Lexi, I tried to watch it, and found myself sickened. Rather than rely on my emotional reaction, which has no value to anyone but me, I know, I tried to figure out why it bothered me so deeply. The best I can offer is that all the talk about listening to other ideas, offering a forum for those ideas, is just a crock when you're dealing with someone like A'jad (have given up trying to spell it). He was not presenting honest ideas. He was evading, manipulating, lying, condescending, and he was working an audience of very young people, who while very intelligent are still very YOUNG. The applause was so obviously reactive to specific phrases (tolerance, love, peace, one God, blahblah). I believe our young people are raised to respect others, and that can be-- and was today-- abused.
Shame on Columbia president Bollinger, who, besides needing a haircut, was blatantly trying to redeem himself in his opening.
I remember having the same sickened reactions when Arafat was recognized.
I dunno, maybe this makes me very RW, but today was an abomination in my book. |
