The past week played host to two major news events. The first was the visit to Columbia University by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The second was the increasingly visible struggle in Myanmar for political and social liberty and the institution of democracy. Both topics received considerable attention and brought out many different views and commentaries, especially on the issue of Ahmadinejad. Both issues have a major effect on the world-wide political stage. It is hard to believe that two stories and one person, encompassing three countries, thousands of miles apart, can be connected in any way, but the events are very connected. They are connected in a manner that is both regrettable and disturbing.
When it became apparent that Mr. Ahmadinejad wanted to see more of America than the inside of his hotel room and the United Nations building, there was a large outcry against him. The New York City Police Department was adamantly against Ahmadinejad’s visit to the 9-11 attack sites. The government in Washington, including President Bush, failed to take a truly definitive stand at all. Many of the Presidential candidates, from both parties, were in opposition. The lines were drawn in much the same way when it was announced that Ahmadinejad would speak at Columbia University. Both sides put forth their best case. In the end, both came out unscathed and virtually as even as they were at the start. The “free speech and all access people” got their Ahmadinejad speech at Columbia, and the “respect the past, look at what he has done to our country people” were able to prevent Ahmadinejad’s visit to ground 0.
When Columbia’s president, Lee Bollinger, introduced Ahmadinejad, he appeared to attempt an apology to all of those who disagreed with his action, by naming nearly everything he could think of that was deplorable about the Iranian President. Mr. Ahmadinejad, who may be a terrorist, but not an ignorant one, later responded to the introduction in a very abrupt way, when he made mention to the respect Iranians offer their guests. At that point, a significant portion of the crowd assembled to watch this bit of political theater, broke out in loud applause in support of Ahmadinejad’s words. While reports vary on specific numbers, there is agreement that there was a large minority of consistently pro-Ahmadinejad supporters present, as Ahmadinejad hypocritically displayed the use of his own western-style political skills. For the most part, Ahmadinejad was smooth, if not a little socially inaccurate, which offered some the opinion that he is slightly less intelligent than he really is. However, no matter the perceptions, it was clear that a number of the Columbia students present were unabashed supporters of Mr. Ahmadinejad. This is a truly frightening concept. Whether these young people realize it or not, our education system is lacking even worse than we thought if they don’t, they are pledging their support to the denial of the holocaust, state-supported terrorism, the denial of human rights, and the violation of the very free speech these students claim when they support this hypocritical politician.
In the country of Myanmar, the situation is markedly different. The people of Myanmar would undoubtedly love to have the opportunity to debate the merits of inviting an arch enemy into their land for a speech. This would be the practice of a tested and firm democracy like the one in the United States. Instead, the enemy is residing within their own country. To attempt a movement toward democracy is a decision to live safely that day or put your life on the line. At any moment, the dictating military government could swoop in with methodical terror and end any hope of a free people. The action of thousands of Myanmar’s people is the largest showing of bravery that can ever be exhibited.
The people of Myanmar only wish for liberty and happiness, while much of the world moves on, taking for granted the freedom they no longer appreciate.
One group who obviously maintains a lack of appreciation for liberty is the fraction of the audience at Columbia who cheered the words of Ahmadinejad. It is at Columbia University, in the United States of America, the greatest and strongest nation in the world, that Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Myanmar, and the oppressed, freedom-hungry people of both countries finally cross paths. As the people of Myanmar fight for their lives and their freedom, some students at Columbia University freely support dictatorship. As they freely do so, perhaps it is not Ahmadinejad’s foolish acting that is the most hypocritical. It is the equally foolish support of him by those who, of all people, should know better. There is nothing wrong with free speech. There isn’t anything wrong with listening to the other side speak. There is, however, something wrong with trusting the words that are spoken by an announced enemy of the American way of life.
The issues spoken of here are deeper than what can be tackled in a piece of work this length. There are statements still untold. There are comparisons to the demonstrating students of the 1960s who demonstrated seemingly to show the rest of the world that they could. That is for a different article though. There are two questions to be asked, however, that begs answers. How could supposed free-speech lovers loudly cheer for the leader of a state that prevents speech at all costs, a state that openly wishes to eradicate democracy and freedom from the face of the Earth? Doesn’t it seem more prudent for these inspired young people to spread democracy and free speech by lending their collective hands to the peoples of such nations as Myanmar? Hopefully, they can explain that, or can they?