Columbia University Student Groups Issue Statements on Ahmadinejad's Visit

MSA - Muslim Student Association

Having also experienced direct attacks upon our community and faith beliefs post 9/11, the MSA empathizes with the student groups who are offended and outraged by the presence of the President of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, on Columbia's campus. As an organization, we will continue to strengthen our relationship with as many of Columbia's religious, cultural, and political organizations so that Islam can be fairly represented on this campus and so that the MSA can maintain its role as a vital organization for Columbia student life.



LUCHA - Latino Student Group

Lucha believes that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's presence at Columbia University is a chance to engage in conversation with one of the world's most important political leaders. As the occupation of Iraq continues to destroy lives, generals and politicians blame the escalating violence on Iranian interference. As in Iraq, we fear that the American people will be misled into an unjust war with Iran. We see Ahmadinejad's presence as a crucial opportunity to open dialogue, leading to diplomacy with Iran instead of invasion.

Lucha is concerned with the hypocrisy much of the media and Columbia Administration has displayed in discussing Ahmadinejad's invitation to speak at Columbia. A self serving description of "freedom of speech" was used to condemn the non-violent protesters who unfurled banners onstage while Jim Gilchrist of the Minutemen Project was speaking on October 4th, 2006. The same ideologues who denounced Columbia when Minutemen supporters shut down their own event by attacking the student protesters, now criticize Columbia for opening a dialogue with one of the most important world leaders and for attempting to promote an exchange of ideas and diplomacy at a time when war with Iran seems ever more imminent. The Columbia Administration has shown incredible inconsistency. They have successfully created an environment in which Ahmadinejad's positions will be forcefully critiqued, while the University did nothing to acknowledge how deeply offensive and threatening Gilchrist's views and actions are to Latinos and people of color. We appreciate the University's efforts in bringing Ahmadinejad to Columbia amid considerable controversy and providing a forum for his views to be challenged, but feel it necessary to highlight their inconsistency.

We believe that Jim Gilchrist and Ahmadinejad are incomparable. For the Minutemen Project, speaking at Columbia represented a chance to bring tactics and ideology pioneered by the Ku Klux Klan into mainstream American politics. The consequences of Ahmadinejad speaking on the other hand, are entirely different. We believe it necessary to prevent an invasion of Iran, and Ahmadinejad speaking can only lead to further understanding and dialogue. We stand with the people of Iran in their struggle against anti-Semitism, patriarchy, sexism, homophobia, but we fear that these issues have been exploited by those who wish to promote a Zionist and imperialist American invasion of Iran.


PRO-Israel PROgressives
Within our group, there are varying opinions on whether Columbia University should have extended an invitation to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Given he will be on campus tomorrow afternoon, we support the efforts of student groups who voice their opposition to Ahmadinejad's opinions. As well as being appalled by Ahmadinejad's statements concerning Israel, PRO-Israel PROgressives is also deeply opposed to Ahmadinejad's support of international terrorism, his denial of the Holocaust, his suppression of political dissidence, and his oppression of minority groups.

Although we clearly disagree with the repugnant views of Ahmadinejad, we hope his presence will begin a constructive conversation on campus, one that is in stark contrast to his own views. We hope future discussions on the Middle East are respectful and inclusive, reflective of a progressive vision, and focused on peace.