At first I was appalled and disgusted that an educational institution as highly regarded as Columbia University would even consider the vicious, genocidal and propaganda-enriched Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as a guest political speaker. In essence, this would be giving him a platform to spew twisted and manipulated comments to Americans, in an attempt to appear humane by hiding behind his own lies and false smiles.

I felt betrayed by higher education, as if it was to put “educational speeches” above human life. I felt betrayed, that is, until Lee Bollinger, the president of Columbia University, opened the platform by setting the record straight and directly accusing the Iranian leader of genocidal attempts (specifically to Israel), oppressing his own people by executing children, non- Muslims, women breaking Islamic code, denying the holocaust and murdering accused homosexuals, while simultaneously denying their existence in Iran.

I am proud that a leader of a liberal university had the fortitude to stand up to one of the most dangerous and manipulative people in modern history. It gives me hope that Americans, despite their political views or religious beliefs, are finally fed up with countries claiming to be our friends while taking obvious steps to destroy universal freedoms and condemn innocent life.

About the writer:

Chase Perkins is a senior SMU finance and philosophy major. He can be reached at [email protected].