Posted by
Tzimisce on Monday, October 01, 2007 1:57:22 PM
I demand my right to speak at Columbia University. (Well you need an organization to sponsor you...) No I'm afraid I don't. You just said it was a "right" - I don't need permission to exercise my Constitutional rights. Granted I might need to go on record when I'd like to speak and for how long, but I'm willing to do that.
Columbia is proud that they invited Iranian President Ahmadinejad to speak there, lecturing all of us who disagree with a smug "well it's a free speech thing" as their retort.
I'm not a lawyer but I do know there is not a single federal court (liberal, conservative or otherwise) that has ever stated that advocating a violent overthrow of the government is protected speech. Ahmadinejad has and his regime have called for violence and outright attacks of the US many times over. The guy even had a military parade the day before he came here bringing out his latest missiles and gave a speech stating in part that Israel should be wiped off the map.
I figure if violent, trash talking tyrant would be welcomed by a bunch of peaceniks - I should be hailed as a hero when I go to speak.
Funny that a foreign dictator who wants violence against innocent people and an end to the US government (and the institutions of principles like freedom of speech) is welcome on Columbia campus and a bunch of people who want to serve our government and protect the institutions of freedom (namely the ROTC) are not. I guess soldiers don't have a right to speak, assemble or have an opinion. Somehow I'm guessing that if they found a soldier that had serious problems with the War on Terror and the Bush administration's policies on it would also be welcome on Columbia campus.
But I digress. Back to my original point I'm demanding my right to speak. (Well what are you going to say? We're not going to let you get up there and say a bunch of hateful things.)
#1 - I have free speech - it doesn't matter what I'm going to say. Free speech = free speech.
#2 - Hate speech...you mean like openly doubting that Hitler put 12 million people (half of them Jewish) to death simply for being who they were? And didn't that hate filled line about "we need to do more research about what really happened in Europe" (I paraphrase) get an applause?
Hate speech...you mean like stating "there are no homosexuals in Iran" a line that got quite a bit of applause with a sprinkle of booing?
Or do you mean like *gasp* being pro-life and talking about how millions of innocent people are killed every year? Or the hate filled suggestion that we actually control who comes through the US border? Would those things get my mic cut?
The great minds at places like Columbia can demonstrate how Garfield comic strips further racism. "Brilliant" people can write long essays about how the Bush administration pulled off 9-11 despite there being no evidence. And yet they can't see how stupid their actions of inviting Ahmadinejad make them look.
I believe the KKK has a right to speak and assemble peacefully in the United States. The KKK can believe, write and think whatever they want too. That said, I would never invite the current Grand Dragon to my house to speak. If nothing else, it makes it look like I endorse their philosophy (or is that a far fetched conclusion?)
By inviting the Iranian dictator to speak, you're making him look like what he says carries weight. And for you to sit here and argue that "it's a free speech issue" makes you look vacant. Ahmadinejad can go talk out on the sidewalk if he wants.
But back to my original point: I demand the floor at Columbia. If it's good enough for a middle eastern terrorist sympathizer, then it should be good enough for me.
So when can I expect my invite?