forum was excellent. Like eits said, the President is a very gifted speaker (like Hitler and Reagan), but far more poetic and cultured. I really liked the way he mixed the religion and science together. The guy is clearly an intellectual of the highest order. I was able to get a handshake on his way out to 114th street.

How old are you?

Reagan a gifted speaker? Not that I recall. He had his moments but quite often he was irritating to listen to, stumbling and bumbling with his "ahhh" and pregnant pauses. Clinton was a far better speaker.

Not to mention that people who are swayed by silver tongues are a bit frightening.

 

[Narmer]

Originally posted by: yllus

Originally posted by: Narmer

Originally posted by: yllus

Originally posted by: Narmer
Except for the gay part, the forum was excellent. Like eits said, the President is a very gifted speaker (like Hitler and Reagan), but far more poetic and cultured. I really liked the way he mixed the religion and science together. The guy is clearly an intellectual of the highest order. I was able to get a handshake on his way out to 114th street.

Actually he was evasive, intellectually dishonest and really nothing special when it comes to speak - I'd take Tony Blair over him in a debate any day of the week. Your seeking out a handshake doesn't surprise me in the slightest.

How was he evasive?

Did you listen to a word of the debate? He avoided clarifying his position on whether Israel should be "destroyed". He avoided stating whether his nation would clamp down on insurgents or war material flowing into Iraq. He avoided discussing the specifics of why he considered the Holocaust to require a factual revisiting.

As the president of Columbia implied at the end, he didn't really answer much at all.

Have you ever met a politician that answered such questions in the same manner your children talk to you? I haven't. The man is the leader of a sovereign nation. Pinning him down with such absurd questions was rude. I sent a protest email to President Bollinger for being so arrogant and rude towards the President of Iran. If Bush, who has more blood on his hands came to our campus, Bollinger would show more respect to him (the man that has far more blood on his hands and is hungry for more).

 

[palehorse]

Originally posted by: Narmer
Except for the gay part, the forum was excellent. Like eits said, the President is a very gifted speaker (like Hitler and Reagan), but far more poetic and cultured. I really liked the way he mixed the religion and science together. The guy is clearly an intellectual of the highest order. I was able to get a handshake on his way out to 114th street.

Following in 'ole Hanoi Jane's footprints I see... I'm not surprised one bit!

 

[shiner]

Originally posted by: Narmer

Originally posted by: yllus

Originally posted by: Narmer

Originally posted by: yllus

Originally posted by: Narmer
Except for the gay part, the forum was excellent. Like eits said, the President is a very gifted speaker (like Hitler and Reagan), but far more poetic and cultured. I really liked the way he mixed the religion and science together. The guy is clearly an intellectual of the highest order. I was able to get a handshake on his way out to 114th street.

Actually he was evasive, intellectually dishonest and really nothing special when it comes to speak - I'd take Tony Blair over him in a debate any day of the week. Your seeking out a handshake doesn't surprise me in the slightest.

How was he evasive?

Did you listen to a word of the debate? He avoided clarifying his position on whether Israel should be "destroyed". He avoided stating whether his nation would clamp down on insurgents or war material flowing into Iraq. He avoided discussing the specifics of why he considered the Holocaust to require a factual revisiting.

As the president of Columbia implied at the end, he didn't really answer much at all.

Have you ever met a politician that answered such questions in the same manner your children talk to you? I haven't. The man is the leader of a sovereign nation. Pinning him down with such absurd questions was rude. I sent a protest email to President Bollinger for being so arrogant and rude towards the President of Iran. If Bush, who has more blood on his hands came to our campus, Bollinger would show more respect to him (the man that has far more blood on his hands and is hungry for more).

Wow.

Just

Wow

 

[Narmer]

Originally posted by: TastesLikeChicken

Originally posted by: Narmer
Except for the gay part, the forum was excellent. Like eits said, the President is a very gifted speaker (like Hitler and Reagan), but far more poetic and cultured. I really liked the way he mixed the religion and science together. The guy is clearly an intellectual of the highest order. I was able to get a handshake on his way out to 114th street.

How old are you?

Reagan a gifted speaker? Not that I recall. He had his moments but quite often he was irritating to listen to, stumbling and bumbling with his "ahhh" and pregnant pauses. Clinton was a far better speaker.

Not to mention that people who are swayed by silver tongues are a bit frightening.

It takes one to know one. Many people say I'm a good speaker and good debater.

 

[shiner]

Originally posted by: Narmer

Originally posted by: TastesLikeChicken

Originally posted by: Narmer
Except for the gay part, the forum was excellent. Like eits said, the President is a very gifted speaker (like Hitler and Reagan), but far more poetic and cultured. I really liked the way he mixed the religion and science together. The guy is clearly an intellectual of the highest order. I was able to get a handshake on his way out to 114th street.

How old are you?

Reagan a gifted speaker? Not that I recall. He had his moments but quite often he was irritating to listen to, stumbling and bumbling with his "ahhh" and pregnant pauses. Clinton was a far better speaker.

Not to mention that people who are swayed by silver tongues are a bit frightening.

It takes one to know one. Many people say I'm a good speaker and good debater.

Which one are you?

 

[yllus]

Originally posted by: Narmer

Originally posted by: yllus

Originally posted by: Narmer

Originally posted by: yllus

Originally posted by: Narmer
Except for the gay part, the forum was excellent. Like eits said, the President is a very gifted speaker (like Hitler and Reagan), but far more poetic and cultured. I really liked the way he mixed the religion and science together. The guy is clearly an intellectual of the highest order. I was able to get a handshake on his way out to 114th street.

