Free speech and bizarre choices

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's appearance at Columbia University this week revealed more about modern American academia than it did about the Iranian president and his country.

There was predictable outrage from some quarters when his appearance was announced, followed by a crusading defense of "free speech" on the Columbia campus. But seriously, does anybody really think free speech is somehow restricted at Columbia? Does anybody really feel it's necessary for a kooky, yet spooky tyrant to be given a platform to demonstrate that free speech is alive and well at Columbia?

The problem with inviting him to speak is that it implies he is in some way "reasonable" or that he may have some "reasonable" things to say. If that's not the case, why should he be given a podium, a microphone and nationwide exposure?

But he was given just that. And at some points in his speech, he was also given hearty applause, except when he said, "In Iran we do not have homosexuals like in your country."

That prompted laughter and boos from the crowd of enlightened Columbia students.

This was one of many points where one could reflect on Ahmadinejad's general nuttiness and the policies of the Islamic Republic of Iran. One could consider that Iran does not have homosexuals because they are imprisoned or executed, and one could consider that free speech in Iran can be a dangerous thing.

One could consider that just two weeks ago, America's top commander in Iraq, Gen. David Petraeus, bluntly asserted that Iran is waging a "proxy" war in Iraq, supplying armaments that are killing U.S. troops.

A person could remember that Iran has backed Hezbollah, a bona fide terrorist organization that has carried out assassinations and other forms of destruction in Lebanon and less than two years ago, was launching Iranian-made rockets into Israel.

Most gravely, a person could reflect on Ahmadinejad's stated belief that the Holocaust didn't occur, repeated declarations to the effect that "Israel must be wiped off the earth," and also consider that Iran is widely believed to be making progress in the development of nuclear weapons.

There is nothing "reasonable" about Ahmadinejad or the repressive rule of his mullah masters and the threat they present to the Middle East and beyond.

Yet it is more likely that Ahmadinejad would receive a warmer welcome in certain detached academic venues than, say, Vice President Dick Cheney. And that is just totally bizarre.