Actually he was evasive, intellectually dishonest and really nothing special when it comes to speak - I'd take Tony Blair over him in a debate any day of the week. Your seeking out a handshake doesn't surprise me in the slightest.

How was he evasive?

Did you listen to a word of the debate? He avoided clarifying his position on whether Israel should be "destroyed". He avoided stating whether his nation would clamp down on insurgents or war material flowing into Iraq. He avoided discussing the specifics of why he considered the Holocaust to require a factual revisiting.

As the president of Columbia implied at the end, he didn't really answer much at all.

Have you ever met a politician that answered such questions in the same manner your children talk to you? I haven't. The man is the leader of a sovereign nation. Pinning him down with such absurd questions was rude. I sent a protest email to President Bollinger for being so arrogant and rude towards the President of Iran. If Bush, who has more blood on his hands came to our campus, Bollinger would show more respect to him (the man that has far more blood on his hands and is hungry for more).

So you admired the poetic and cultured way he avoided actually answering anything. And the "mixing" of science and religion together... Could you clarify what he talked about that you're referring to there? I didn't hear a single mention of anything scientific.

 

[Narmer]

Originally posted by: shinerburke

Originally posted by: Narmer

Originally posted by: yllus

Originally posted by: Narmer

Originally posted by: yllus

Originally posted by: Narmer
Except for the gay part, the forum was excellent. Like eits said, the President is a very gifted speaker (like Hitler and Reagan), but far more poetic and cultured. I really liked the way he mixed the religion and science together. The guy is clearly an intellectual of the highest order. I was able to get a handshake on his way out to 114th street.

Actually he was evasive, intellectually dishonest and really nothing special when it comes to speak - I'd take Tony Blair over him in a debate any day of the week. Your seeking out a handshake doesn't surprise me in the slightest.

How was he evasive?

Did you listen to a word of the debate? He avoided clarifying his position on whether Israel should be "destroyed". He avoided stating whether his nation would clamp down on insurgents or war material flowing into Iraq. He avoided discussing the specifics of why he considered the Holocaust to require a factual revisiting.

As the president of Columbia implied at the end, he didn't really answer much at all.

Have you ever met a politician that answered such questions in the same manner your children talk to you? I haven't. The man is the leader of a sovereign nation. Pinning him down with such absurd questions was rude. I sent a protest email to President Bollinger for being so arrogant and rude towards the President of Iran. If Bush, who has more blood on his hands came to our campus, Bollinger would show more respect to him (the man that has far more blood on his hands and is hungry for more).

Wow.

Just

Wow

Are you surprised by my candor? Is anything I said factually incorrect?

 

[cwjerome]

Originally posted by: shinerburke

Originally posted by: Narmer

Originally posted by: yllus

Originally posted by: Narmer

Originally posted by: yllus

Originally posted by: Narmer
Except for the gay part, the forum was excellent. Like eits said, the President is a very gifted speaker (like Hitler and Reagan), but far more poetic and cultured. I really liked the way he mixed the religion and science together. The guy is clearly an intellectual of the highest order. I was able to get a handshake on his way out to 114th street.

Actually he was evasive, intellectually dishonest and really nothing special when it comes to speak - I'd take Tony Blair over him in a debate any day of the week. Your seeking out a handshake doesn't surprise me in the slightest.

How was he evasive?

Did you listen to a word of the debate? He avoided clarifying his position on whether Israel should be "destroyed". He avoided stating whether his nation would clamp down on insurgents or war material flowing into Iraq. He avoided discussing the specifics of why he considered the Holocaust to require a factual revisiting.

As the president of Columbia implied at the end, he didn't really answer much at all.

Have you ever met a politician that answered such questions in the same manner your children talk to you? I haven't. The man is the leader of a sovereign nation. Pinning him down with such absurd questions was rude. I sent a protest email to President Bollinger for being so arrogant and rude towards the President of Iran. If Bush, who has more blood on his hands came to our campus, Bollinger would show more respect to him (the man that has far more blood on his hands and is hungry for more).

Wow.

Just

Wow

x2

 

[palehorse]

Originally posted by: cwjerome

Originally posted by: shinerburke

Originally posted by: Narmer

Originally posted by: yllus

Originally posted by: Narmer

Originally posted by: yllus

Originally posted by: Narmer
Except for the gay part, the forum was excellent. Like eits said, the President is a very gifted speaker (like Hitler and Reagan), but far more poetic and cultured. I really liked the way he mixed the religion and science together. The guy is clearly an intellectual of the highest order. I was able to get a handshake on his way out to 114th street.

Actually he was evasive, intellectually dishonest and really nothing special when it comes to speak - I'd take Tony Blair over him in a debate any day of the week. Your seeking out a handshake doesn't surprise me in the slightest.

How was he evasive?

Did you listen to a word of the debate? He avoided clarifying his position on whether Israel should be "destroyed". He avoided stating whether his nation would clamp down on insurgents or war material flowing into Iraq. He avoided discussing the specifics of why he considered the Holocaust to require a factual revisiting.

As the president of Columbia implied at the end, he didn't really answer much at all.

Have you ever met a politician that answered such questions in the same manner your children talk to you? I haven't. The man is the leader of a sovereign nation. Pinning him down with such absurd questions was rude. I sent a protest email to President Bollinger for being so arrogant and rude towards the President of Iran. If Bush, who has more blood on his hands came to our campus, Bollinger would show more respect to him (the man that has far more blood on his hands and is hungry for more).

Wow.

Just

Wow

x2

x3